He’s silent for a while, deep in contemplation, as he wiggles into his pajama pants. Then he looks at me and grins. “And she said that they eat salmon, too. Just like we had for dinner.”
Seems I’m not the only man in this house who can’t get Reese off my mind. Brenton is in love with her. Already. I see why. She’s someone you can’t not like. She’s kind, funny, patient. And she always smells so good. No matter how much I try, I can’t help but feel better when I’m near her.
She told me point blank that she’s not interested in me and I hate that I wish she were. I find myself imagining what it would be like to have her close, to have her in my life. But that’s not gonna happen. I have to settle for Reese as just my neighbor, just my babysitter. What choice do I have?
I look at my son and offer him a small nod. He frowns at my lack of enthusiasm. “I thought you liked salmon.”
I nod again to give him what little assurance I can muster. “I like salmon. A lot.” We smile at each other and for one split second, I forget to be a total grouch.
Brent pulls away from me and climbs into the bed. “Reese said she’ll take me to the petting zoo when they come to town soon. She told me not to tell you because she has to ask your permission first.”
I chuckle curtly at my little snitch. “Maybe you shouldn’t spill Reese’s secrets ‘cause next time she won’t tell you anything.”
Twisting his lips to the side, he seems to consider my statement. “You’re right, daddy. Nobody likes a tattletale.”
Laughing, I ruffle his hair and sit on the edge of the mattress. “So, what story do you want to read tonight?”
He peers over at the pile of books sitting on the chair in the corner. I haven’t installed his shelf yet. I’ve been meaning to get to that. And I should put some pictures on the wall. Maybe even some posters. Make the place a little homier. Kids need that sort of thing, right? Some semblance of stability? Add that to my to-do list.
Once Brent selects his book, I scoot closer and he crawls into my arms so he can read along with me. He points out the pictures, giving me a running narrative of the story. He even tries sounding out some of the words on his own. When we’re done with the book, I tuck him in, kiss his head and turn off the light.
I creep down the stairs into the kitchen to eat the food that Reese gave me tonight, salmon with mashed potatoes and vegetables. The smell of it as it warms in the microwave has my mouth watering.
Pulling a chair up to the counter, I collapse in front of my meal, absolutely exhausted. I worked hard today, hauling bags of cement, painting ceilings, installing flooring. As soon as I’m done eating, I plan to go straight to bed.
The mail sits next to my plate. I open the envelopes one by one as I eat. At first, it’s nothing interesting. Just bills. Credit card. Electricity. Internet. As I’m polishing off the last bite of broccoli and carrots, I get to the thick white envelop at the bottom of the pile.
My heart immediately starts thudding when I see the logo stamped into the top left corner. The scales of justice. A judge’s gavel.
My hands are shaking as I rip the envelope open and pull out the sheaf of papers. My vision goes red and agony scorches my chest as the finality of it sinks into my stomach. Mara actually went through with it…
It’s the divorce judgment. My divorce is final.
Chapter 19
Reese
I peek in through the glass pane of the sliding door and I see Leo’s big, hulking form. He’s facing away from me, leaning against the counter.
God—his back is so wide and strong. I want to sweep my fingers across it and feel his corded muscles bunching under my touch.
The deserted territory a few inches south of my belly button gets rather excitable (read: wet) whenever I’m near him. Having him next door is seriously counteracting the Sahara-like conditions that have dominated the region for the past year or so. Get a hold of yourself, girl.
I slide the door open and his head snaps in my direction. He gives me a feral look that has caution spooling in my belly. “Hey…” My pace slows as I try to read his features.
He laces his fingers together behind his neck. The mix of emotions in his eyes is raw and alarming as he begins to pace the linoleum floor in circles. His expression is one of desperation, loneliness, anger, sadness and every type of need imaginable. It’s all rolled up into the creases of his forehead, the tension in his shoulders, the frantic energy pulsing off of his body.
“Leo?” I venture an inch closer.
One big hand scrubs down his face before inching up the back of his head to cup his scalp. His breath comes out in sharp, fast spurts causing his chest to heave.
“Leo, talk to me. You’re really, really scaring me.”
He pauses. He looks at me. His hooded stare is so intense that I feel it tightening the knot in my stomach.
My breathing hitches when he explodes into motion, charging across the room, coming at me with an urgency that sends my entire system into a panic. With a husky growl, he grabs my face in his hands and his open lips make contact with mine.
