Total pages in book: 98
Estimated words: 93957 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 470(@200wpm)___ 376(@250wpm)___ 313(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 93957 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 470(@200wpm)___ 376(@250wpm)___ 313(@300wpm)
“I’ll call you.”
“Text me. I hate phone calls.” I held out my right hand and snatched it away a second later, narrowing my gaze. “You have frosting on your nose.”
“My nose?” He wiped his hand over the apron, then across the tip of his nose. “Did I get it?”
“No. Come here. Let me help you.” I stepped into his space and brushed the sugary goodness away.
“Did you get it?” he asked in a huskier than normal tone.
“Yeah, but it’s on your ear and your chin and…”
“Where else?”
“Here.”
I ran the pad of my thumb under his bottom lip. “Got it.”
I didn’t move. I should have, but something held me in place. I studied his features, noting the flecks in his eyes. I wondered what color they were…gold, green, brown? I traced a line at the corner of his mouth, rubbing the scruff of his neatly-trimmed beard. I stared at his full lips for a long moment before meeting his gaze. Then I inched closer and…kissed him.
Don’t ask me why I did it, and don’t ask me what I was thinking. It wasn’t smart. I knew that. But damn, I needed one small taste. Just one. Any second now he’d push me away, remind me that his kids were in the house, and that what happened the other day wasn’t going to be repeated. I’d be okay with that. I understood. His life was complicated, mine wasn’t.
I should have been the one to back away, but I couldn’t seem to do it. The press of his lips felt amazingly…right. Sean hesitated for a moment. He didn’t deny me, but he didn’t really participate either. We stood with our lips locked, tension building like water rising in a dam until he snapped. He held my face in his hands, then growled like a caged tiger and pushed his tongue in my mouth.
I struggled to keep up at first. He came at me with feverish intensity, deepening the connection with every twist and lick, silently commanding me to meet him halfway. The sudden onslaught of hunger and passion shook me. It was like that blowjob all over again. I’d started it. However, when he took over, he made it clear he was in charge.
And I fucking loved it.
I wanted to throw my guitar case on the lawn and wrap myself around him, but the logistics were awkward, so I settled for hooking my free arm over his shoulder. When he dropped his hands to my waist, I tilted my chin and met him thrust for thrust. I pulled back to suck in a gulp of much-needed oxygen just as the front door creaked open and Lullah bounded outside with Penny right behind her.
She stopped short in the doorway, astutely weighing the scene. Her dad’s hand on my hip, mine on his chest. I held my breath for what felt like twenty minutes but was probably closer to two seconds. This was a new one for me. I stepped out of Sean’s arms and cleared my throat, mentally preparing myself for drama. And damn it, I did not do drama well.
“Hi, Penny. I, uh—”
“Here. This is for you.” She held a frosted cupcake neatly decorated with sprinkles out to me.
“Thank you. It looks delicious.”
“You’re welcome.” She smiled sweetly, then pointed at my shirt. “You have chocolate all over you.”
I looked down on cue. Sure enough, the grubby mess on Sean’s apron transferred to me. Evidence galore. There was no point in denying I’d been caught kissing her dad, but it was worth a shot.
“Huh. That’s crazy. I better go home and change. See ya, Penny. Later, Sean.” I waved clumsily as I stepped aside.
I made it to the end of the driveway before Penny ran after me. “Wait! You need a napkin.”
She stuck her tongue out, furrowing her brow intently as she dug into her pocket. “Here you go.”
“Um, thanks.”
I braved a glance at Sean. I couldn’t read his expression at that distance, but his posture was stiff. I could only imagine what was going through his head. Geez, he’d made it clear that he kept his personal life well divided. If his kids knew he liked men too, I’d bet big bucks they’d never seen him kiss one.
“You can put it under your cupcake, so it doesn’t get your car dirty,” Penny advised.
“Smart thinking. I’ll do that as soon as—”
“Are you my dad’s boyfriend?”
Her casual delivery took me by surprise. She didn’t seem upset or worried or grossed out. She was just…curious.
“No,” I replied quickly. “I was, um…saying good-bye.”
She looked up when her father called her name and yelled, “Two seconds, Daddy!” before turning to me. “Can I take the polish off your nails next time? I can paint them a different color too if you want.”
“Uh…yeah, that sounds great.”
Penny flashed a brilliant smile, twirled in a full circle, and skipped to the house. I took a huge bite off the top of the cupcake and watched her slip her hand in her dad’s. She seemed happy. A happy hurricane. That was a good sign, right?