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orange slices [remastered] - joel miller x f!reader | ao3
goodbye to my loving you - j.m. | ao3

if i look back, i am lost

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let's talk about Bridgerton tea, my ask is open

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YOU ARE THE REASON

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my inbox :) | send me anything, i love to chat :3
**Im working on putting my account together, bear with me!!**
current works:
orange slices [remastered] - joel miller x f!reader | ao3
goodbye to my loving you - j.m. | ao3
yall thinkin what im thinkin or ???
trust issues so bad I even lie to my diary
Deleting school to focus on Tumblr
me this week :(
FIC RECS NEEDED !!!
guys Iâm going to sound extremely mentally ill (I am), I am in dire need (NEED) of joel miller x reader fanfics that are sad, angsty, slow burn, fucking will have be gnawing onto my pillow as I scream sob. pls drop them below, can be on any platform. (also looking for anything in general so it does not have fit all the above, but I love angst and I love slow burn)
Joel in the uni building before he gets kebabâd
Study
Men will be like "this is my sigma male role model" and show a submissive little slut
subscribing to a fic isnât enough I need the author to blast a bat signal into the night sky whenever they update
This fanfiction shit is easy
pov: youâre reading something i wrote
tag your traumatized man comfort character
goodbye to my loving you | j.m. x f!reader
pairing: joel miller x f!reader (no use of y/n); descriptions are kept vague; second person pov
summary: when joel doesnât come back from patrol, your world is sent into a spiral. everything youâve build with him, all the plans you made were gone in an instant. through profound grief, you remember what your life with joel was like, recounting your firsts and lasts with him.
cw: 18+ MDI (there's like one chapter that this is relevant, but the premise of the fanfic is dark in general so...); depictions of death and grief; there is fluff... but like ???; jackson! joel miller; joel is a big ol' softie; domesticated joel miller (my fav); idk i'll add more as they come up
a/n: this feels kinda dark doing this as a reader insert, but i genuinely can't write oc's and am too stuck in the reader insert style of writing. chapters one through ten can be read as stand alone works, if you'd rather completely ignore joel dying. as dark as the premise is, this is definitely a fuck around and have fun wip. i should probably seek therapy after this in all honesty! each chapter is linked to a song, so playlist is linked below
prologue: if only i could fly
one: june or september | coming soon...
two: angel eyes | coming soon...
three: picture cards | coming soon...
four: ooh love | coming soon...
five: dead flowers | coming soon...
six: oh darlinâ | coming soon...
seven: like a summer thursday | coming soon...
eight: another time and place | coming soon...
nine: tree house lullaby | coming soon...
ten: if we were vampires | coming soon...
epilogue: goodbye to my loving you | coming soon...
prologue is out now !!!
strike the match
pairing: no outbreak!joel miller x college student f! reader
you fuck joel miller, austinâs fire chief, in your old room while your parents sleep down the hall.
tags/content warning: +18, mdni. f! reader. age gap. joel is 52, reader is 25. battalion chief joel miller. brief scene of attempted forced kissing (not by joel). reader wants that old man so bad. unprotected piv. creampie. wear protection please. dry humping. thigh riding. mouth covering during sex. oral f!receiving.
w/c: 9k
Hold the wide end of the cue stick with your dominant hand, palm facing up. Find the point where the stick balances, then shift your hand two or three centimeters back.
Form a circle with the thumb and index finger of your other hand.
You raise an eyebrow as you sip the espresso martini through a straw. Who knew pool could be this interesting?
Slide the cue stick through the circle and rest it over your middle finger. Set the outer edge of your hand on the pool table andâ
Someone calls your name and you glance away from your phone, which is still open on a page titled âPool for Dummies: First Steps,â just in time to catch the wide smile of one of your friends.
âAnother round?â she asks, tilting her head toward your espresso martini. âSome guy just bought us drinks.â
Your glass is still half full, but you nod and agree, adding that the next one better come with a straw too. Free drinks are a no-brainer.
Once the waiter walks off with the order, your eyes drift again to the corner of the bar, to the pool tables surrounded by loud men downing tall mugs of frothy beer.
But youâre only watching one of them.
Your lips close around the straw again, and though your vision is slightly blurred at the edges, you stay locked in on the silver-haired man in his fifties, full beard and all, leaning against the wall with a cue stick in hand as he waits for his turn. He laughs at something his buddy says, and somehow, the drink tastes sweeter while youâre watching those broad shoulders under a plain black T-shirt and those strong thighs in faded dark jeans.
His turn.
He leans over the table, lines up the shot. His biceps flex, looking even bigger as he makes that typical forward-and-back motion before striking. His eyes are fixed on the red ball, untilâŠ
Suddenly, theyâre on you.
Your stomach drops like you swallowed an ice cube. Still looking your way, brows slightly furrowed, he makes the shot. You donât even have to follow the ball to know it sank clean.
His friend says something, and just like that, he looks away.
âOh my God, stop flirting with the geriatrics,â your friend says, placing another espresso martini in front of you. âAdam wants to take you home. You know, the skinny blond guyâŠâ
âThe twenty-seven-year-old,â you say. âHeâs a baby. And I bet heâs circumcised.â
âYouâre twenty-five. Whatâs your beef with circumcised guys?â
You skip that question because thereâs no polite way to explain your preference when it comes to pool cues.
âI like my men the way I like my cheese.â
âOld and stinky?â
âAged!â you correct. âYâall can keep your cheddar. I want my GruyĂšre.â
Your table erupts in laughter.
Itâs your oldest friendâs birthday tonight, and you all decided to celebrate her twenty-ninth at Millerâs Bar, run by Tommy, an old friend of your dadâs, and his wife, Maria. Luckily, your summer break from grad school lined up with her birthday, and coming back to Austin is always worth it for nights like this.
And itâs not hard to imagine the kind of attention a group of girls in short skirts, high boots, and crop tops draws inside a traditional Texas bar.
Youâre halfway through your espresso martini on your next sip, and for some reason, that reminds your bladder it needs attention. You excuse yourself and get up, though no one really hears you, and head straight for the bathrooms in the back of the bar, tucked at the end of a dim, nicotine-reeking hallway, where the air clings to your skin and the walls are hung with fading paintings of bulls, cows and longhorns.
