40-Love - Olivia Dade Page 0,22

lot.”

“More than anything.” Her eyes searched his in a seeming plea for understanding. “Not because I want power for its own sake, but because I think I can help the kids at my school. I can make Marysburg High a safer, happier, more useful place for them in every way.” She sighed. “The other main candidate from within our school system cares more about the bottom line than education. He would be a terrible principal, and I won’t let him have the job. Not if I can possibly help it.”

To his regret, he had to concede her other point too: They were very different. In their lives, their work, their ambitions, the expectations placed upon them, the people dependent on their decisions.

He still wanted her. His hunger to understand the twists and intricacies of her mind hadn’t eased at all over the course of the lunch. If anything, he felt more starved than ever.

If he had another half-hour to spare, he’d ask about her plans for her students. Soon, though, his free time between lessons would come to an end, and he didn’t want to start a subject they didn’t have time to finish. Besides, he had one last surprise for her. One he suspected she’d enjoy.

Turning over his hand, he laced his fingers through hers and slid his thumb over her knuckles in a slow, repeated sweep. With his other hand, he reached into a bag beneath the table and produced the final container.

She peered at the clear plastic top, and after a moment, a small, tentative smile tipped her lips.

“It’s not lemon chess meringue pie,” he told her. “But all but one of them are for you, and I managed to get a candle for the birthday girl. Well, birthday-plus-one-day girl.”

The strawberry lemonade cupcakes had reminded him of Tess. Tart and sweet. Joyously, unmistakably large. Pretty.

“They look delicious.” Her fingers squeezed his as she contemplated the half-dozen cupcakes within the container. “Out of curiosity, did you remember to bring something to light the candle?”

His head dropped to his chest. “Shit.”

“If you’d remembered, I was going to let you give me forty birthday spanks.”

He jerked his head up so fast, he got dizzy. Maybe the new batch of tourists who’d just left the outlook had a lighter? They were halfway down the steps already, but he could catch them if he ran.

Pushing to his feet, he spared her a quick, hopeful glance. “Really?”

“No.” She laughed again, her solemnity gone. “I’m fucking with you.”

The wooden bench creaked beneath him as he sat back down. “Ah. That’s a shame.”

“No birthday spanks on offer, but lots of birthday thanks.” She nodded toward the cupcakes. “Those look amazing. Thank you, Lucas, for everything you’ve done to make my birthday special.”

Her wide smile plumped her cheeks and sparkled in those big hazel eyes, and the entire wooden outlook structure disappeared from beneath him as he sank into the sight. Into her.

He fumbled for his drink. Took another gulp and almost choked again. “No problem.”

The sun was burning the tips of his ears, but that didn’t explain the warmth exploding through the rest of him. Especially as she opened the container, selected a cupcake—the one with the most abundant lemon buttercream frosting, a wise choice—and took a huge bite. Her little hum of pleasure as she chewed and swallowed vibrated along his spine, arrowing to his cock.

With evident joy, she methodically worked her way through the cupcake, leaving the most frosting-intensive parts for last. He, in contrast, picked at his, too distracted by the sheer bliss etched across her expressive face to give a fuck about eating.

She wasn’t shy in her enthusiasm. Within a minute or two, the confection was gone, and she was sucking icing off her fingers, then licking her thumb to pick up stray crumbs from her paper wrapper. He had to stifle a whimper.

Her gaze locked on the container once more, and he lifted the lid for her.

She hesitated, her eyes guarded. “No lectures about proper nutrition?”

“I’ve known you for less than three days.”

Her head tilted as she watched him. “True.”

“That said, even if I’d been your man for eighty years, I wouldn’t lecture you. You’re in charge of your body, not me.” He paused. Winked at her. “Although, if you wanted me in charge of certain aspects of your body, I certainly wouldn’t mi—”

“You’re a skank, Karlsson.” But she flicked him a grin as she selected the cupcake with the second-greatest frosting volume. “One with excellent taste in baked goods,