The Nanny (The Fabulous Dalton Boys Book 1) (7 page)

Chapter Seven

Once they were in the elevator, they were completely alone, so he pulled her to him, kissing her softly.  "I thought we'd never be alone."

She laughed, her hands clutching his broad shoulders.  "I'm not sure if I'm glad we're alone or nervous, but it's one of those."

The elevator stopped on their floor, and he walked to the right door, using the keycard to open it.  "Both?" he asked as he pulled her in and locked the door behind them.

She bit her lip, suddenly more nervous than she'd realized.  "Do you mind if I get a quick bath?"

He pushed her against the door, kissing her passionately, his body pressed up against hers.  "Now?" 
Please let her mean after.

She nodded.  "I'm sorry.  I'm just really nervous and a bath will calm me."

He groaned, pushing away from her.  "Yeah, go for it.  I'm not trying to rush you."  It was a lie, and he knew she recognized that fact.

"Yes, you are.  But I can understand why.  I'll make it quick."  Really she just wanted a really quick shower so she could smooth lotion all over and put on the nightgown Brooklyn had sent.  She wouldn't take more than a minute or two.

He nodded, walking to look out the window.  He could wait.  A few more minutes wouldn't kill him, even though, at that moment, he felt like it would.  He stared at the cars passing below, trying not to think.

When he heard the bathroom door close, he pulled out his phone and quickly dialed his brother, Cage.  "How's the baby?"

Cage laughed.  "Let's just say Brook is
not
a natural mother.  She's doing all right though.  Baby isn't crying.  Right now."

"I guess that's a plus.  You sure he's okay?"

"Yeah, we got it.  Enjoy your night away."

The phone went dead in his hand, and Barrett looked at it for a moment, wondering if he should put Ashley on a plane and take her right back to Texas.  He shook his head.  He would have one wedding night, and he wasn't going to blow it.  Cage was a good uncle.  The baby would be fine.

He undressed and got into the bed, listening and noting the water had stopped.  He folded his hands behind his head, looking up at the ceiling, wishing he knew how long she took in the bath.  However long it too, he promised himself he wouldn't rush her.  What he wanted to do was go see if the door was locked and join her in the huge bathtub.  Visions of her sitting there surrounded by bubbles filled his mind, and he could think of nothing else.

The door opened then and he looked up, his eyes widening as he saw her.  She was wearing a short white silky gown with spaghetti straps.  It barely came to her thighs and showed her sexy body to perfection.  He pulled himself into a sitting position, staring at the vision before him. 

"Remind me to kiss Brook when we get back to Texas."

She laughed self-consciously.  "I probably won't do that..."  She nervously approached the bed on the opposite side to where he was.  He'd pushed the covers to the foot of the bed, only covering up with the sheet.  She had a feeling he'd only bothered to cover at all for her modesty. 

She slipped between the sheets, unsure if she was supposed to go to him, or wait for him to come to her.  Oh why did no one ever explain these things in romance novels?  She rolled to her side facing him, waiting for him to either make a move or tell her what to do.  It didn't take him long.

Barrett turned to her, his hand reaching out to stroke her cheek.  "Are you going to stay way over there?"

"I wasn't sure what I was supposed to do.  It's not like I've ever done this before."

He had suspected that might be the case, but having her confirm it made him nervous as well.  "Why don't we meet in the middle?"

She slowly scooted toward him on the bed, keeping the sheet clenched tightly against her chest. 

He could feel her tension, and decided, even though it would surely kill him, he would take things as slowly as he could.  Cupping her face in his hands, he lowered his mouth to hers, sipping softly at her lips.  He made no move to touch her anywhere else, simply kissing her, as he'd done several times before.

Her lips parted for his, her hands going to his shoulders.  She loved the smooth skin of his back across her palms. 

Barrett lifted his head, his eyes looking into hers.  "You are the most beautiful woman I've ever seen.  I hope you know that."

"You make me feel beautiful," she said, blushing slightly, but feeling more confident by the minute.  "I like touching you."

"I'm glad, because there's nothing I like more.  Well, that's not true.  I expect to like touching you more, but I'm not sure if you'll ever let me."

She laughed.  "I think I'm letting you now, right?"

He studied her face.  "I don't know.  Are you?"

She nodded, her eyes never leaving his.  As nervous as it made her, he was her husband, and he had the right to touch her anytime he wanted.  And she had the right to enjoy it, gosh darn it!

He pressed his lips to hers, his tongue invading her mouth to stroke his, even as his hand slid down to cup her breast.  His thumb found her nipple through the silky fabric. 

She let out a soft moan, arching into his hand.  No one had ever touched her there, not even him.  She was surprised she liked it so much.  Her hands roamed his back, gently scraping it with her nails. 

