Hope on the Rocks by Annabeth Albert

Nine

Adam

Quinn took his time adjusting his glasses and blushing before he whispered, “I’d like that.”

“Good.”

“I…uh…now what?” He pushed some food around on his plate.

“Finish your dinner, Quinn,” I commanded, enjoying how readily he dutifully took a bite. “Plenty of time yet for dessert.”

The second the words left my mouth, the universe proved it hated my guts. My phone trilled loudly.

“Or not.” Quinn laughed.

I glanced at my phone. “It’s my mom. If she’s calling, that means there’s probably a stack of unread texts.” I didn’t want to be rude, but I also needed to know what the emergency was.

“It’s okay.” Quinn gestured at my hand. “Take your call.”

I did, pacing away from the table, trying to make the interruption as quick as possible. But of course, as my stupid luck would have it, Mom’s disaster was anything but quick and simple.

I finished the call and looked down at Quinn and the remains of the dinner he’d taken such care to make. I put the phone in my pocket and let my hand drop to my side with a heavy sigh. “She has a big family group at one of her larger rentals, and one of the toilets isn’t working. Group of twelve, so it’s an issue. She tried to call the plumber, but it’s after-hours and no one’s answering. I offered to take a look, but I hate leaving you—”

“It’s okay. Don’t feel guilty.” Quinn stood as well. “She can’t risk a bad review.”

Like most of the tourist places around here, Mom’s rental business and B&B relied heavily on word-of-mouth and reviews on the various travel apps. A negative review could mean a serious loss of income, especially on one of the high-dollar rentals like this one.

“That’s it exactly, but damn, I really was looking forward to dessert.” I gave him a slow once-over that had nothing to do with brownies.

“I can save it for you for later?” Quinn took a step toward me.

“Yeah?” Him suddenly turning forward was unexpected. And his pink cheeks now seemed more from being turned-on than embarrassed.

“Yeah.” Continuing with his boldness, he touched my upper arm. “If there’s anyone who can understand being on call, it’s me.”

Already I could see the advantages to hooking up with a hot doctor. My skin tingled where he touched me, his capable-looking hand warm against my bicep.

“Here’s the deal. I’m gonna go handle this problem. If it’s fast, I’ll come back and split the brownie with you, maybe keep you up past your bedtime?”

“Sounds excellent.” A small smile played around the edges of Quinn’s mouth. I wanted to kiss him in the worst way, but I knew if I started, I wouldn’t stop. “Even if it’s not fast, you can still call or come by. I don’t sleep the best most nights, especially when I have a long day ahead of me.”

“Oh, I can put you to sleep.” The desire to kiss him built to near painful levels.

“I’d like to see you try.” Quinn was even more adorable when he flirted sober. It was like opening a soda. He kept all his bubbly impulses under a tight lid, but when he cracked that seal, it was refreshing and well worth the trouble of opening him up.

I left before I could give in to all those kissing impulses and drove north to the lake neighborhood. I was cranky even before I discovered the extent of the disaster. One of the guests had tried to fix the toilet on their own and made everything way worse. Not only did I have to make a trip to the storage shed where I kept spare parts, but I also had quite the cleanup job after I made the repair. The job took far more sweat and time than I’d hoped.

Halfway through the job, I’d texted Quinn to go ahead and have some brownie without me. And before I left the rental place’s driveway, I sent another message.

Still awake? I’m heading back to my place to shower for reasons we won’t discuss, but if you’re up for it, I’ll call you right after.

He replied before I could get the truck in gear. Nice. He must have been waiting for my text. I’m up. Going to tell me a bedtime story?

Hell yes.

His texts were flirtier than he’d managed in person and sober, and I had a feeling I might be able to get him to relax more on the phone than in his condo. Anticipation had me rushing through the shower so I could stretch out on my bed in a towel. I hit Call, and Quinn picked up on the second ring, sounding too awake for someone who had to be up first thing in the morning.

“Hey. You need help getting sleepy?”

“Yes.” He gave a little self-conscious laugh. “The brownie was amazing, but I should have known better than to eat chocolate so late at night. Even a small amount of caffeine can mess with my sleep.”

“You’re like the princess and the pea. Or maybe Goldilocks.” I’d clearly been reading too many of Teddy’s books, but Quinn laughed along with my jokes. “You gotta have everything just right to sleep.”