Your bathroom mission is quick, mostly because itâs way too dirty to linger. Pee, quick reflection while perched on the toilet seat (layered in toilet paper), a bit of lipstick, a quick hair touch-up.
The music from outside, a Dolly Parton classic, fills the bathroom as you open the door, and it only takes one step into the dark hallway for you to slam into a wall of concrete.
âShit,â says the wall.
Strong hands catch your shoulders and push you back, and suddenly your face is being tilted up by firm fingers.
âYou alright?â
Black T-shirt. Gray beard. You blink, looking up, and your stomach flips again. Heâs even bigger up close.
âOww,â you whisper dramatically, touching your temple. Showtime. Anything to keep his hands on you a little longer. âI think Iâve got a concussion.â
âDoubt it. Looks to me like youâve had a few too many.â
âYou sure? Here,â you grab his hand and place it on your forehead. âDo I have a fever? What if you gave me a concussion?â
âYour fault for not lookinâ where you were going.â
You squint up at him again. He pulls his hand away and only now do you realize just how big it is and how thick his fingers are.
Heâs raising an eyebrow, but thereâs a hint of amusement on his lips that pushes you to blurt your name, offer a handshake, and say:
âHow about I buy you a drink as an apology?â
The smile dies. He ignores your hand, pats the top of your head twice, like you would a puppy, and sidesteps you, saying:
âGo find someone your age, kiddo. Plenty of boys in thereâll want you.â
âI donât want someone my age!â you call out after his retreating back.
âToo damn bad.â
He steps into the menâs room, and you feel your shoulders slump with disappointment. Would a lower-cut top have helped?
âWhen you think like that, feminism goes back twenty years,â your friend says when you repeat that exact thought to her. âHeâs supposed to like you for your personality.â
âI donât want him to eat out my personality.â
He walks past your booth and heads back to the pool area, and your eyes eat him up again, but then Adam, the allegedly circumcised boy, and his crew show up, cramming into your booth and blocking your view.
Itâs hard, but you resist the urge to roll your eyes and order another espresso martini instead.
At some point in the night, you get fed up with the boys and their dumb incel-tier jokes, so you decide to leave. Your friends ask if you want company walking home, but you decline, even though your legs feel a little wobbly as you stand. You pay your part of the bill, say your goodbyes and make your way to the barâs exit.
Thereâs a chilly breeze outside that raises goosebumps on your arms, and you shift your weight from foot to foot, leaning slightly against the wall as you dial your dadâs number.
It rings ten times and goes to voicemail.
You try again.
Voicemail.
âI donât sleep until youâre home,â you mutter mockingly, repeating what they always say. âBet theyâre deep in REM by now.â
Youâre typing your home address into the Uber app when the bar door opens again. Your eyes meet his.
âChanged your mind?â you ask, trying to sound alluring.
He closes the door behind him and looks both ways down the empty sidewalk before turning back to you with indignation.
âWhat the hell are you doing out here alone? Whereâre your friends?â
âThey stayed.â
âAnd they just let you stand out here by yourself?â
You ignore him, already over this conversation, and hit enter on the app. The fare loads. Shit. Twenty bucks to get home? Thatâs ridiculous. And the nearest driverâs twenty minutes away.
âWhere do you live?â he asks.
âIâm not telling you where I live, stalker,â you mutter, eyes still on your phone.
âFive minutes ago, you were trying to buy me a drink.â
âSo? Telling you where I live is crossing a line.â
âI ainât leaving you out here alone.â
âHey,â you spin to face him and point a slightly shaky finger in his direction. âYouâre not responsible for me. I can take care of myself.â
He stares at your red-polished finger, then at your face, then raises his hands in surrender and walks past you toward the barâs parking lot in silence.
Fine. Gotta love a hot guy who thinks he owns the damn world. Most exhausting type.
Alone again, you refresh the app a few times, and on the third, the price jumps from twenty to twenty-five dollars.
âNoooo,â you groan, leaning your head back against the wall to stare at the stars. Could you walk home? No⊠way too dangerous. And your high-heeled boots were not made for that.
The bar door opens again. You donât look up to see who it is, and you donât need to, because ten seconds later, thereâs a hand on your waist. You jerk away, startled, trying to shake off the touch, but the grip is strong.
âHey there, baby girl,â Adam says, way too close. You can feel his booze-soaked breath. âI got your message.â
His blown pupils freak you out, but itâs the fact that you canât break his grip that makes your heart spike. Youâre trying, but your espresso martini-filled body is sluggish. His hands feel like steel clamps against your dull reflexes.
âWhat message?â
âYou wanted me to follow you out.â
âNo, I didnât. I just wanna go home. Let go.â
You try again. He holds tighter. Now heâs pressing his hips against yours. You push him, but every one of those espresso martinis slows you down.
âNo need to make this so hard, baby girl. I saw the way you were lookinâ at me.â
âLet me go!â
Bile creeps up your throat and you swallow it down just to gather enough air to screamâ
âHey, kid,â a deep voice growls to your left, and your body nearly buckles with relief when he, Mr. Difficult, steps into view. He looks pissed.
âYou back off her or youâre heading back to college five teeth short.â
Adam stumbles backward immediately, fear plain on his face. Mr. Difficult gives you a short nod, and you rush to him in quick steps, heart racing, tucking yourself beneath his broad frame like itâs shelter from the storm.
âThese cameras,â he says, pointing to the ones mounted on the barâs exterior, âIâll have those tomorrow. Sexual harassment? I hope you donât have a scholarship.â
Adam starts to say something, probably begging not to be exposed, but you donât hear it. Youâre gripping the manâs forearm, and heâs guiding you toward a black pickup parked between the shiny little cars of the boys still inside the bar.
In silence, he opens the passenger door and waits for you to climb in: slow, one foot on the step, the other in, legs together, finally settled. Then he shuts it and walks around to the driverâs side. For a moment, you feel like Bella Swan hopping onto the back of that weird guyâs bike in New Moon.