Barrett took that to mean he was allowed to do more.  He pressed her back against the mattress, kissing a path from her neck, down her shoulder, to her breast where he caught her nipple between his lips.

Ashley knew that she didn't want the fabric separating them anymore, so she sat up in the bed and pulled the nightgown over her head, tossing it to the floor before laying back down.

Barrett watched her with a mix of astonishment and pleasure.  He grinned at her.  "I guess that means you don't want anything to come between my lips and your breast?" he asked, knowing it would embarrass her, but enjoying her pretty blush. 

She tried to sit up.  "Maybe I'll just put it back on..."

He laughed.  "No, I think I prefer you this way, honestly."

Pushing him onto his back, she kissed him, her hands stroking his chest.  "Behave yourself then."

He pulled her down on top of him, his hands stroking her back and down to her bottom, cupping it in his hands.  "I want you," he whispered against her lips.

She looked down at him with wide eyes.  "Oh?  What do you want to do about that?"

His hand moved down between them, down across her belly to her core, stroking her there, making certain she was ready for him.  He pulled her thighs to either side of his, positioning her where he wanted her.  "How about this?" he asked, pushing inside her as he pressed his lips against hers.

His lips swallowed her gasp of pain, and he held her still over him, hoping her body would quickly acclimate to his invasion. 

Ashley pulled her lips from his, resting her forehead on his shoulder as she took huge gulps of air.  "This feels so weird," she finally said.

He forced a laugh.  "Weird good or weird bad?" 
Please say it's good
.  He so desperately needed to move inside her, it was taking everything inside him not to flip her to her back and begin thrusting.  He had to wait until she was ready, though.  He needed tonight to be as good for her as he knew it would be for him.

"Good, I think.  At first it hurt, but now, I just kind of feel full."

He moved a little, watching her face for any sign of pain.

"I like that.  Do it again!"  Ashley grinned at him, surprised that it actually felt good to her.

He flipped her then, driving them both to completion. 

Afterward, they lay together, her head on his chest.  Her fingers didn't stop moving over his shoulder, his chest, his stomach.  When they started to trail lower, he caught them.  "I think you've had enough of that for one night."

She pouted.  "Are you sure?"

He laughed.  "I am.  Let me just hold you."  As much as he wanted to make love with her again, he didn't want to risk hurting her, and she was just too new to sexual play.

She closed her eyes, keeping her hands still.  "My aunt is going to kill me for marrying you," she blurted out.

"Why?"

She shrugged, snuggling down more.  "She thinks you and your brothers are trouble." 
And sex on a stick
.

"And what do you think?"  He hated the idea of coming between her and her family.

"I think if you do that to me every night, I won't care how much trouble you are."  She sighed, her eyes closing contentedly.

He held her as she fell asleep, his eyes open and staring at the ceiling. They had to fix their reputation.  For Ashley, and for the baby.  For all of them.

Chapter Eight

Ashley woke up and instantly knew who she was with and what had happened.  Normally, she came awake slowly, struggling to remember where she was and why.  When she woke, she saw Barrett watching her.  "I was just about to wake you.  We need to get back to Texas."

She sighed.  "I wish we had more time."

He pressed a kiss to her forehead.  "I guess I could call in a temporary nanny, but I'd rather meet someone before I left her with Baby Dalton."

"Brady."

"Brady?"  He looked confused.

She rolled to her side, pulling the sheet off the bed with her and wrapping it around her like a toga.  "Just trying out new names to see what feels right.  Not Brady."  She turned around and grinned at him.  "Maybe you should cover up."

He laughed.  "You stole my cover!"

"Get dressed.  I have to make sure Brook didn't kill my baby."

Barrett rolled out of bed.  Her baby.  They'd been married for less than twenty-four hours, and already Baby Dalton was already her baby.  He liked that.

*****

When they got back to the house, Ashley hurried straight back to see Brooklyn who had tangled hair and red-rimmed eyes.  She whispered, "Thank you for the nightgown."

Brook nodded.  Ashley barely listened to the conversation around her, in a hurry to get her baby back where he belonged in Barrett's wing of the house.  As she carried him off she was mumbling names under her breath.  "Tanner, Kai, Cody, Hunter...No, none of those names suit you.  We need something just right."

Shortly before lunchtime, Barrett came in and announced they were grilling out by the pool.  Ashley shrugged.  "I can deal with that."  She changed into her bathing suit and fixed Baby Dalton a bottle, carrying him out to the pool with her.  She sat in a lounger and fed him while talking to Brooklyn softly. 

"Girl, we need to do a bachelorette party for you."  Brooklyn looked so excited by the prospect, it frightened Ashley.  What would the other woman think was a good idea for a bachelorette party?

