Charity Case - The Complete Series - Piper Rayne Page 0,243

her face literally between my breasts since she’s so much shorter than me. She rocks our bodies back and forth in a swaying motion.

“Mom,” Roarke bites out.

“You’re the first girl I’ve met since Liv, but who cares about that hussy.”

“Mom,” Roarke says to his mother once more.

“You’re so much more beautiful than her. You’re so elegant, look at you.” She pulls my arms away from my body much like she did with Roarke, inspecting me. “Damn kid, I’m baffled as to why she’s here with you.” Her smile says she doesn’t really mean it.

“Gee, thanks, Mom.” He pulls one of my hands from hers. “Let her go now. She’s not a toy.”

Edie’s eyes take me in one last time. “I just didn’t expect her to be so breathtaking.”

“Cool it,” Roarke says, his jaw clenching harder with each compliment paid to me.

Edie rolls her eyes. “You have to go practice walking your sister down the aisle. Hannah can come hang with me.” Her arm slides through mine, pulling me away.

“Yeah, she’ll be there in a minute.” Roarke pulls me back the other way and I fall into his arms.

“I swear, you need an enema to get out whatever it is that is lodged up that ass of yours, Roarke.” I purse my lips before I burst out laughing.

Roarke shakes his head. “So, you’ve met the whole family. I’ll send you back to Chicago now.”

I laugh finding comfort in the way his arms are around my waist. How did I get in this position and how come I don’t want to move away?

“It’s fine. Wait until you meet my parents.”

Roarke freezes, his arms stiffening. Shit. I shouldn’t have said that.

“You’d want me to meet your family?” The smirk on his face says he’ll tease me endlessly, but I can see that under that arrogant persona he’s pleased with the words that came out of my mouth.

“What would I tell them? This is the guy I’m spending time with as part of a five-favor deal?”

Roarke’s face falls. “Yeah, I’d kick a guy’s ass if he did that to my daughter.”

“Roarke? What the hell?” Allie walks into the church in a lace champagne-colored dress, her hair down and curly similar to her mother’s. “Let’s get this show on the road, you know I get itchy in churches.”

Roarke laughs and his hand molds to my cheek. “This conversation isn’t over.”

He loosens his arms and I step out of his embrace, our arms slowly moving apart until we have no choice but to let go. Just when my fingers unhook from his, he pulls me back into his arms.

My hands land on his strong chest and his face nuzzles into my neck. “Also, it’s incredibly unfair that my mom’s face has been between your tits and mine hasn’t. We need to rectify that, and soon.”

Fireworks erupt between my legs.

“ROARKE!” Allie’s voice booms out through the church, much like her mother’s did minutes ago.

His forehead lands on mine. “I really regret bringing you here.” He squeezes his eyes shut for a second.

“Don’t. I like this side of you.”

“What side is that?”

“The caregiver side. You were right. You’re not the man I thought.”

His lips tick up. “So, my plan is working?”

His large hands mold to my hips and I’d do anything to feel his lips on mine right now. Are they soft or firm? Will he take charge or let me guide the pace?

Moron, the man takes charge of everything, he’s definitely going to go alpha when you kiss.

As much as I want my independence and I’m pro-woman everything, I want a man who does just that. I don’t want to have to guide him or tell him anything. Someone who takes care of me in a way that’s not controlling or demeaning. Not some jealous jerk who pisses around me to stake his claim, but someone who shows me off for the prize he thinks I am and because he’s proud of me. Someone there when I get home. Who knows if I had a bad day or whether I’m tired just from looking at me. Could that man be Roarke Baldwin? I wish I knew for sure.

“Go sit. I’ll make this snappy.” He winks and then he’s gone. Him and his smoldering touch venture out of the church and into the hallway where Allie was screaming for him.

My heels click on the wooden planks of the old church until I find a pew to sit in that’s not too near the front. Thank goodness Edie is