He gets in, shuts the door, and takes a deep breath before saying so firmly you donât even think to argue:
âGive me your address. Iâm taking you home.â
Defeated, you tell him. Only then does he start the truck and pull out of the barâs lot.
âYou know that guy?â
âI know his nameâs Adam, but I donât know him. Donât even know his last name. Heâs a friend of a friend.â
âGoddamn criminal little punks,â he mutters, rolling up the windows and turning on the heat when he notices youâre trembling, even though the cold has little to do with it. âYou alright?â
âIâm⊠yeah. I think so. Thanks for stepping in.â
He keeps driving, and you use the quiet moment to steady your breath and your hands. The streets of Austin are empty, ghostly, barely any cars out, and your mind wanders for a second. Maybe itâs time to finally sign up for that self-defense class your dad kept telling you to take back in Houston.
You wedge your hands between your thighs to warm them and settle into the seat. You pretend not to hear when Mr. Difficultâs phone rings and he answers:
âMiller,â he says flatly. Someone talks on the other end. âWhat the hell happened to Jesse? Tonightâs his shift, not mine.â More silence. Then Miller, his newly revealed last name, curses under his breath and snaps, âIâm on my way.â
He hangs up and makes a sudden, hard right, jostling your body and making your eyes go wide.
âAre you kidnapping me?!â
His frustrated sigh fills the cab.
âYouâre way too damn annoying to be kept in captivity,â he grumbles, accelerating. âThey need me at work and I canât drop you off first. Itâs urgent. Youâll wait for me.â
âI can call another Uber.â
âYou ainât calling an Uber drunk like that.â
âWhy do you care?â
âBecause,â Miller says through gritted teeth, eyes on the road, âitâs literally my job to protect dumbass civilians who walk themselves into danger. I swore an oath. Now zip it.â
Civilians? Swore an oath?
Five minutes later, you get your answer as the wide property of the Austin Fire Department fills your vision, the U.S. and Texas flags flapping hard in the night wind. Miller drives through the open gate and parks beside the building.
âCome with me.â
You follow, still dazed, clacking behind him in your high-heeled boots. He doesnât check if youâre keeping up, just walks with long, fast strides, and when he reaches the covered part of the station, three mustached men in full gear look at him like heâs the second coming.
The rest of the crew is further back, checking one of the trucks. Theyâre all huge.
âChief,â one of them says. Chief?
âWe need you. We got a call onââ
âWhere the hell is Jesse?!â Miller practically growls. The three of them look at each other, shrinking a bit despite all standing well over six feet. âHe think heâs back in school? What if Iâd been drinking tonight? Youâd go on a call short-handed? Hell of a teammate, that one.â
Youâre only noticed when Miller turns his head toward you and calls out again:
âCome on.â
You do, still quiet. The firefighters tear their eyes off him and look at you, and yep⊠there it is. Raised brows, head-to-toe glance, lingering a bit too long on your skirt, and an open flirt-ready expression.
Miller shuts that down real fast:
âEyes off, punks. Iâll be down in two.â
You give them a sheepish smile, but what you really want to say is: Yeah! Thatâs right, punks! Eyes off!
With a little bounce in your step, like a kid who just got praised by the teacher for their stick-figure drawing, you follow Miller up the stairs, metal steps creaking beneath you both.
Upstairs, you find the firefightersâ break room: a big dining table, a flat-screen TV, leather couches, and a kitchen tucked in an attached nook. You glance away from the wall of photos just in time to catch Miller stepping into his bunker pants, still over his jeans, and pulling the suspenders over his shoulders.
Shameless, you watch the whole thing while having a revelation. Yeah, now you get why firefighters are in every clichĂ© fantasy ever. If Miller climbed into your window wearing that gear, youâd one hundred percent say something ridiculous like, âHere to put out my fire, officer?â
Next comes the heavy coat, and you can already see the sweat forming along his hairline as he zips and buttons everything up.
âWait here for me. Thereâs coffee, waterâŠâ he gestures vaguely around the room, clearly in a rush. âBathroom, running water, all that. Wonât be long.â
Before you can say anything else, he grabs his helmet and gloves and jogs down the stairs, pulling the Nomex hood over his head as he goes.
Moments later, the siren roars through the station, and as it fades into the night, it becomes nothing more than a ghostly hum at the back of your mind.
You sit on the couch, staring at the white wall with your hands tucked between your thighs. A firefighter. The chief.
Have you accidentally wandered into one of those steamy books you secretly read before bed? Or are you still sitting on the toilet in that grimy bar bathroom, hallucinating on espresso martinis?
The TVâs on. The news is covering a convenience store fire, result of an electrical short. Flames rage against the dark Austin sky, the interior swallowed by orange heat, yellow police tape keeping the crowd away. Thankfully, the store was empty when it caught fire.
Firefighters are en route, the reporter says, visibly relieved, and you curl onto your side on the couch, hands folded beneath your cheek, watching the broadcast.
You blink a little slower this time, and then everything goes dark.
âWere you trying to flash your panties to everyone in here? Damn short skirt.â
Thatâs the first thing you hear when you come to, groggy, as something is gently draped over your legs. You crack one eye open to find Miller carefully placing a leather jacket that smells like menâs cologne across your thighs. Only then do you realize just how comfortable youâd been lying there, considering the length of your skirt.
He keeps adjusting the jacket until everythingâs covered. Thereâs no judgment in it. No irritation that you passed out like that. Just care, obvious in the way he pulls and tugs at the edges without ever letting his fingers brush your skin. And that, somehow, disorients you more than if heâd called you a name or scolded you outright.
âYouâre back,â you mumble.
He shoots you a sidelong glance. His cheeks are smudged with soot and ash, his hair sweaty and tousled. The jacketâs gone, his suspenders hanging loose by his hips.
âYeah. Didnât die.â
âThank God,â you murmur, eyes falling shut again. âWhat a waste that wouldâve been.â
He clicks his tongue, exasperated.
You hear footsteps moving away, and peek through one eye to see him heading toward one of the adjoining rooms, tugging off his soaked black T-shirt in the process. The sight of his broad back makes your mouth go dry, especially with the reminder of what that body does for a living. All that strength. All that control.
