Shake, Rattle and Roll:

Book 5: The Baxter Boys ~ Rattled

by Jane Charles

Genres: Contemporary Romance; New Adult Romance

Synopsis

A brief meeting.

An immediate attraction.

A weekend to remember.

Christian Sucato wishes he'd never agreed to go on tour once he meets Bethany Dalton. But, he needs to go, and it's not for the music. There's someone he must find.

Bethany Dalton has avoided men and complications through college but just as she nears graduation, Christian Sucato steps into her life and nothing is ever going to be the same. Their weekend together was mind-blowing and bone melting, but is it a fling or real? Will there be anything left when he returns?

Two pregnancy tests.

One positive result.

His, not hers.

And Christian is left wondering if he'll ever have the one thing he's always wanted. A family and people that belong to him that are his blood. He's not even sure he'll live to have the chance.

Will Bethany remain?

Is it fair to even ask?


***Recommended for adult readers due to language, sexual content and adult situations***

Release date: July 24, 2017

Publisher: Night Shift Publishing

Print pages: 396

Sample

1

 CHRISTIAN

 

“Seriously? Feel Your Balls?” I read the sign above one of the booths at the health fair. The booth next to it has a sign Feel Your Boobs?

“Got your attention, didn’t it?” Mary Robins grins at me. She’s a nursing student, and dating one of my best friends, Dylan. She’s also the one that dragged us all to the health fair. By all, I mean me and the five guys I live with—my best friends since high school

“Can we go feel boobs and balls?” Zach asks. He’s one of those five friends, and sex is never far from his brain.

“Only after you give blood,” Mary assures Zack the same way a mom would promise ice cream after booster shots. At least that’s what a few of my foster moms were like. The good ones, when I was still a little kid.

“Right over there.” Mary points to a huge white tent. Inside are recliners and about half of them are filled with people giving blood. The blood drive. The real reason we are here, and not for feeling boobs.

“They have cakes, cookies, and juice for when you’re done,” she continues in a cajoling voice as she herds the guys toward the tent.

I watch as my roommates slink off, shoulders slouched and heads hanging. Really, the needle isn’t that big and they only take a bag of blood. It’s really no big deal.

Mary comes back to me, fists on her hips , and stares me down.

“Can’t.” I hold up my hands and step back. “I’m a regular giver,” I remind her.  “It’s not my time yet.” And, they never let me forget either. With A negative blood, they love to get their needle in me to fill a bag and usually call to schedule an appointment two weeks before I’m due.

“Maybe you should be on Alex watch.”

I laugh. I wasn’t there, but the last time Alex gave blood he passed out. “Kelsey’s with him. He won’t wimp out in front of her.”

“It’s not wimping out to get lightheaded.”

“He’s a fucking tattoo artist, and needles and blood make him squeamish. Explain that.”

She rolls her eyes. “Totally different kinds of needles and a hell of a lot more blood.”

We are right in the middle of the campus where on normal days students just hang out between classes, but today it’s filled with all things health fair related. I didn’t know what to expect, but not all of this. In one corner is a fenced-off area, kind of like you’d see in a petting zoo, but it’s filled with little kids and playground equipment. Adults are in there watching too. The kids are running, screaming, playing, and crying. Right next to it is a booth with the sign Are You Ready for This? With an arrow pointing to the playground. “Birth control booth?”

“Whenever possible, it’s best to demonstrate. A crying baby is a lot more effective than a pamphlet sometimes.” Mary laughs.

“So, what are you demonstrating?” Mary needs to be at a booth in a few minutes for her volunteer work.

“The proper use of a condom.”

“Um, isn’t that a given?”

“You’d be surprised at how many guys were never taught the proper technique of rolling one on and leaving a reserve.”

“Seriously?”

“Sad, I know.”

“It’s just as important for girls to know too,” I point out. Except a girl hasn’t been around my dick in, well, too damn long. I’m not even sure the condoms I own haven’t expired.

It’s not that I don’t have the opportunity to get laid, like every weekend, but that got old real quick. Something about being in a band makes girls wet. I know this because they’ve told me. It was fun for a while but damn, I want more than a quick fuck in the back room of a bar.  “So, you’re at the booth next to the kids.”

