Have Mercy - Christina Lee Page 0,74

was a step in the right direction.

“Sounds fun.” I glanced at Sienna, and she seemed as taken aback by the request as me.

“Then it’s settled,” Maggie said, waving her goodbyes before anyone could change their minds. We had been known to be overly cautious parents where our daughter was concerned these last couple of years.

Hushed words passed between Sienna and Brad before he began walking toward the parking lot as well, and Sienna turned to me with a pinched look on her face, like she was dreading what she was about to say.

“I think… I might…” She motioned with her thumb over her shoulder. “Brad invited me to have a drink with some friends. It’s a bar close to my mom’s place. So I’m probably gonna… I think I’ll crash at Mom’s too.”

Her cheeks were so red, I thought they might catch fire. I needed to put her out of her misery as soon as possible. Christ, she didn’t have to explain anything to me. She was an adult, and we were divorced. Still, I’d confess it felt…strange. “That’s cool. We’ll get the boxes back to the farm.”

“And I’ve got the goats covered,” Julian piped in, to my relief. He was way better at words at the moment. “Go have fun.”

“Thanks. See you in the morning,” she replied, then turned and practically fled to Brad’s vehicle.

As Julian and I slid inside the truck, we were quiet, possibly neither wanting to admit the truth out loud. Or maybe Julian realized I needed time to process what just happened.

When we got to the farm, we decided that the boxes would hold until morning. But neither of us moved to exit the truck.

“So we’ve got the place to ourselves?” Julian’s Adam’s apple bobbed against his throat. “All night?”

I met his eyes and nodded, not quite believing it was real either. We sat breathing the same air for a moment, and his fingers reached out and tangled with mine. And that alone felt so fucking nice.

“Help me check the barn and stables?” I asked after another few seconds.

Even though George had come in to help us out on his day off, I needed to make sure for myself all was in order, and I breathed a sigh of relief when nothing seemed amiss.

Even the chickens were resting quietly.

It was my brain that wouldn’t shut up, still reeling from the fair. Hunter revealing some unexpected things, Ainsley asking for a sleepover—and Sienna possibly having a sleepover of her own. Damn.

And now I was home with the best blue-ribbon prize of the evening.

Julian.

It was quiet—solemn even—as we set up Phoebe and Hamlet on the floor near my bed, then stripped out of our clothes on the way to remove the grime from our day. Huddled together under the warm stream in the shower, we made quick work of soaping our bodies.

But it was also the first time we were fully bare in front of each other, and I couldn’t help looking my fill. Whereas last time I’d walked in on Julian in the shower—which seemed ages ago now—he’d tried covering his torso, this time he seemed more settled in his own skin, scars and all. The dark, fuzzy hair on his chest and groin and legs was enticing on its own, and I fondly remembered how I’d practically attacked his underarm that time in the silo.

Then Julian slipped behind me and insisted on washing my hair painstakingly slowly. I sighed as I leaned against his solid chest. It felt pretty damned amazing. And by the time we reached for the towels and got out, we were both hard as stone.

“Not making any assumptions.” His eyes met mine in the mirror. “I just…want you, Kerry. Need you.”

“Fuck.” I shivered, making quick work of drying off. “Condoms and lube are in the top drawer in the nightstand.”

When I got to my room, he was setting the supplies on the comforter, and his beautiful ass was on display. I wrapped him in my arms and kissed a stripe across his nape. Goose bumps appeared along the fine hairs there, and I marveled at how responsive he was to my every touch.

Julian had become like this itch under my skin, and I felt this persistent need to touch him and talk to him, to be in his presence. I didn’t know what I’d do when he was gone, so I needed to draw this out, savor him. This was likely the only chance we’d ever get.

I lightly slapped each of