Before the thought can spiral, other firefighters filter into the room, looking just as worn out as Miller.
âYou the chiefâs new girl?â one of them asks in a low voice, clearly trying not to be heard by said chief. He looks suspiciously like Bradley Bradshaw from Top Gun.
âNo. He doesnât want me.â
That earns you a burst of chaos. Whistles and chuckles like a group of teenage boys, not grown men who just came back from a fire call. Someone at the back yells, âI do!â and you ignore it, because you donât kiss babies. Not when thereâs a fire chief with a back like that about to drive you home.
You sit up on the couch, keeping Millerâs jacket across your lap, and glance at the coffee carafe theyâre passing around.
âCan I have some?â you ask, motioning toward it.
They scramble like itâs a competition: whoâll pour, whoâll carry it over, whoâll get that sweet little âthank youâ you sing out.
âAlright, thatâs enough,â Miller says as he reappears, now in a fresh T-shirt bearing the Austin Fire Department logo on the chest and a clean face to go with it. His silver hair is damp, slicked back. He points at you. âUp. Letâs go.â
You rush to finish your coffee, burning your tongue in the process, and set the cup down to join him, still holding his jacket.
âI donât know whoâs been in contact with Jesse, but tell him heâs off the rest of the week. Maybe a seven-day suspension will help him get his shit together.â
One of them steps forward. âChiefââ
âThatâs not a request, Lieutenant, thatâs a decision. You boys need to learn the weight of the oath we swore.â
Silence.
Millerâs voice sharpens. âAre we clear?â
âYes, sir.â
Miller places a hand on your shoulder and guides you forward. You walk ahead of him, down the stairs and out to his truck in silence.
âTell me your address again,â he says once youâre both seated, looking worn out.
âYouâre the fire chief.â
âBattalion chief,â he corrects, starting the engine. âAddress.â
You tell him. He starts to drive. You watch him for a few seconds, then say:
âThat was hot. The way you chewed them out? Extremely hot.â
âWhatâs with your thing for older men?â
âI thought youâd never ask!â you exclaim, and Miller rolls his eyes. Still grinning, you explain, âItâs not a thing. I just prefer older guys because they actually know what theyâre doing. Itâs not a crime.â
âHow old are you?â
âYou gonna judge me?â
âSeriously?â Miller stops at a red light even though the streets are deserted. Itâs well past three a.m. âYouâve said all kinds of crap tonight, and this is what youâre worried about being judged for?â
âBecause then you wonât wanna kiss me.â
âIâm not gonna kiss you either way.â
âSee? Thatâs discrimination.â
âYou still drunk?â
You think about it. Your visionâs clear now, no blurs at the edges. That weird rush in your ears is gone. The coffee and the nap did wonders.
âIâm not,â you say, turning in your seat to face him. He glances at you from the corner of his eye, like heâs afraid to admit youâre even in the truck with him. Finally, you say, âTwenty-five.â
âIâm twenty-seven years older than you.â
The light turns green. He drives.
âThat just sounds like motivation to me,â you say, watching the way his thumb tightens around the leather steering wheel for half a second, his only reaction. âAre you married? Dating? Secret vow of celibacy?â
He shakes his head. No to all.
âMy women need to be at least forty. Thatâs my cutoff.â
âTotally fair. Women in their forties are delicious,â you say, giving him a thumbs-up. âBut thereâs always an exception, right?â
âNo. Not with you.â
âAm I ugly?â
âYou know damn well youâre not. Those boys at the station were practically undressing you with their eyes.â
A Cheshire cat smile spreads across your lips.
âYou noticed? Look at you, paying attention,â you tease, but he doesnât respond, and you know your limit. You stop pushing. âOkay. You donât want me. Got it. Iâll stop.â
Silence. His forearms have so many veins. You bounce your leg, restless, and because you canât shut up, you say:
âThanks for taking care of our city, Chief.â
More silence. Then suddenly, unexpectedly, a deep laugh fills the space between you, and the sound makes you melt right into the seat.
âYouâre really somethinâ else, sweetheart.â
âOh God,â you groan. âYouâre gonna make this harder if you call me sweetheart.â
âWhatâs the difference with older men, anyway?â
âFishing for an ego boost?â
âForget I asked.â
âNo, no, wait, sorry,â you say quickly, folding one leg under you and straightening like youâre about to give a TED Talk. Youâre not wasting this moment. âOkay, listen, I lost my virginity in collegeââ
Miller rubs a hand over his face. âToo much information.â
ââand it was awful!â you go on, like he didnât interrupt. âI didnât finish. I told him that, and he said it was normal. So I slept with another guy, and that sucked too. I tried to settle because I thought thatâs just what straight-girl life was.â
Somewhere in the universal rules of womanhood, thereâs probably a clause that says never trauma-dump on a man. No man is different. But now that your mouth is open, it wonât stop.
âSo I went out with this guy.â
âA guy,â he repeats, leaning slightly to check the passenger-side mirror.
âI think he was forty-two at the time. Miller⊠was addictive.â
âI can already imagine why.â
âMhm.â
âBut thatâs not a rule. Not every older guy knows how to do that.â
You resist the urge to ask if heâs talking about himself.
âHavenât had any bad experiences yet.â
The car goes quiet for five more minutes. You recognize the avenue youâre on, which means youâre probably only ten minutes from home.
âHave you always been a battalion chief?â
âI transferred here four years ago. Before that, I was a commander in Seattle.â
âSo thatâs why I didnât know you. When you came, I was still in college,â you say mostly to yourself. âGot it. You like it here?â
âIâm from here. Tommyâs my brother. I left for Seattle twenty years ago.â
âTommy from the bar?!â
âTommy from the bar,â he confirms.
Mouth falling open, you lean back in your seat. Makes sense. His last name is Miller.
