genitals were ever a one. Even with a walking stick, the man carried himself like he was packing serious dick. Grinding against him as she had, she could definitely give him a eleven, but, truth be told, he was probably always a baseline eight.
Maybe a seven after being plunged in a cold lake or an ice bath.
“I bet I could help get that number up.”
He chuckled, and it was a rich, deep, comforting sound in the night. “I bet you could, too.”
“It seems only fair after the orgasm you gave me.”
“Thanks.” He grinned. “But I don’t need payback.”
“Are you sure?” Jane half turned to face him, snuggling her cheek against the cushion. She loved that, even in profile, she could see he was still smiling. “I’d be very gentle. You wouldn’t even have to move. I can just use my mouth if you like. Little tiny, tiny licks, I promise.”
The thought of giving him a BJ out here seemed terribly exciting. Not something a single mom with responsibilities should be countenancing. But tonight had already been pretty damn risqué—what was one more thing to add to her list of transgressions?
He gave a deep groan that ruffled deliciously through all her illicit places. Rolling his head along the back of the couch, he faced her, their eyes meeting. “You are evil, Jane Spencer.” His gazed dropped briefly to her mouth, then back to her eyes again. “I think what my hip really needs most now is immobilization. Can I take a rain check?”
There was no mistaking the regret and yearning coloring his low request. So much yearning her breath caught. “Of course.” The last thing she wanted to do was cause him further injury.
Jane turned back then to the view, not that she saw anything. Really, the best thing to do right now would be to go. Sitting here like they were more than two people who had the hots for each other and were probably going to have sex very soon was plain dumb.
She just wished she didn’t like his company so much.
“Well.” She sat forward and scrambled to her feet, her dress falling to her ankles as she turned to face him. “I’m going to go and catch up on some business stuff.” There was no point pretending she was going to sleep when she was going to lie awake half the night thinking about that rain check. “Are you sure you’re going to be okay?”
He flopped his head against the cushions, looking up at her. His broad frame and the wild spring of his dark curls somehow looked extra masculine against the floral pattern. “Yep.”
She offered her hand, even though she already knew he wouldn’t take it. “Need some assistance?”
“I think I’ll…” He patted his hip. “Sit for a bit longer.”
“Okay.” Jane nodded even though she wanted to point out it would be quicker and easier for him to take her assistance. But she was used to recalcitrant males in her life. Finn never did anything the easy way, either. She dropped her hand. “Good night, then. See you in the morning.”
“I’ll be seeing you in my dreams first.”
The way he was looking at her left Jane in no doubt they were going to be very dirty dreams. She gave a half smile. “Ditto.”
…
As she suspected, Jane didn’t sleep all that much, and her concentration was shot all the next day.
She gave up on the tile removal at just before three after damaging her sixth segment of wood due to her inattention. Sure, she could fix them with some putty, but any extra restoration work meant time, and—although she was catching up, thanks to Cole looking after Finn—she didn’t have a lot of wriggle room.
And now she was thinking about Cole again.
Cole kissing her. Cole touching her. Cole sliding his hands inside her panties and making her come. Cole taking a rain check on so much more than some R-rated groping.
She’d had to put Carl back in his cage because she was sure the animal could read her mind. Finn had requested that Carl hang with her while he was at the clinic, and yesterday, Jane had been fine with that—the chameleon had mostly dozed in the sunny patches of floor beneath the windows. But today, it had spent a lot of time sitting and staring at her with those freaky eyes like he knew exactly what had gone down last night. And was judging her.
Like a multicolored Jiminy freaking Cricket.
“I’m leaving, Carl,” she announced as she gave