Ashley shook her head adamantly.  "I'm already married.  What's the point?"

"It'll be fun!  Does it need to have more of a point than that?"

Ashley frowned.  "I guess not..."

The boys tossed a ball around, and when Kalee arrived, she seemed very unhappy about Barrett and Ashley getting married. 

Finally she settled on a lounger near Ashley and Brooklyn, looking put out.  "Those boys can't do anything normally, can they?"

Brook shrugged. "I think it's romantic.  And I also think we need to take Ashley out for a bachelorette party.  I bet she's never been to LaBare.  She's been in Texas less than two weeks."

Ashley frowned.  "What's LaBare?"

Brook and Kalee's eyes met.  "We have to," Kalee said.  "Tonight, while Barrett is still so totally in love with her, he'll let her go and take care of the baby himself."

Ashley shook her head.  "Whatever you two are thinking, it's not a good idea.  I'm not doing it."  She had no idea what LaBare was, and she really didn't even want to know.  She wasn't going anywhere with those two.

Kalee got up and walked to Barrett.  "We're taking Ashley out tonight for a bachelorette party.  You're watching the baby."

Barrett frowned.  "I just got married, and you're stealing my wife away?"  He didn't want to go to bed alone the day after he got married.

"You got married and risked your entire family by doing so.  You knew I wouldn't like it, didn't you?"

He sighed.  "Yeah.  So?"

"So you can let her go out with us."

"Fine.  When are you leaving?" 

"It'll take us a couple of hours to get there, so I'd say about six.  We'll be back after midnight, so don't wait up."

Barrett laughed.  "You really don't think I'm going to wait up for my new wife?  You're crazy."

Kalee waved at him over her shoulder, walking back to the other girls.  "We're all set.  He's taking care of the baby tonight."

"But where are you taking me?" Ashley asked one last time, frustrated.

"Just dress up."

*****

Ashley grumbled the whole time she got ready to leave in her tiny room.  She hadn't had time yet to transfer her things into Barrett's room.  She pulled on another of her new sundresses and a pair of sandals, hoping it would be appropriate for whatever Kalee and Brook had in mind.  Moreover she hoped that whatever Kalee and Brook had in mind would be appropriate.  She was more than a little nervous.

When she heard a knock on her door, she looked in the mirror one last time and opened it, expecting to find Kalee or Brook waiting for her.  Instead it was Barrett.  He stepped into her room quickly and pulled the door shut behind him, locking it.  "I'm going to miss you tonight," he told her, pulling her into his arms.  He wouldn't stop her from going, because he knew she needed to have female friends, but he wanted to.

"I don't want to go!  I told the girls, and they're just not listening to me.  I'm sure they want to do something wild, crazy, and debauched, and I just don't
like
that kind of thing.  I'm a stick in the mud."

He kissed her.  "I don't see you as a stick in the mud.  I'm not worried about it.  Have a good time with them.  If it gets too out of hand, tell them you want to come home!"

She frowned. "I'd rather stay here with my husband."  She stroked her hands up his shoulders, enjoying the feel of his muscles through his shirt.  Standing on tiptoe, she kissed him softly.  "We can have so much fun without them."

Barrett laughed, holding her close.  "And we will have fun without them.  As soon as you get home." 

"But the baby!"  She would come up with any excuse she could to keep from going.

"It's Saturday.  I'll take care of him."  He kissed her passionately, pulling her tight against him, his hips grinding into hers.  "I'll miss you, though.  So much."

She sighed, wishing he would tell her not to go, so she would have an excuse.  "Fine.  I'll go."

She jerked away from him at the knock on the door, feeling as if they'd been caught doing something naughty.  He laughed.  "We're married now."

"I know.  I'll get used to it."  She opened the door, and both girls were standing waiting for her. 

"Get your purse," Brooklyn told her.

Ashley sighed, grabbing her purse and feeling like she was going to her doom.  Just as she was about to leave, Barrett grabbed her hand and caught her to him for one last searing kiss. 

"Oh, get a room!" Brook complained.  "It's time to go."

Ashley's eyes met Barrett's one last time before she headed for the door.  She didn't say she wished she was staying home again, but she did.  Oh, how she wished she was staying home.

She followed the other girls out front and she got into the backseat of Kalee's car.  "I want it to be known I'm doing this under protest."

Brook sighed.  "Get a grip.  You can ride Barrett all night when we get home.  For now, you're going to have fun."

Ashley blushed as she settled back against the seat, buckling up.  "Where are we going anyway?"

Brook turned around and looked at Ashley.  "We told you.  LaBare."

"I don't know what that is!" Ashley protested.  It must be popular in the area for both of the girls to have automatically known what it was, though.

Kalee looked at her in the rearview mirror.  "You'll have fun.  Don't worry.  We'll make sure of it."