âWow. Tommyâs friends with my parents,â you process the information bit by bit. âYouâre Joel.â
âMhm.â
âJoel Miller.â
âYes.â
âI remember he used to talk about you all the time when he came over,â you say, because itâs true. Everything was Joel. Apparently, Joel had been his savior when they were kids. âHe must be happy youâre back⊠and as battalion chief, no less.â
Itâs subtle, but the line between Joelâs brows eases just a little when you say that last part. Other than that, he doesnât react much.
âFamilyâs family,â he replies simply.
You reach your parentsâ street and direct him to the house. Joel parks in front of it, and you notice all the lights are off, the windows dark. The porch light is on, and you know the keyâs tucked inside the lilac flower pot.
You unbuckle your seatbelt as you say,
âThank you so much for the ride. Iâm sorry if I pushed too much and made you uncomfortable.â
You open the door to get out. Joel says,
âClose that door.â
Your hand freezes on the latch. Joelâs pinching the bridge of his nose, eyes down. After a beat, you shut the door and sit back in your seat.
The console light dims.
You give him a moment because he looks like heâs wrestling half a dozen battles inside his own head.
âYou didnât make me uncomfortable,â he says quietly, rubbing his hands against his jeans. âI just donât think Iâm what you really want.â
âI think Iâve made it pretty damn clear youâre exactly my type.â
âSweetheart, no offense, but this feels more like some drunk little adventure youâll laugh about with your girlfriends tomorrow.â
If there was even a drop of alcohol left in your system, that sentence burns it out.
âJust because youâre older?â you ask, trying to keep your voice level. âCome on, Joel. Thatâs crap. Yeah, weâve got a big age gap. But I told you what I like and why I like it.â
âBecause you wanna be the wild friend?â
Your eyes go wide in disbelief. Your cheeks flare with anger, and you decide youâve had enough. You reach for the door again, and the next second, a large hand covers yours and pulls it closed.
âOkay,â you murmur, still staring at his hand on top of yours, frozen. âNow I actually think youâre gonna kidnap me.â
âShit,â he mutters, and heâs way too close. âSorry. If you wanna get out, you can. I just⊠Iâm sorry. Didnât mean to offend you.â
âSo whatâs this whole speech for, then?â you turn your face toward him, and now youâre only inches apart, since he leaned over to shut the door. âYou donât want me. I get it. Iâm a big girl. I donât need a speech.â
Joel looks from you to your house, scanning the darkened façade, probably noting the lights all off. When his eyes return to yours, thereâs a new kind of resolve etched into his face.
âItâs gotta stay secret,â he says. No wiggle room.
Your breath starts coming just a little heavier.
âI wonât tell a soul,â you promise immediately.
âNot even your friends.â
âWhatâs the big fear?â you ask, half-teasing, though thereâs a flicker of real curiosity beneath it. âYou married?â
âHell no. Iâm just the brother of the guy whoâs friends with your dad, and I guarantee he wouldnât want some fifty-year-old sniffing around his little girl.â
âIâm twenty-five,â you repeat, but your voice wavers a bit as Joel leans closer. âItâs not up to my dad who I get involved with.â
âGood for you,â he says, like he couldnât care less, his hand coming up to cradle the side of your neck. âStill damn young.â
âAnd yet, Iâm gonna be your exception.â
He squints, confused, until it clicks.
âOh. Right. The first twenty in my rulebook.â
You lean in, ready to kiss him, but Joel holds you still with his hand at your neck, like heâs waiting for something.
You say what he needs to hear:
âWonât breathe a word about what you do with a younger girl in front of her house.â
âGood. That stays between me and God.â
He pulls you in, and the second your lips meet, youâre gone, falling into that familiar place youâve always adored with older men.
Your brain short-circuits and Joel takes the lead in everything. His hand moves from your neck to the base of your skull, tugging you deeper, and heâs the one to part his lips, the one to tilt just right so your mouths fit like itâs a damn movie scene.
Your fingers slide into his hair, thick strands slipping between them, as you sink further into the seat. He follows, body hovering over yours. The moan that escapes your throat when his tongue brushes the seam of your lips is honest. The one that comes when he finally kisses you with tongue, though just as real, is so drawn out it makes your cheeks burn with the fear he might think youâre faking.
God. That kiss.
âItâs a crime to keep that kind of kiss from me,â you whisper breathless, chest rising and falling in quick bursts. Joel kisses your bottom lip, your jaw, drags his mouth down your neck. The ceiling of the truck blurs as he finds your collarbones, and you arch into him to give him more room. âJoelââ
His tongue meets the skin of your chest and you thank every higher power that your necklineâs just deep enough for him to reach the dip between your breasts. The ache between your thighs tightens, that telltale pulse of being soaked hitting you all at once.
âMore,â you whisper, tugging his hair, just enough to let him know you want another kiss.
He gives it to you. One hand on your waist, the other on your neck, he kisses you again, and this oneâs filthy from the first second, now that you both know exactly how to move together. You press harder into his hands.
âYou canât be this polite,â you murmur. âArenât you gonna slip your hand under my skirt?â
âBoundaries,â he whispers, eyes fluttering shut when you trail kisses along his jaw, rough with beard stubble. Thereâs still a faint trace of sweat and smoke from the earlier call, and you should probably care about that, but you donât.
âNo way youâve got boundaries still holding steady in that brain,â you say. You watch his face up close as you take his hand and guide it down from your waist to your thigh. He opens his eyes at the heat of your skin and keeps them on you as you lead his hand higher, higher⊠right to the hem of your skirt. You pause. Ask: âCan I?â
He swallows hard.
Heâs the one who moves now, sliding his hand beneath your skirt, grabbing a handful of your ass and squeezing like he means it, hard enough to make you giggle. His fingers find the lace of your panties where it sits snug between your cheeks.
âNo oneâs out here,â you murmur. Your hand finds the thick bulge in his jeans, and you raise your brows at him. âCan I make you come?â you ask, giving just the faintest stroke, enough pressure to make the denim feel good, not rough. âPlease. Want me to take my panties off while I touch you?â
Joel clenches his jaw. Moves his hand from your ass to the front of your panties, cupping your pussy fully, probably feeling the heat radiating for him. You spread your legs as much as the car seat allows, giving him space to explore, all while trying to slip your hand inside his jeans toâ
âNo,â he breathes, shaking his head like the effort to say it physically hurts. You pull your hand away instantly at his no, but raise an eyebrow, waiting for more. âNo. Not here. Iâm not about to come in my jeans like a goddamn teenager.â
He pulls his hand back from between your legs, taking a steadying breath.