“I don’t know about being Goldilocks, but you sure make a good Daddy bear.” His voice went soft like he was trying out the Daddy, seeing how it felt.

“Think so?”

“Mm-hmm.” He purred like he was stretching, and I wished I was there to see. “Even when you make me talk about difficult things. Maybe especially then. I still can’t believe I said yes to your idea. I’ve never…”

“Never?” That, I didn’t believe. I found myself wanting to know all his naughty secrets—what were his fantasies, what were the new experiences he craved? “Not once?”

“Well, when I was in college, I had a few one-night stands with older guys that had some Daddy dynamics. My grades started to dip, and pre-med is brutal, so I stopped going out as much.”

“That’s a shame.”

“Well, it probably kept me out of trouble. Kept my GPA up, at least. Later, I had this boyfriend, and we used to switch, take turns exploring fantasies. We did a little fooling around with spanking and bondage, but then his grades were the ones faltering, and he ended it.” Quinn’s tone was wistful, but I didn’t press, choosing instead to make a sympathetic noise and wait for him to continue. “Then I put my sex life in deep freeze to make it through med school, and by the time I was ready to thaw out, I was too old—”

I cut him off with a clucking sound. “What did I say about that ‘too old’ nonsense?”

“Sorry.”

His contriteness made my pulse thrum, that eagerness to please mellowing me out more than a shot of whiskey. “Good boy.”

He took a sharp, quick breath that had my cock pushing against my towel.

“But I did feel too old to go back to the bar scene and one-night stands. Seemed more sensible to find a stable situation, even if the sex was bland.”

“Fuck sensible. And fuck bland sex.” I liked his answering laugh, but I was serious. “Stable isn’t a bad goal, but not if it means locking up the best parts of you.”

“You’re really smart.” Quinn made another stretching noise that made me want to kiss his belly. “You should charge for all the advice you hand out because it’s usually spot-on.”

“Yup, that’s me, the bartending philosopher. I’ll tell Mason I’m gonna start putting counseling fees on the drinks menu.” I chuckled and yawned at the same time.

“Oh, you’re tired. Now I’m the one keeping you awake.”

“In a good way.” My laugh took on a husky edge. “Figuring you out is way more fun than sleep. But feel free to tell me how you’d like me to wear you out.”

“Shouldn’t I be the one doing things for you?” There was a rustling noise as if he were getting more comfortable in bed. Good.

“Nope. I’m way more interested in what turns your crank. I already know what does it for me, and trust me that getting you off epically is top of the list.”

“Epically, huh?”

“That’s a promise.” I ran a hand down my still-damp torso. “However, the chances of success go way up if you tell me your favorite way to get off.”

“Hmmm.”

“It’s not a test, Quinn. There isn’t a wrong answer here.” I already knew how his overly academic brain worked and could hear him searching for the answer that would make me the happiest.

“I like giving oral. Like really like it, maybe too much. I’ve been accused of having an oral fixation before.”

“No such thing as too much.” Tweaking one of my nipples, I let the towel fall open. “And you’re sidestepping the question.”

“I’m not,” he protested, a little indignant sound that went straight to my already aching cock. “I like climaxing that way. Rubbing against something while I blow a partner. It’s a rush, trying to hold off my own orgasm while getting the other person there. And I can enjoy oral in a variety of ways, including quiet and sleepy, but if I’m getting to order up my ideal, I like the other person talking. And being in charge of me.”

“Trust me, I’m not the silent type.” We were so going to get along. I fucking loved dirty talk, and Quinn giving me a green light there made my thighs tighten. “And Daddy’s always in charge, not you. You can say red or pinch me if your mouth is full and you need me to back off, but I’m driving.”

“I’m not going to pinch you.”

“You could. And I’d listen.” I took the concept of safe words seriously.

“I appreciate that, but I meant more that you can use my mouth.” Quinn’s voice hitched deliciously around the word use. “It’s unlikely to be too much for me.”

“Mmm. I’ll keep that in mind. You like having your face fucked? Letting me use your throat? You gonna swallow it all down?”

“Yes, Daddy,” he whimpered, and hearing him say it was as much a rush as if he’d been there to touch me.

“Good. I’m tested.” Important info for him to know, but I kept my voice more sexy than factual. “And I love it when you get all cock-hungry to taste me.”

