what to do about this thing between us. It’s time to set some ground rules, like no more paper-thin tank tops.
“Go dry off,” I tell her. “I’ll start the fire.”
She looks like she wants to say something, then purses her lips. As soon as I hear the bathroom door close, I let out a breath.
“Fuck...” This isn’t good. I have to get myself under control before she comes back.
I stack the logs in the fireplace, tuck a crumpled piece of paper into the center, then light it with a match. The fire crackles to life as another rumble of thunder shakes the cabin. The storm will be on top of us in a few minutes.
I peel my wet shirt off and toss it in the washer along with my jeans. My boxers are damp, but I leave them on so I don’t accidentally give Norah and eyeful on my way up to the loft. I’m about to head upstairs for dry clothes when I spot Norah standing by the fire, gripping a towel around herself that barely covers her ass.
She eyes me through strands of rain-soaked hair. I know she’s naked under the towel, and I know all it would take to see her in all her glory is a swift flick of the wrist.
“Silas,” she says. I don’t move a muscle. She moves closer, her bare feet sinking into the rug with every step.
My muscles tense like they’re gearing up for a fight.
She drops her towel, and my pulse jackknifes.
“I want you.” She takes another step. I can’t stop my gaze from drinking her in, and soon enough, I’m drunk. The firelight flickers off her bare skin. She’s even more beautiful than I imagined.
The boxers I’m wearing are a size too small. They don’t stand a chance once my cock starts to swell. She glances down at my bulge and her lips drift apart. I catch the glint of her teeth and the tip of her soft, pink tongue as she wets her mouth.
“Norah, we talked about this. I’m too old for you.”
“Actually, you’ve avoided talking about this. And you’re the only one who thinks you’re too old for me.”
My fingers twitch at the realization that she’s close enough to touch now. Rising onto her toes, she gently skims her nails through my beard before running a fingertip over my lower lip. It’s a titan effort to keep my hands at my sides, as her nipples brush against my chest. She’s so fucking beautiful.
“I feel safe with you,” she says, “and I like that you want to look out for me. But I also like the way my heart beats faster when I’m around you. I feel like I can talk to you about anything.”
“You can talk to me.” I rest my hands on her shoulders, hoping she won’t notice how badly they’re shaking. “You’re just missing your dad, sweetheart. That’s all this is.”
She cocks an eyebrow. “Silas, my dad and I never did anything like this. But you’re right, I do miss him. So much.” Her lip trembles. She takes a ragged breath. “This isn’t about him. I think about you all the time. And I know you think about me. I’ve heard you jerking off in the shower.”
Her hand brushes my abdomen and threatens to glide downward. I catch her wrist before she reaches my boxers. If she touches my cock again, I won’t be able to stop. I’ll have her on her back in front of the fire with her legs in the air faster than she can say, fuck me, Daddy.
There’s that word again.
I take a step back, but she follows. Then I realize I’m still holding onto her wrist. She tries again with her free hand, cupping my erection before I can stop her.
My cock pulses against her palm. It takes the last remaining speck of my control to tell her, “Don’t start something you can’t finish, little girl.”
“That’s the thing, Silas. I want you to finish it.”
She kneels on the carpet in front of me, then pulls my boxers down. My cock juts out at her, tapping her cheek. Her eyes go wide as she grasps the shaft. Her fingers don’t even fit all the way around.
I rest my hand atop her head. This is my last chance to push her away. But I can’t escape the pull of those big, green eyes. “All right, sweetheart. Show me how much you want this cock.”
She licks the tip gently. I suck in a breath.