âNot here,â says again.
God. You could cry.
âOkay,â you say instead because youâre an adult and you respect a no. âAlright. Okay.â
âGo on. Get inside.â
But before you do, you raise a finger.
âCan I suggest something?â
Youâre not quite sure how you manage to convince him, though that alone would be something worth bragging about, but somehow, you do. You talk Joel into parking a little farther down the street, just to be safe, and into sneaking in with you through the back door, because the front oneâs too damn noisy.
Your fingers wrap around his wrist as you guide him through your dark house. A stop in the kitchen for a glass of water. A pause in the living room to make sure no oneâs there. Then the stairs. One step at a time, silent. His brown eyes find yours every time you glance back.
And then Joel Miller is in your bedroom and youâre locking the door.
With his hands on his hips, he looks around: at the old band posters from when you were eighteen and just starting college, at the lilac bedsheets covering your mattress. The curtains are cracked open, letting in the pale glow of the moon and the streetlights outside, casting his silhouette in silver while you kick off your boots and socks and toss them aside.
âProve to me youâre not drunk,â he says low.
âYou want me to do a four?â
He keeps staring. You roll your eyes but do it anyway, lifting your right leg and crossing it over your left thigh, making the shape of a four with your legs.
âYouâre so old,â you mutter, reaching ten in the count. âI already told you Iâm not drunk. You know that perfect little buzz? Thatâs all Iâve got.â
âEnough to not regret this in the morning?â
âRegret you? Only if I were out of my mind.â
The plush carpet cushions your sore feet as you walk toward the bed. He just watches you. Watches as you climb onto the mattress, toss the pillows to the floor, and lie back on your elbows, looking straight at him.
One raised brow. A wordless well?
Joel looks up at the ceiling, like heâs saying a silent prayer, then bends down to remove his boots.
âYou think you can stay quiet?â he asks, stepping closer. He mutters, âRefuse to come in my jeans like a damn teenager, but here I am sneaking into your house like one.â
Joel stands at the foot of your bed. You smile at him, about to unbutton your skirt, but heâs faster. His hands slip under the fabric, tugging your panties down your legs and tossing them aside.
You realize what heâs about to do when he plants one knee on the bed and starts lowering his head between your legs, but you stop him with your foot against his chest.
âYou donât have to,â you say quickly. Youâve been out all night with your friends. Sure, you showered before leaving, but still⊠itâs been hours. âItâs okay, I donât needââ
âI do. I want to,â he murmurs, and the way he brushes your foot aside like it weighs nothing sends a wave of heat down your spine. Now both hands are on your thighs, spreading them gently. âUnless you donât want me to.â
He waits for a sign to stop. You donât give it.
A smile curls his lips.
âYeah. Stay quiet and let me enjoy it.â
The hands that were holding your thighs now push your skirt up, the leather bunching around your hips. Then Joelâs large frame lowers, and his mouth finds you.
Your head falls back as his warm tongue slips between your folds with torturous precision, the sound of his spit mixing with your slick making your stomach tighten, and you have to practically bite down on your bottom lip not to moan. He grabs your hips, pulls you toward his mouth, and my God⊠he really wanted this.
Joel seems to be patiently gathering every drop of your arousal with his tongue, like heâs not in any rush, not until heâs good and ready to start licking your clit, his lips closing around it and sucking, slow and steady.
A moan nearly slips out, but you manage to turn it into a shaky exhale.
Your leg gives a little and you canât hold yourself up on your elbows anymore, so you lie all the way back, legs splayed around his broad shoulders.
You glance to the side, clutching the sheets beneath you as you start, slowly, to ride his face. The mirror on your vanity catches everything, still cluttered with makeup youâd used while getting ready, and now it reflects the way Joelâs body covers yours, one foot still on the floor, your skirt bunched up, the outline of him pressing hard inside his jeans. You lower your right leg and catch a glimpse of his jaw working as he eats you out, desperate, beard slick with your arousal.
âGood?â you ask sweetly, fingers threading through his silver-streaked hair as your eyes meet. He canât answer with words, but his eyes speak volumes, and he definitely grips you harder when you teasingly say: âYou fifty-somethings really know how to eat pussy.â
Joelâs no exception.
You only pull him up because you want to kiss him again and because you obviously want him out of that fire department t-shirt. He peels it off, revealing a broad chest covered in dark hair that radiates strength.
Joel helps you slide your skirt off, and your mouths meet as you wrap your legs around his hips.
âI probably smell like smoke,â he murmurs.
âJust a little. More like sweat. And itâs delicious.â
Another smile. Heâs on a roll.
âYouâre insane,â he mutters, lowering his hips. The friction of his cock, denim-rough, grinding against your clit makes you whimper. He catches it. âFeel good?â
You nod. Joel watches you, then dips his hips again, and the seam of his jeans hits just right. You nearly come undone.
âAgain,â you whisper.
He listens. Joel makes sure not to hurt you with the zipper, but grinds down hard enough, at just the right angle, to knock the air from your lungs. Your clit throbs under the pressure, the rough rub of the denim, and the solid heat of his cock beneath it only makes it more intense.
He licks two fingers and drags them between your legs just to give you a little extra slick, enough to keep it from turning raw, and keeps rocking into you. You hadnât planned to come, but you also canât stop it, not when that feeling keeps rising, rising, untilâ
It bursts, a sweet sharp rush that spreads from between your legs through every inch of you, and Joel keeps it going, those slow, steady grinds that donât overwhelm but wonât let the afterglow slip away either.
You place a hand on the waistband of his jeans, gently stopping him.
âYou need to fuck me. Now.â
âUrgent?â
âMhm. So I can come again.â
âYouâre so damn direct,â he mutters, clearly amused. Then he leans over and says, âArms up.â
You obey. He takes off your top, and itâs you who unhooks your bra, now completely naked. Joel watches as he strips off his jeans and boxers, and when heâs bare, you prop yourself up on your elbows to look.