“I am.” His moan was lusty enough that I’d put good money on him touching his cock already. “I want to suck you for a long time. Slow to start. Then faster, let you use my throat, let it get sloppier.”

“Fuck yeah. I like messy, baby. The messier, the better. I wanna see your lips all shiny with my come.” I couldn’t ignore my cock much longer, so I fisted the hard length but kept my grip light. This was too good to end too fast.

“Yes. Oh. You can come on me if you want.” The way Quinn’s breathing sped up said he liked that idea a lot.

“Oh, I want. I’m all about you wearing Daddy’s come. I’m gonna make you so messy.”

He moaned again, softer this time. “I want that.”

“You gonna make a mess too?” I started a slow stroke of my cock. Simply getting to talk like this had me on edge. “You like rubbing on things, huh?”

“Yes. Yes, Daddy.”

“Tell me about you rubbing things, dirty boy.” I loved how Quinn moaned at my words. “What do you like to hump?”

“Um…”

“You can tell me, baby,” I coaxed.

“Anything, really. I’m not that picky. Bed. Pillow. But…I like soft things. Fuzzy things. Feels good on my cock.”

“I’m a fuzzy thing,” I teased, imagining all kinds of fun we could have with sensation play. “But I got you. You can rub on whatever feels best to you. Want you to picture that now, you sucking me while humping whatever gets you hottest.”

“Yes. I’m thinking about that now.” There was a soft slurping sound on his end that made my cock pulse in my hand, that much harder now.

“You sucking your fingers?”

“Uh…yes.” He sounded all sheepish, which made me want to see him even more.

“Damn. Next time we’re doing this as a video chat.” And there sure as hell would be a next time. Quinn was hot as fuck. Once was most definitely not going to be enough.

“Mmph.” Quinn made a noise halfway between a moan and whimper.

“No, no getting embarrassed. You want me to see that, don’t you? You want to watch me stroke while you show me how cock-starved you are.”

“Yes.” He was panting now, and each hitch of his breath got me even hotter.

“Do it again,” I ordered, experimenting with getting a little sterner on him. “Let me hear it.”

The lewd sucking sounds he made had me moaning. “Like that?”

“Good boy. Now use that wet hand on your cock. Make it feel good too.”

“Messy.” He sounded pleased.

“Yeah, and you like that. Want you to get even messier.” My hand sped up. I wasn’t going to be able to hold off much longer.

“Yes, Daddy.” Quinn’s voice had the sexiest catch to it each time he called me Daddy.

“That’s it. You’re going to make a big mess while you think about swallowing my load, aren’t you?”

“Yes. I want that. Want to suck you.”

“Mmm. You will. Soon.” I was going to make that happen, even if it took some serious schedule juggling. No way could I wait much longer for the full Quinn experience.

“Please,” he begged.

“You close, baby? Tell me.”

His breathing and the slapping sound of his hand were hot enough, but I wanted him to say it.

“Yes, Daddy. I’m so close.”

“Good. Good boy.” Giving him the praise he craved was so damn easy. “Sometimes I’m gonna make you wait for it. Earn it. But not tonight. I want you to come, but I wanna hear it.”

“Daddy. Yes. Oh.” It didn’t take more than another second or two before his breathing shifted again, his moans becoming more urgent.

“That’s it, come for me. Think about my big cock filling your mouth.”

“Yes.” Apparently, that image did it because Quinn let out his loudest moan yet.

The wet, squelching sound of a hand on a come-covered cock was too much for me, and I lost it too. “Such a good boy. That’s it. You’re getting me off too.” Grip tightening, I milked out my orgasm, shooting harder than I had in months, ropes of it, all without Quinn even in the room.

“Oh my God. That was…I don’t…” Quinn was babbling, all sex drunk, and I had to laugh. “I guess I see the appeal of phone sex now.”

“You did amazing, baby.”

“Wow. I…” He trailed off on a happy sigh.

“Made a mess?” I chuckled fondly. “Me too. Now, I want you to take a shower, but no feeling embarrassed, okay? That was hot as fuck, and I can’t wait to see you let go like that in person.”

“Soon?” Quinn sounded more hopeful than nervous, which was a decided improvement.

“I’m probably working later than you the next few nights, but on Thursdays, we close earlier.” I tried to remember what I knew about the urgent care clinic hours.

“Tomorrow works. I’m off around eight, but I’ll be awake way later.”

“You better.”