My body responds sharply. The bag of vegetables slips from my hands. Awareness floods every inch of me and every nerve ending tingles. His mouth is wet and hot and when my lips part to moan, his tongue invades the crevice.
This kiss isn’t like the first one. The first one was soft, needy, curious. An inquisitive exploration.
This one is savage, primal.
This kiss is necessary for his survival.
I can feel it with every groan that rumbles in his chest, with every thrust of his tongue against mine. He needs saving.
And fuck—I wanna be a hero.
I kiss him hard, looping my arms around his neck as my heartbeat explodes over and over against my ribs. He tastes so masculine. His body is so hard and strong, pressed flush with mine. And his erection—god, I want him to use that long, stiff cock as a weapon. To brutalize me with pleasure. I’m damn well ready to beg for it.
Our lips separate and it’s almost painful. His voice is raspy and thick. “Holy hell, Reese.”
“I need you…” I hear myself groan.
“I should stop,” he growls. “Do you want me to stop?”
I shake my head vigorously. “Hell no,” I say in a wispy voice. “We’re fucking tonight.”
He tears at my leggings, ripping them down my thighs as I slide my hands into his waistband and grate my nails over his taut, muscular ass. His hands grip the outsides of my thighs and he lifts me. My legs wrap around him and I angle my core to feel the hard, thick length of his erection under the fabric of his jeans. I’m aching to have him inside of me, my body is screaming for the sweet, rough fiction of him pistoning his cock into my pussy. I want it so bad I could cry. My eyes flutter shut and I whisper his name.
Gripping the edge of the kitchen table behind me, Leo lowers himself to his knees. My arms stay locked around him as my ass touches the cold floor.
My hands are under his shirt, exploring the tight planes of his back and shoulders, tracing across his ribs. He’s kissing my neck, running his mouth across my collarbone.
A guttural sound breaks free of my throat, a voice so thick and raw that I barely recognize it as my own. “Oh god, Leo. Please tell me you’re going to fuck me right now.”
Our lips are barely centimeters apart. His warm breath mixes with mine in the narrow space between us. “I’m going to fuck you, Reese.” He rocks his body into mine, grinding his denim-covered erection on my satin-clad cunt. “Do you want that? Do you want me to fuck you?” he grits out.
My head is light and dizzy. “Yes. Do it. Fuck me. Now.”
Breathing hard, he unbuckles his belt. His hands move furiously, pushing his pants and boxers out of the way. His majestic cock bursts free. I hold my breath.
I could make a million and one big-dick puns about carpentry tools right now but I respect you too much to throw all that cheesiness your way. I’ll just say this—it’s big. Very big. Thick with a broa
d crown, pulsing as a single drop of precum beads at the tip. And it’s gorgeous. Penises aren’t usually gorgeous but this one is. On a list of the 50 Most Beautiful Dicks in the world, this one would definitely hit the top.
With his palm caressing me between the legs, Leo opens a box sitting at the foot of the kitchen table. That box of sexual paraphernalia that Charlie dropped off the other day. Leo pulls out a pack of condoms.
I whimper. This is really happening. This is really happening.
His lips lock on mine and he crawls over me, coaxing my body down. And now, my back is against the floor. I can feel the chill of the linoleum seeping through my shirt. But the heat of his chest presses me to the floor as his mouth slides down to my chin, sucking at my jaw, my throat, my shoulder blade.
He slides my cute, lacy (fist-pump!) panties to the side. Then, he pushes inside of me, breaching the snug opening with a swift but controlled thrust.
Leo rocks into me. It’s a fast, greedy movement. And he does it again and again and again. “Oh, god…” I cry out and my head falls to the side as my eyelids drop closed. It’s so good.
He pushes my shirt up my torso. Maybe I should feel self-conscious about my too-soft belly but my mind is too warped to process insecurities and other logical thoughts. And Leo doesn’t seem repelled by my body. In fact, he seems to be enjoying it. He trails his fingers up my side and under the elastic of my bra. I frisson all over and he pushes the cups up my chest, out of the way.
When he leans closer, he draws one nipple into his mouth. Electricity fires through me, spreading from my breasts down into each of my limbs. I arch my back, instinctively trying to get more of this feeling. He grinds his pelvis into me, the rhythm steady and punishing. I cling to him as if letting go means falling to my death. He switches his attention to the other breast and I feel that shock of pleasure all over again.
“Tell me you like this, Reese. Tell me to keep going.” He whispers the words into the space between my breasts.
