thighs, lifting and parting her legs farther, spreading her wide.
Ames gazed down at him with lust-glazed eyes but managed to murmur, “Home? You back to stay, then?”
“Got a job in Madison.”
“What?” Her eyes opened wide, and she pushed up on her elbows. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Just found out. There was no point in mentioning it if the thing fell through.” He bent his head for another taste of her, but Ames grabbed hold of his hair and hauled him up.
“Not now. Tell me about it.”
“I was in New York, drinking out of a paper cup. You know? Starbucks, actually. And I thought, this is all I’d leave behind. I want to leave something real after I die.”
“What?” Her swollen mouth parted, and he had to move up to kiss her again, keeping his hand cupped over her moist pussy, marking his place.
She prodded him and said, “Explain.”
“Damn.” He squeezed her thigh. “Can’t we just—”
“Explain fast and we can get back to this.” She slid her hand over his belly, encircling his erection.
He gave an exaggerated sigh. “Fine. I skimmed life. My job was good. I like that. But what I missed, until I met you, was something real and lasting. Like the good clay cups that are real. I drank from that cup, saw all the thousands of others in the trash, and just…poof. I understood.” He slid back down between her legs. He expected he wasn’t making a lot of sense, but with all this wonderful Ames spread like a feast for him to enjoy, he wanted to get to the main course.
“So you got a job out here?”
“This is where I saw my real life.”
“Wow.” She brought her legs together, blocking his access, and he sighed again. Wasn’t this sort of talk supposed to get the woman to open up, literally?
“Nick, God. It’s so—so amazing. Tell me, where will you work?”
“Aw, Ames. More talking?” But he liked that she wanted to listen.
She grinned down at him and stroked his cheek. He rested his head on her thigh and gazed up at her face. “Okay. My new job. After I tell you the deets on that, I expect you to hold still and let me have my way with you.”
She giggled. “Oh, heck yeah. Go on.”
“I thought I’d get a spot at Baraboo’s Circus museum, but the place that hired me is relatively new, and it’s focused on the history of daily life, which is more up my alley.”
“Coffee cups,” she murmured.
He snorted. “It’s not too far from the university. The collection manager is moving on to bigger waters in New York, of all places, so a spot just opened. I’ll be in charge of things instead of working for someone else, for a change.” Nick didn’t mention that the income was a fairly substantial cut for him. Considering the cheap cost of living here compared to New York, it wasn’t that bad. Besides, Ames didn’t really need to know what he was giving up—which was nothing compared to what he’d gained by finding her.
“Nick, I’m so glad.” She reached for him, and he moved into her embrace. Yeah. This was almost perfect. If only she’d open her legs again.
“I’ve been worrying every day what you’d do for a living if you stayed here. I didn’t see how you could do it. But Madison’s only an hour away.” She pulled back and looked into his eyes. “Are you sure, though? Is this what you want? Is it a good fit?” She looked so worried, he wondered if she meant were they a good fit, Ames and Nick. Hell, yeah. But he’d answer the question she’d asked.
“Absolutely. Lots of opportunities to transform exhibits to something more interactive. I don’t have the local contacts, but for once, fundraising isn’t the bulk of my job. There’s more to Wisconsin than badgers and lumber barons.”
She chuckled. “You sound like an indignant native already.”
He gave her a light kiss on the mouth. “But I kinda wish I hadn’t brought it up right now. I finished my, uh, oral report, and you owe me. Can we please go back to welcoming each other home before we lose momentum?”
Ames glanced down at his hard-on pressing against the outside of her thigh. “Don’t think there’s much chance of that,” she teased, reaching down to give him a stroke.
Nick pushed her gently onto her back again and resumed his position between her legs. He licked and nibbled until Ames was writhing beneath him—just the way he liked