“No, they are just handing out information about the clinic, services that are offered, a map of the health fair. More of an information booth.”

I nod and do a full turn. There are a ton of booths and tents. I can’t even see everything they have, and the place is packed. They are mostly students, but it’s a huge turnout. I’m not sure I went to one health fair when I was in college. They seemed so lame and I didn’t really think I needed to learn anything new. Damn, if I knew they were like this, I probably would have stopped in.

“I’m next to the balls. Condoms and balls kind of go hand in hand, don’t you think?” She wags her eyebrows at me.

“If you’re doing it right.” I laugh as we start walking in that direction. 

Mary slips behind the table, relieving the girl who was standing there. Roll it Right reads the sign above her head and another sign on the table says One Break Can Last a Lifetime and Free for the taking, in front of tubs filled with condoms. Guys are grabbing up handfuls as they come by.

Two guys stop and look at Mary.

She tilts her head, giving them a saucy grin. “You sure you know how to use that thing?”

One of them looks at his friend, then nods. “Maybe you should show me, just so I know I’m doing it right.

“I’d love to.”

What the hell? What kind of health fair is this? I glance back to make sure Dylan, my roommate, and her boyfriend, are still in the tent. Did Dylan know what she was going to be doing?

The guy leans on the table, getting closer to Mary. “Should we go somewhere, um, more private?”

She grabs a condom out of the tub. “I’m more of an exhibitionist.” She dismisses him as if the idea of putting on a condom in front of everyone is no big deal, then reaches under the table and brings out a neon green dildo on a stick.

“Oh, man,” the guy says with disappointment and I about lose it because I’m laughing so hard. She so played him. Though, if Mary is going to spend her afternoon showing guys how to use condoms, even if it is on a dildo, I may have to make sure Dylan is occupied elsewhere. He sure as hell is not going to like witnessing what I just did. Not that Mary did anything wrong. Hell, she didn’t even flirt or lead the guy on, but a girl offering to help with a condom is enough to get a guy thinking about what happens after the condom is on and that guy was definitely jumping ahead to wearing the condom and being with Mary.

I glance at the next booth and forget to breathe. It’s the girl who was coming out of the campus clinic with Mary a few months back. I never got her name. I introduced myself and all she said was “I know. You play sax, right?” Then she was gone. I’ve wanted to ask Mary about her, but I don’t want Mary to start trying to fix me up with people either. Girls do that when they are in love. Kelsey worked on getting Dylan and Mary together and I have no doubt Mary would do the same to me and the auburn-haired beauty with light blue eyes if she had any idea how interested I am.

She’s standing right beneath the Feel Your Balls sign and now that’s all I can think about. Her hands on my balls, stroking my shaft, and maybe using that gorgeous mouth in the most pleasurable of ways.

A slow smile comes to her face as I approach as if she can read my mind. Hell, of course, she can. You don’t put a sexy girl under a sign like that and not expect guys to immediately think of feeling and tasting.

“Are you the one doing the feeling?”

“Maybe.” She leans on the table, hands flat against the surface, her upper arms pressing her tits together, making the cleavage deep. 

Damn!

“I hear that guys like it when someone is feeling their balls.”

I lean in. “If you want to feel mine, I have no objection.” Even though I know she is working me like Mary worked the guy on proper condom use, I’m happy to play along. Except, I’m not getting what this booth is about. How can feeling a guy’s balls be health-related? Unless it’s to warn against blue balls. Which if this flirtation keeps up, I may have a serious case.

“You probably don’t spend much time with your balls,” she says. “Most guys, when taking themselves in hand, just jack off in the shower and give no attention to the family jewels.”

Well, that’s true. If it’s bad enough that I have to take care if it myself, ball attention isn’t necessary.

“Did you know that could also be deadly?” Her voice is low, and those blue eyes are boring into mine.

“Why? Because I could slip on a bar of soap.”

“I’m serious.”

“So am I. I don’t want to die in the shower.” I lean in closer. Our noses are practically touching. She’s turning me on like no woman ever has and we aren’t even touching. “Maybe you should shower with me, for protection.”

“Give me your hand.”

I’m about to break out in a sweat. She can have my hand. She can have anything she wants.

I expect her hand to go into mine, but she places something soft and light in the palm. I glance down and it takes a moment before I realize what I’m holding and then drop it immediately.

