Poison & Wine - Melissa Toppen Page 0,12

car seat before speaking, “So.”

“So.” I blow out a breath.

He rocks back on his heels, his hands shoved into the front pockets of his dark jeans.

“You feel up to some company tonight?” he asks outright.

“Actually, I’m pretty exhausted. I didn’t get much sleep last night,” I answer honestly. And it’s true, I didn’t. It’s hard flipping back and forth from nights to days. When I work, I sleep during the day. When I’m off work, I try to keep myself on Ellie’s schedule so that I go to bed and wake up when she does. Sometimes the transition is a bit daunting.

Of course, that’s not the full truth. While I may be tired, I’m also very distracted. And right now I feel like I need to be alone with my daughter.

“Okay.” He doesn’t try to hide his disappointment. “Tomorrow maybe?”

“Maybe. I promised Ellie we’d go to the park tomorrow and I have a few errands to run.”

“Okay. Well, I guess I’ll call you after work?”

“Yeah, that sounds good.” I force a smile, pushing up on my tiptoes to lay a soft kiss to his lips.

Chapter Five

OAKLEY

Seven years ago

* * *

“Jace!” I scream as my feet leave the ground seconds before I’m tossed over his shoulder, his rich laughter dancing around me.

“You’re getting in, Oak. Whether you want to or not.”

The chuckles and hoots of encouragement from our friends fill my ears as Jace takes off down the dock, me flailing over him. Seconds later, we’re airborne. I catch sight of the end of the dock moments before I disappear under the warm water.

I kick free of Jace’s hold and push to the surface, sputtering and laughing the instant I find air. Jace pops up next to me, his whole face alight with humor.

“You asshole.” I splash at him, causing another bout of laughter to roll through him.

“Aww, Oak.” He pouts out his bottom lip dramatically. “Don’t be like that.”

“I told you I didn’t want to get in,” I scold, all the while fighting the smile threatening to spill across my mouth.

“And I told you, what’s the point of coming to the lake if you’re not going to swim?” He kicks toward me, tugging me into his arms as he treads water.

“Um, hanging out with friends. Getting some sun.”

“Well, maybe I just wanted an excuse to feel your wet body against mine.” He winks, his gaze turning dark.

My stomach instantly tightens.

“Jace,” I croak, throwing a sideways glance to where a dozen or so of our friends are lounging a few feet from the water on a large grassy area.

“Relax. They can’t see anything.” He presses into me, showing me proof of his arousal. My entire body heats.

“You are bad,” I tell him, wrapping my arms around his neck. “But if you think I’m doing anything with you in this disgusting water, you have another thing coming. Do you know how many germs and bacteria live in here?”

“You know, you’ve become quite the germaphobe since you started working at Dr. Peterson’s office.”

“No, I’m just better educated now.” I stick my tongue out playfully.

“Oh, is that it?” He chuckles.

“It is.” I nod.

“Well, if I can’t do what I want to do, are there any rules about me kissing you? Or is that not allowed either?” His hands slide around my middle.

I dramatically pause, pretending to think it over.

“I guess I could allow it.”

“Oh you guess, huh?” He squeezes my side causing me to yelp. The sound barely makes it past my lips before he’s there, swallowing it up.

Like every time Jace kisses me, my entire body responds. Like it comes alive for him in a way that it doesn’t for anything or anyone else. Like it understands that this is where it belongs. With Jace. Always with Jace.

I’m not sure when we went from friends to this. It happened slowly, like a natural progression. But since we’ve been dating, it’s hard to remember a time when things weren’t like this.

I crave him every minute of every day. And that’s only gotten stronger since we started having sex last month. It’s like a whole new world opened up in front of my eyes, and I’ve been blinded by how good the sun feels on my face.

“They’re at it again,” Johnson grunts loudly from the shore.

“Get a room,” Holly chimes in.

I feel Jace’s arm move but don’t realize what he’s doing until I break the kiss and look up to see his middle finger high in the air.

Laughing, I reach up and cup his cheeks.

“I