Thank you, God. Uncut.
You look up at him.
âCome here.â
Joel climbs onto your bed, his knees sinking into the soft lilac sheets, and settles between your thighs. Together, you shift higher up the bed until your head rests on the lone pillow left on the mattress.
âMight come too fast,â he warns, and you believe him by the way his cock is rock hard as he guides it to your entrance.
âI donât mind.â
âSure you donât. Youâre an expert in old men.â
The head of his cock pushes in with a wet sound that shuts your mouth. You bring your fingers down between your legs, starting to touch yourself again in slow, careful circles as Joel eases into you. Heâs gentle, taking his time, eating you up with his eyes, and once heâs fully inside, his body covers yours.
You feel the soft press of his belly against yours, the hair brushing your skin, the weight of him, and itâs enough to stir you back up. Joel draws his hips back and fucks you, and the sound that escapes your mouth is nearly inhuman. Your eyes fly open, meeting Joelâs startled ones, and before either of you can react, his big hand covers your mouth.
âQuiet,â he says, then thrusts again.
You grip his wrist with both hands and wrap your legs around his hips, taking the rough, perfect rhythm of his thrusts â thankfully quiet, the bed doesnât creak â as his thick cock drives deep into you, raw and goddamn delicious. Joel presses his hand firmer against your mouth to muffle you and clenches his jaw. The trimmed hair at his groin drags over your clit with every thrust, his balls slapping against your ass, and your eyes squeeze shut. You donât even have the strength to keep touching yourself.
Joel goes again, once, twice, three times.
âFuck,â Joel breathes, voice rough and shocked, sweat trickling down his neck. You feel a pulse inside you and then a warm rush spreading. âFuck, fuck⊠I was supposed to pull out andââ
âItâs fine. Really,â because it is. Youâve never understood the drama around guys coming too fast. To you, itâs a compliment, as long as youâre properly taken care of. You repeat it, not wanting the afterglow to turn tense for him. âItâs okay.â
You pull him close and press a soft kiss to his lips, your fingers running through the softer strands at the nape of his neck.
âI had a vasectomy,â he confesses suddenly, lips still against yours, like the thought just occurred to him and he needed to reassure you.
âGreat. Iâve got an IUD. Though we probably shouldâve talked about this before, huh?â your hands slide down his sweaty shoulders. âThink you can get hard again?â
âGive me a minute.â
âOkay. Pull out.â
Joel shifts back, kneeling between your legs and wrapping his hand around the base of his cock as he slips out of you. You watch his softening length, slick with both of you, and wonder for a second why the hell you like that image so much. And even more⊠why the feeling of him dripping out of you turns you on.
âSit there,â you tell him, nodding toward the headboard.
Silently, like a good student, he does exactly what you asked, leaning back against the headboard, his cock now fully soft resting on his thigh.
You crawl over on your knees, slipping between his legs to straddle his right thigh that feels solid under you, the thick hair tickling the insides of your thighs.
âHow sensitive are you right now?â you ask, dragging a finger slowly along his cock, the head still tucked away. Joel jerks his hips back, pulling away from the touch. You lift your hand and arch a brow. âOkay. Got it. Very. I could try sucking you hard again.â
âSuck a soft dick?â
âWhy not? I wouldnât mind.â
âAlright. But I wouldnât feel right about it.â
You rest your arms on his shoulders and lean in. âOkay. I respect that.â
Joel gives you that look, the one older people always get when theyâre a little impatient with your ideas or mouth, but you know itâs not about you. He seems like the kind of man who grumbles about everything. Besides, the impatience doesnât match the way his hands move across your back, soft and slow, up and down.
You say, âI was gonna learn pool just so I could play with you tonight.â
âYeah? You learn anything?â
You pull back just enough to lift your hands. With your left, you pretend to grip a cue, and with your right, your thumb and index finger make a ring.
âNow I know how to hold a pool stick.â
Joelâs lips tug into a half-smile.
âYouâre left-handed,â he notes, and you lower your hands again, nodding. His grip returns to your hips. âWell done. You shouldâve come, by the way. I mightâve let you win.â
âYouâd never let me win.â
âIâm softer than I look. And,â he cuts himself off when he notices your smirk, âif you make a joke about my soft dick, I swear Iâll have your name on a wanted poster by tomorrow.â
âI donât get why it bugs you so much. Come on.â
You say that just before leaning in to press your lips to the pulse at his neck. Joel tilts his head slightly, giving you space, and you pepper kisses there, then across his shoulder. You press your chest to his, and his hands grip you tighter.
âBet the single women in this town chase you down,â you murmur, arms around his neck. âAnd⊠the married ones too?â
âNo comment.â
âAustinâs most wanted bachelor.â
âThe divorcĂ©,â he corrects.
Oh? You pull your mouth away from his neck.
âHow long?â
âFive years.â
âGood. Tombâs been sealed.â
He laughs against your mouth when you kiss him, but soon cups your face to kiss you properly, exactly the way youâre asking, even if youâre not saying a word. His kisses are so addictive, itâs strange to you. Thereâs something about Joel that turns a kiss into full-body contact. He kisses and touches you, strokes your cheek, your back, pays attention to what you need.
And he reads you well, because his hand slips between your legs.
âLift up a little,â he says, and you rise onto your knees, no longer sitting on his thigh. His fingers slide between your folds, gathering the slick there. Joel lets out a low grunt, and you watch the way his cock gives a tiny twitch. âLet me eat you out again.â
Ah. Yes. But actuallyâŠ
âCan I try something else?â you ask.
Thatâs how Joel, with lips slightly parted, ends up watching as you settle back down on his thigh, right over the thickest part, your legs spread wide.
You almost feel shy the first time you grind up against his thigh with his eyes on you. Your whole body shivers, breath catching in your throat, and you steady yourself with your hands on him. Youâre so wet, from yourself and from him, that the movement is easy. Heavenly. The hair on his thigh adds just the right amount of friction on your clit, and it nearly sends you reeling.