“I hope you don’t treat your own balls so poorly.”

“What is that?” Well, it looks like a sack, balls, and scrotum, whatever, and the poor dick is even cut off.

“Guess you don’t look at yours too often either.” She snorts.

 

BETHANY

 

Holy crap! I’m flirting with Christian Sucato and we are talking about balls, feeling balls, and all I can think about are his balls and his cock and those light brown eyes.

This isn’t the first time I’ve given demonstrations, but I normally don’t flirt. It’s not professional and we aren’t supposed to. This booth is for information that could save a life, but when Christian walked up, it was almost as if I couldn’t help myself.

“Why did you just put balls in my hand?”

I try not to laugh but it is so freaking funny that practically every guy drops them as if the testicular exam simulator has cooties or something.

“To save your life,” I answer.

Damn, I’ve gotten more requests today to perform personal exams than I can count. If Christian were to ask, I’m not so sure I’d really want to tell him no.

I’ve had a thing for him for a good year. Ever since I saw his band play at a club one night. There’s just something about him and the way he plays that sax that is so fucking sexy. He’s hotter than anyone I’ve encountered, not that I ever did anything about it. I’m pretty sure he has a fan base full of pretty girls who are all willing to feel his balls and anything else and I’m not a groupie. It’s not my thing. I’d just rather admire from afar, and it’s no different than seeing a hot guy in a movie. Nice to think about but knowing you’ll never actually get him. Out of reach, that is what Christian Sucato has been to me and after this display is done, at least I’ll have this encounter to remember.

He probably has more girls come on to him than he can keep up with and I’m pretty sure he doesn’t even remember meeting me a few months back when I was with Mary. That unexpected meeting left me tongue-tied and I got the hell out of there before I made a fool of myself by drooling or throwing my number at him. This time, I did my best to prepare when I saw him. Equally hoping he wouldn’t come over and hoping he would.

The point of this fair is to entice people to take their health seriously, even if it means luring them into a booth with sexual innuendos. After all, sex sells and if that is what it takes to save a life, I’m not above it.

“Exactly how is playing with fake balls going to save my life?”

“Did you know that about 50% of all males who develop testicular cancer are between twenty to thirty-four years old?”

He pulls back in surprise. “No, actually.”

Even though I hate getting clinical, sometimes we need to and this topic is important to me. More than the others, except maybe drug addiction and depression. Hell, all of them are important and it’s why I took on the health fair this year. It needed to be more than general topics, generic information, and pamphlets. It needed to be fun to draw the students in and hopefully, it might save some lives, which is why no topic was ignored and they are being presented in a manner that won’t bore the student body.

“How old are you?” I ask.

“Twenty-four. How old are you?”

“Old enough to know that I need to check my body for lumps.”

He tilts his head and frowns. “That’s not really an answer.”

“Twenty-two,” I finally answer, not that my age matters where his balls are concerned.

“Testicular cancer is rare though, right? I mean, not like breast and lung cancer.”

“Almost 6 men in every 100,000 will be diagnosed, but wouldn’t it suck to be one of those six and you die because you are too squeamish to feel around your balls?”

“I’m not squeamish,” he defends, though his cheeks start to turn a little pink.

“Look, nobody thinks twice about women doing breast exams, touching their boobs, and feeling for lumps, but ask a guy to do the same to his balls and they get all weird, so tell me, why?”

Christian shrugs. “I don’t know. I guess I’ve never thought about it.” Then he narrows his eyes on me. “How would I even know what to look for?”

I grin and pick up the exam simulator. I feel around until I locate the lump then place it in his hands. “Now, with the tips of your fingers, press and feel your way around and become familiar with what is normal and what isn’t.”

At first, he balances it in his hand and then does as I ask. His eyes go wide. “This almost feels like the real thing.”

“I thought you said you don’t play with your balls.”

His face gets even brighter. “Well, there have been moments,” he grudgingly admits. “Like when I was a kid and had only myself.”

“To play with,” I tease.

Just because this is a serious topic doesn’t mean we can’t have fun with it. Besides, I’ve found most guys are more comfortable learning when humor is involved.

