That earns me a more genuine smile and I grab for her hand. “I’ll walk you out.”
I lead her all the way to her car, where I swing her around and cage her in with my arms on either side. Her hands come up and land flat on my chest.
“I want to do this again,” I confess. “Maybe on a night when neither of us have to get out of bed early.”
The flash in her eyes tells me she didn’t miss my implication. Good. I want her knowing where I’d like to take this. From the way her fingers curl in my shirt, she’s not averse to the idea.
“That would be…nice.”
I lean my body into her, pressing her into the side of the car, while I lower my head. With my lips a fraction from hers, I wait until she lifts up to close the distance. This time I don’t hesitate, I sweep my tongue along the seam of her lips and she immediately responds, granting me access to the sweet flavor of her mouth. I taste a hint of chocolate and cream, and groan when her tongue slides against mine.
Her body feels small, and I have an overwhelming need to wrap myself around her and protect her from the world. I’m sure she can feel my erection pressing in her stomach, but it doesn’t seem to scare her.
Her arms slide up and hook around my neck, while I bring up a hand to cup the back of her head, deepening the kiss. Instinctively my hips move, seeking traction, and I hear her groan in my mouth.
Jesus, I’m dry-humping her in my driveway. If I don’t stop, I’ll have her naked, up on her hood. I’m not usually that much of a Neanderthal but there’s something about her.
“Wow,” she mouths when I reluctantly lift my head.
Those blue eyes are shiny with heat and her lips swollen and wet. I have to take a step back before I go at her again.
“You can say that again.” I barely recognize my own voice. “Best get in the car, Annie,” I warn her.
When she is behind the wheel, I bend down and stick my head through the open window, giving her a hard, close-mouthed kiss.
“I’ll call you tomorrow.”
She nods in response and, still looking a little dazed, starts her car and backs out of the driveway. I watch until I can’t see her anymore. As I walk into the house, my phone starts ringing.
8
Sumo
He’s a skinny kid. The baseball cap and longish hair he tries to hide behind only enhances the scowl on his face.
Bryce.
I still can’t quite wrap my head around it.
When Chanel called Wednesday night to let me know the results had come in by email, I rushed upstairs to check my inbox. I must’ve sat there for an hour, just staring at the confirmation I am the new father of a fourteen-year-old boy. When it started to sink in, I went down to the kitchen and dug out the bottle of Jack I knew I still had somewhere.
It didn’t really help; the next morning I woke up with a hangover, which didn’t make processing my situation any easier.
Then I called my parents.
Dad was quiet, but Mom more than made up for it with her screaming. That didn’t do my throbbing head any favors either. She’s always wanted grandkids, although she’s never been one to rub it in my face constantly. She’d been ready to drop everything, get in the car, and drive up here to welcome the boy to the family when he arrived today. That’s when Dad calmly spoke up and suggested maybe to give the boy some time to adjust before descending on him.
They’re driving up next weekend, giving us a week to get used to each other. Looking at him, I’m not sure that’ll be enough.
I spent Thursday making arrangements with my chief for two weeks off to start, stocking up with groceries, and getting one of the spare bedrooms ready for him. That night Steven had dropped off an old bike that used to belong to one of his kids, so the boy would have a way to get around. He stayed for a beer and some quick pointers on how to deal with teenage boys.
Heck, I’d been one myself and it scares the fuck out of me to think of the trouble I used to get into.
Now it’s Friday, and barely forty hours after getting the news, I’m standing at a gate at the Denver