âYou like that?â he asks, genuinely curious, and you, dry-mouthed, nod your head. You grind again. Whimper.
âBeen neglecting this pussy, huh?â
You shake your head. Joel touches your body, running his hands along your sides, gripping your waist. The next time you grind down, he helps, his biceps flexing, guiding your rhythm. Forward. Back. The muscle of his thigh tensing under you, his skin slick with your wetness.
He watches you, sees how close you are and how hard youâre biting your lip to keep quiet. Immediately, his thumb presses to your bottom lip, freeing it from your teeth, and he slips it into your mouth. You meet his gaze as you suck it in, hands clutching his arm, hips faltering in the next few rolls.
When you come, Joel lays you back on the bed, spreads your legs, and slides back inside. Heâs not fully hard, but it doesnât matter because he fits, thick and slow, and the way he stretches you prolongs your orgasm so sweetly it nearly breaks you apart.
You feel him stiffening more with each thrust, and as he grows harder, he goes deeper.
âFucking perfect,â he breathes into your ear, biting your neck. âYouâre driving me outta my mind.â
Your smile wavers when, after a few more thrusts, he slips out and lies beside you, then shifts you onto your side and pulls you back against his chest. He drapes an arm over your chest, grips your thigh with the other, lifts it over his hip, and slides into you again. His movements pin you, keeping you from doing anything but taking it when his fingers find your clit again, even oversensitive as it is.
Your whole body shakes.
âJoelââ
âCome on, baby. I know youâve got one more in you.â
You try to jerk your hips away from his fingers as he rubs harder, faster, but thereâs nowhere to go, and Joel doesnât relent. He holds your thigh, keeps you open for him, slowing his thrusts just enough to drag it out. You grab the arm draped over your chest, twist your hips, and itâs almost too much.
Almost.
Because right before it crosses the line, you come. And then you go limp.
âCan I keep going?â he asks. âWant me to pull out?â
âNo. Just⊠stay off my clit.â
The kiss he presses to your damp temple sounds like an âokay.â
You reach back, fingers slipping into the sweat-damp strands of his hair, and feel his ragged breaths against your neck as he keeps moving inside you. His next orgasm takes longer, but somehow it still only lasts a few seconds, and leaves you leaking all over again.
When itâs over, your ears are ringing, his body is hot behind you, and your heart wonât stop pounding.
Goddamn.
Thanks for your service, Chief.
You canât stop staring at the top-left corner of the peach pie.
Itâs not broken, exactly. The crust in that corner just sank a little lower than the rest, and itâs driving you nuts. You rotate the pie dish so the pristine edge faces front, hiding the flaw.
âPie?â you offer with a smile as sweet as the amarena syrup your mom made, holding out a slice to the father and two sons approaching your stand.
Today is the neighborhood charity fair where your parents live. It happens every six months in the town square and has been around for maybe a decade. The goal is to raise funds for local nonprofits. Neighbors donate pies, sandwiches, roasted meats, inflatable toys for the kids. The whole thing.
When you were fifteen and a painfully annoying teenager, you thought wearing an apron and handing out pie was humiliating. Ugh, mom. Charity is soooo lame.
Ten years later, here you are: uneasy, borderline neurotic because the crust of the pie you helped bake has a deformed corner.
The father and sons leave with their slices in little styrofoam containers and colorful forks. You glance around.
Your mom is helping out at one of the roast beef sandwich booths since someone called in sick last night. Your dadâs at his own stand, trying to sell fishing gear, though bamboo hooks donât exactly draw crowds.
Farther down the square, you spot the fire truck. Your heart does a little skip, part nerves, part excitement. The fire departmentâs on site for safety, at least for the first couple hours. But you havenât seen Joel yet.
âAny pie here sweeter than you?â
You turn toward the front of your booth and find the fireman who looks like a knockoff Bradley Bradshaw. Heâs wearing an Austin Fire Department tee, aviator shades, and a grin thatâs way too⊠youthful.
Still, you smile back.
âDefinitely. Iâm pretty sure the pie also knows the number for the AFDâs misconduct hotline.â
âKidding.â
âAnd because of that joke,â you say, grabbing three styrofoam containers, âyouâre buying three slices to support the cause.â
He doesnât even protest. Quietly, he waits as you cut the slices and hands you the money. You thank him with a sugar-sweet smile and a blown kiss.
Once he walks away, your eyes sweep the square again. Where thereâs smoke, thereâs fire.
And thereâs the fire, staring at you from across the plaza, arms crossed under the shade of a tree. Joelâs in the same black Austin Fire Department tee, and you see his eyes dip briefly to read the name stitched onto your pink apron.
The Sweetest Bite.
That barely-there smile curves his lips.
You grab a styrofoam plate, cut a generous slice of pie, and pull five bucks from the back pocket of your denim shorts, dropping the bill into the flower-covered tip jar your mom set up.
Then you toss the apron onto the counter and ask your dad to watch the stand for a few minutes.
Joel doesnât even see you approaching. Heâs surrounded by three women asking what itâs like âto be responsible for a city like Austin.â
âSuch a hard-working man,â you say, slipping in between two of them to hold out the pie. âFresh, warm cream pie. A little thank-you for protecting the city.â
Joel looks from the pie to you. Your smile grows even sweeter. When he takes it, the women scatter.
âYou got an endless supply of short shorts like that?â he asks, not even pretending to start eating. His eyes stay on the pie. âCream pie.â
âMy favorite,â you reply. And, about the shorts: âItâs summer in Texas.â
âRight,â he says to both.
You glance around. No oneâs near. One of the other firefighters is tossing rings at a carnival booth.
âYou should come to the barbecue at my place after the fair. Tommyâs going and I can ask him to invite you.â
âIâm not goingâ to your house.â
âWhy not?â
âIâm not buddying up to your parents. Youâre out of your mind?â
âI donât want you to be friends with them. I want you to sneak up to my room when no oneâs looking.â
âNo,â he says flatly, like the conversationâs over.
A few hours later, that victorious little grin creeps across your lips as you see Tommy walk through the back gate of your house.
And right beside him, carrying a cooler of beer, is Joel Miller.