At least he is taking this seriously, unlike some of the guys who came by and got wigged out. So far today, it’s been about 60% who really wanted to learn something and 40% who were too immature to understand the seriousness of the disease and how easy it is to check for.

I don’t get it, not really. It’s nothing for a girl to feel around her boobs when she’s washing them in the shower so why can’t guys take a few extra minutes when washing their balls. At least, I hope they’re washing them. Maybe that’s how I should start the conversations from now on, by asking if they wash their balls and if I don’t discuss hygiene before moving onto exams.

I watch as Christian presses over the spot where I know the lump is and goes on. Then he stops and goes back. “Is this it?”

“Ding, ding, ding. We have a winner.”

He grins at me and sets the simulator down. “What’s my prize?”

“You get to start playing with your balls in the shower for a reason instead of just pleasure.”

He presses his palms on the table and leans in close. “I still think it would be more thorough, and pleasurable if you were doing the examining.”

So do I, but I need to remain professional. “Sorry, I’m only here for demonstration, not actual hands-on.”

“So, that’s all I do?” He asks. “Press my fingers around my balls and see if there is a lump?”

“Yes and no. First, the best time to examine yourself if after a bath or shower because the skin is relaxed. Hold your penis out of the way, then hold your testicle between your thumbs and fingers and roll it gently between your fingers, feeling for lumps like you felt on the simulator, or any type of mass or something that might not feel like it belongs.”

 “Hey, Bethany, sorry I’m late.”

Carina, who was supposed to man this booth starting an hour ago steps behind the table. “Matt worked over and I didn’t have a sitter to fill in until he got home.”

Matt is her husband, a police officer with the NYPD and they have a nine-month-old son. “That’s okay. I had this.”

She glances up at Christian then recognition lights in her eyes. Carina was with me the night we saw his band play. Carina also knows that I kind of really crushed on him that night. I hope to hell she doesn’t say anything.

“So, if you don’t need me, I think I’ll do a check.”

“Go ahead.” She’s grinning, but at least she’s keeping her mouth shut.

“What do you need to check?” Christian asks as I come around the table.

“This, all of it.” I spread my arms about indicting the entire health fair. “It’s my baby this year and I need to make sure all is going well and that nobody needs anything.”

While it would be nice to spend more time with Christian, I do have a job to do and I’m sure he wants to go find his friends because I’m pretty sure he didn’t come with just Mary since she’s dating Dylan.

“Mind if I tag along?”

No words could surprise or thrill me more. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah.” He shrugs. “I’m in the mood to learn something.”

 

2

 

CHRISTIAN

 

So, I’m not exactly in the mood to learn anything, but what other excuse can I give to be around her?

No, not her, but Bethany. At least I won’t have to look like an idiot and have to ask her name. I mean we were just talking balls and showers so I should at least know her first name.

Damn, there is just something about Bethany, and it has nothing to do with talking about balls. I felt it the first time I met her, even if I didn’t get her name that day. I’m not sure if it’s her clear blue eyes, hot has hell body, thick auburn hair, or just her gorgeous face. Whatever it is, it was instant that day and just as quick today. She disappeared then and I’m not about to let her out of my sight again. At least not until I get to know her better.

“So, what do you want to learn?” she asks with a laugh.

“Anything you want to teach me.” And I mean anything. I’d be her willing pupil on any subject.

“Well, since I’ve got to check with every booth, you’ll get to see everything we have. Let me know if something strikes your fancy.”

“What if it’s you that strikes my fancy?”

She just laughs as if she doesn’t believe me, but it’s true. Bethany is the best fucking attraction at this health fair. Clearly, I don’t have the same effect on her as she does on me and I’ll have to figure out a way to change that.

“Need anything, Gerard?” She asks at the booth right next to the balls one. This one has a sign Feel Your Boobs? Of course they’d have a guy at this one. On the table is a similar simulator as the balls one, except this one is a boob, of course.

“I’m all good, Bethany, but not many takers.”

“Women are better educated than guys,” she says with a look in my direction.

“I got educated,” I defend.

“Just make sure you stay educated,” she says as she wanders to the next booth.

There’s a girl and a guy handing out pamphlets with suckers attached. The sign about them is Suck It. I have no clue what this is for.

“Good on suckers?” Bethany asks.