As they drove, Kalee asked the other two questions about themselves.  Ashley answered, feeling like she'd lived an incredibly sheltered life compared to the other two.  When they finally pulled up in front of a small building in Dallas, they got out as Kalee arranged for valet parking. 

Ashley sucked in a surprised breath as they walked inside.  "No way!  I don't belong here!"  The small room they were in held nothing crazy, but the posters on the wall around the desk made it clear what kind of place this was. 

Brook rolled her eyes.  "We're paying for her, because she's the bride."

The woman nodded, taking money from Kalee and Brooklyn.  Kalee handed Ashley an envelope.  "Tip money."

Ashley opened the envelope and saw a stack of one dollar bills.  "Barrett wouldn't be happy if he knew I was here."

Brooklyn laughed.  "Barrett would be shocked if he thought we took you anywhere else.  This is
the
place to go in North Texas for bachelorette parties."

They walked into the main room, and she shook her head, already she was seeing things she knew she shouldn't be seeing.  Every table had a man in almost nothing gyrating to the music.  She wrinkled her nose.  This was
not
her idea of a good time.

They sat at the table the hostess took them too, a round one off to the side with a man already dancing atop it.  Brook started making catcalls and whistling immediately, making the dancer do more outlandish things.  She hurried around the table to climb onto some steps, putting her hands all over the stripper.

Ashley's eyes widened.  "She's touching him!" she hissed at Kalee.  "Is that allowed?"

Kalee grinned and nodded.  "Not only allowed but expected here."

Ashley sighed.  She hoped no one expected her to touch one of the men.  They were either covered in some kind of oil or sweat, and she really didn't care to find out which one.

As she looked around her, she was surprised by what she saw.  She'd have expected it to be loud obnoxious women, and there were many of those, but there were a few who made her sad.  A group of women sat in the middle, and they tipped each of the men in turn to dance for them, touching them.  One woman seemed to go from man to man, giving them a dollar or two each just to hug her.

Ashley sipped her Coke slowly as she observed everything, realizing that even though the place was billed with having a party atmosphere, and it did to some extent, the underlying loneliness and sadness of some of the women permeated the whole club. 

She suddenly wished she had her aunt's business cards, because she wanted to pass them out, telling women they didn't have to pay strange, naked men for hugs.  Her aunt could find them all matches. 

She couldn't help but wonder how long a person needed to be alone before they felt the need to go somewhere and pay someone for human touch. 

After an hour or so of Ashley sitting, drinking her Coke and not really participating, Brooklyn grabbed her hand and pulled her over to the pedestal where women stood to touch the strippers.  She gave the man who was on their table a few ones, and nodded at Ashley.  He was a different man than the one there at first, his chest and arms covered in tattoos.  It was not something Ashley had ever found attractive, and she did her best not to wrinkle her nose at him.  She carefully averted her eyes from the boxer briefs he was wearing, not really wanting to see or think about what was inside them.  At least this guy was wearing more than some of them.

She didn't want to be rude, so she stood there in front of him, watching him dance.  He wore knee protectors and danced on his knees in front of her for a minute, finally taking her hand and bringing it to his chest.  At first she couldn't figure out why his body felt strange, and then she realized he had razor stubble on his chest.  He must shave the hair there.  She didn't want to know that about this man.

He leaned forward and shouted in her ear, over the loud music, "What's your name, baby?"

"Ashley."

"Are you having a good time tonight?"

She frowned.  How was she supposed to answer that?  "It's
interesting
," she said, and it was.  She felt like she was getting a crash course in human nature whether she wanted it or not.

He laughed. "This isn't your kind of place.  Your friends drag you in?"

She nodded.  "Yes!  I eloped yesterday, and  don't feel like I should be touching another man's chest.  I want to be home with my husband!"

"I can understand that.  But does your husband have muscles like mine?"

Ashley looked at his body, which was well sculpted, but she had to admit, Barrett's was better.  "His are bigger."

He looked at her, stunned for a moment, before he laughed.  "Well, you should be home with him then, not groping me."

"That's what I think!" 

He leaned forward and kissed her cheek at the end of his dance.  "Go home to your husband."  He stood back up and continued dancing, and Ashley smiled.  His words were wise.

She walked over and sat back down between the other two.  "He told me I should go home to my husband," she told Kalee.

Kalee nodded.  "This wasn't the right place to bring you.  Come on."  She grabbed her purse, and taking Brooklyn's arm, dragged the girl to the exit.  "We're done," she explained as soon as they got to the outer room where it was quieter.  "Ashley's not enjoying this."

Brooklyn nodded, slipping her arm around Ashley.  "I should have known better."  She looked back toward the table.  "I forgot my purse."