people had managed to climb over her walls.
Introverts tended to have walls. That didn’t necessarily mean they were impenetrable. It just meant shy people were reserved. Maybe that described Bex, but he got the feeling it was more than that. He would bet money she let very few people in.
He needed to be careful. There were red flags. Bex for sure wasn’t the kind of woman to sleep with a man she hardly knew. He needed to keep his hands to himself and his pants on for the foreseeable future. She deserved to be wined and dined, not mauled.
He could control himself. Even though he was even more attracted to her than he had been when the evening started, he also understood her better too, albeit marginally. Not a lot of men had kissed those soft lips, and he wasn’t at all sure many men had gotten further than that.
For some reason, the thought of her lacking experience only endeared him to her more. Maybe it was a macho thing. Whatever it was, he needed to tread carefully with her feelings and emotions. Taking advantage of her just because his cock was hard could end up hurting her.
Dating a woman in his friend circle was one thing, but fucking it up would ruin a lot of relationships. He needed to make sure that no matter what happened between them, she could look him in the eye and say they were friends if things went south.
When he got home, he spent some time working out. If he didn’t do something, he would end up pacing the house. It was after midnight when he stepped into the shower and finally let himself close his eyes and picture Bex’s sweet smile. He took himself in hand and started stroking. It didn’t take much. The promise of possibilities brought him to a fast orgasm. He couldn’t help but wonder if Bex was doing the same thing. Was she lying in bed masturbating to thoughts of him?
As he climbed into bed, he was still picturing her with her hand between her legs, her head tipped back, eyes closed, lips parted. Was she a moaner? Did she bite that lower lip when she came?
It took him a long time to get to sleep, and he was grateful that he slept well because the next thing he knew the sun was pouring in between the blinds.
He shuffled around his house for a few hours, eating breakfast, paying bills, watching the news. He forced himself to wait until ten o’clock to text her, a politely decent hour for a Sunday.
Hey. Hope you slept well. Is noon still okay, or did you have second thoughts about a second date?
He added a silly emoticon, hoping she would smile. He had no idea why he chose to give her an out, but he definitely didn’t want her to feel pressured.
When those three little dots started flashing, he stared at the phone, willing her to respond faster.
Hey, yourself. Noon is still perfect unless you’re having second thoughts about a second date…
She added a similarly silly emoticon, making him chuckle.
Not a chance. I’ll pick you up in two hours.
It would be a long two hours, but somehow he would fill the time. Hell, he’d been living here for a year without a girlfriend. Why on earth did his Sunday morning suddenly seem empty and lonely?
Suddenly, he knew exactly what he wanted to do, and he set to work making a list before heading to the grocery store.
When he pulled up to her condo, he was five minutes early. Twenty years in the Army had made him extremely punctual.
Seconds after knocking on the door, he was slightly surprised to find a woman other than Bex opening it to him. He recognized her as Shayla, though he’d only met her a few times in passing. She was elegant even in shorts and a tank top. Olive skin, dark mysterious eyes, long straight black hair. When she smiled at him, he knew that indeed she would knock the socks off of Tank if the man ever took anyone up on the offer to set him up.
“Hey. Come on in. Bex will be down in a second.”
Bracken stepped inside and shook her hand, introducing himself.
Unlike Bex, Shayla was bubbling and outgoing. “I remember you from Destiny’s wedding. And thanks for your part in saving my friends from that fucking asshole on their flight.” She shuddered.
He couldn’t blame her. “You’re welcome. No thanks are necessary. We may not