“Yep!” the guy says and then I realize they are dick suckers. Seriously?

“What is this about?”

“Do you know how many people think oral is safe sex?”

Is this a rhetorical question? “Um, no.”

“Do you know?”

“Ah, yeah. If it’s not safe for one part of the body, it’s not safe for any.”

“See, you’re already learning.” She grins. “But you’d be surprised how many people don’t ask the same questions about safety and testing before oral that they do before intercourse.”

“That kind of surprises me. I thought it would have been a given.”

She shrugs. “It is, in college for the most part. Who we need to educate are high school girls, who think it’s safer, or don’t think it’s really sex to go down on a guy.”

That statement shocks me. “People still think that?”

“For all the knowledge in the world and for how much we’ve come out of the dark ages, on the whole, teenagers are still pretty ignorant to dangers, and a lot of college kids too.”

We stop and I look around. “So, this whole health fair is about sex, protection and all that?”

“No, not at all. You just happened to start at the condoms and balls.” She laughs. “We’ve got the blood drive, a booth with simulates drunk driving and walking, drugs, smoking, the dangers of sleep deprivation, communicable diseases that are on the rise, such as mumps, mono and strep of late, how antibiotics can be a friend, but what you need to know when taking them, depression, anxiety, all kinds of mental health and numbers for the hotline.” She holds out her hands. “If it has to do with the body, mental, physical and emotional health, we probably have a booth.”

Well, it may not all be about sex, but that is all I have on my mind when it comes to Bethany and it sucks that I’ll be leaving for the west coast in two days. I’m only supposed to be gone for two weeks, but damn, why couldn’t I have actually met her before now?

Correction, I did meet her, but I was the idiot who didn’t ask Mary for her number.

 

BETHANY

 

I can’t believe that Christian Sucato is walking around the health fair with me. He could do anything, go anywhere, or even visit with Mary, but he is with me! The fan girl inside me is giddy as hell, and I’m not sure my pulse has returned to a normal rhythm since he first approached the booth, but I hope to hell he can’t tell.

“Eye check?” he asks.

“Yep, and dental services. We offer what we can for free to the starving students.” We’ve checked in with every booth and he’s helped me carry a few boxes to replenish supplies a few times, but for the most part, there’s not much more for me to do except supervise and be here if anybody needs anything.

“Hungry?” he asks.

With that my stomach grumbles. The last time I had anything was about six hours ago. “Sure. Let’s get something.”

In keeping with health, there is a food tent set up, except it’s all healthy. “I hope you don’t mind fruits, salads, and lean meats.”

“I’m good with whatever.” He smiles and follows me into the tent. We both grab chef salads, dressing and bottles of water before finding an empty table.

“So, Bethany, besides running health fairs, what else do you do?”

He really wants to know about me? “I’m a nursing student and will graduate in May, but I won’t be done with school.”

“Are you going to work on your masters? Get a doctorate?”

“Not really.” I push the salad around on my plate. Even though I’m starving, my nerves have gotten the better of me since I still can’t believe I’m sitting with Christian Sucato and he actually seems interested in me. “I didn’t realize until I was almost done with my education that what I really want to become is a physician’s assistant.”

“They are more than a nurse and not quite a doctor, right.”

I can’t help but laugh. “Something like that, but I’d always work under the supervision of a doctor. Unfortunately, it’s more school and I’ll need more hours working in the medical field, like three years, before I can complete the degree.”

“Is that so bad?”

“My parents agreed to pay for the BA and I’m really lucky that they can, but anything beyond that is out of my own pocket, or through school loans, so I’ll need to work while going to school.”

He tilts his head and studies me. “Where are you from anyway? I detect a little southern in your tone, but I don’t think you come from too far down south.”

“Kentucky.” I laugh. “Not quite the south, but more so than here.”

“Will you be going back to Kentucky after you graduate?”

Was there more than curiosity to his question? I really hope there is. “No. I’m going to stay in New York. I have a good shot at getting on at the ER with Mary. Working there will help build clinical hours.”

He nods and takes a bite of his salad.

“What about you? Do you do anything besides play the saxophone?”

“I’m boring. Let’s talk about you instead.”

My face heats. I am so much more boring than he is. The man has two songs out and I hope there will be more. What the hell can he find so fascinating about me?