“Keep going,” I beg as I spread my thighs wider for him and rock my hips, too. “Don’t stop.”
He’s so deep, fucking me so hard. He’s panting. The small, quick explosions of his breath registers in my mind. This is a big deal. I’ve never made a man pant before. Especially not a man like him.
Everything I thought I knew about myself gets called into question. The way he’s touching me and kissing me—like I’m a sultry sex goddess that he can’t resist—it goes against the picture I’ve always held of myself. In my mind, I’m generic, ordinary, regular, average with my uninspiring pale skin and my muddy brown hair. But this man is reacting like I’m so much more.
Leo is moving faster now. He’s almost frantic. His movements trigger pleasure deep in my core. My eyes transfix to his face as his body clenches above me and—oh my god—it’s the most erotic thing I’ve ever seen. He squeezes his eyes tight and his brows furrow as he ruts. “So beautiful,” he groans.
Pleasure scatters along my limbs. Everything is spinning so fast. I can’t feel my limbs. I can’t even hear my thoughts. The tide rolls out so far. I know the orgasm will be devastating once the wave thunders in. And I feel it coming. I brace myself.
When my pussy spasms with pleasure, his cheeks flush, his lips part and his muted growl washes over me. He’s vulnerable in this moment, but he’s not weak. The powerful mass of muscles bunched up at his wide shoulders and the thick veins cording down his arms remind me that I’m at the mercy of this handsome, savage creature. This thought is the spark that causes my own orgasm to detonate inside of me like a bomb.
We hold on to the roaring sensation for as long as we can. He grinds into me, drawing the feeling on and on. My body unwinds as it fades away, leaving behind a deep satisfaction that echoes in my bones.
I let go of the breath I’ve been holding on to. “Leo…”
The sound of my voice seems to jolt him. He falls back onto his haunches, staring down at me with dazed, widening eyes. “Oh, shit…” he mutters.
That’s not good…
His cock slides out of me as he stumbles to his feet and tunnels his hands through his mussed up hair. I rise onto my elbows, feeling insanely self-conscious. I draw my shirt down over my torso but it doesn’t give much cover. My checks are blazing, my limbs are numb. I think I’m going to pass out from shock and guilt.
Post-Orgasmic Stress Disorder. I’m sure that’s a thing.
When he turns away, I can tell that he’s giving me my privacy. Well, if that isn’t chivalry, then I don’t know what is.
I take the opportunity to quickly pull on my leggings and adjust my bra before rising to my feet. I clear my throat awkwardly and he turns to face me. We both fucked up and we know it.
“Let me walk you to your door.” His voice is tight and edgy.
I nod. “Okay…” That’s all I can manage to say. I’m still in shock.
Leo opens the door for me and lets me lead the way. We walk side by side in complete quiet all the way to my back door. The silence is so heavy it’s almost oppressive. When we get to the top of the stairs, I turn and watch him. All I see in his eyes is guilt, shame and distress. It makes my heart go tight. He already regrets this.
He puts both hands on my shoulders and kisses my cheek but it feels awkward, forced. A polite formality after you’ve fucked someone within inches of their life on the kitchen floor.
“Good night, Reese.”
When he pulls back, he’s wincing, as if kissing me caused him physical pain. He doesn’t wait for my response as he retreats quickly across the lawn to his house. He gives me one last look before stepping inside and shutting the door.
Chapter 20
Leo
I steel my spine as I tap at her back door the next evening.
I’ve been dreading this moment all day. I’ve also been looking forward to it. Because I want to see Reese’s big, brown eyes. I want to smell the sweetness rising off of her skin. But I’m so pissed at myself about what I did last night.
Last night, I went too far.
I let my emotions consume me. The solitude and helplessness that I’d been feeling since Mara walked away collided with the anger and shock that blossomed inside of me when I opened that letter. My marriage is over. Officially. My wife has really abandoned our family, she cut all ties with her own son. I’ve got a pretty high tolerance for pain but that shit hurt.
I’m not going to lie and pretend that my marriage was perfect. Or that Mara and I said those vows for any reason other than the fact that she was carrying my baby. But despite all that, I was willing to grit my teeth and make our relationship work for the sake of our child. She had different priorities.
The wounds were still too fresh when Reese showed up my house last night. There she was, more beautiful and forbidden than ever.
And like a savage, I pinned her to the grimy kitchen floor and I fucked her like a deranged sledgehammer trying to demolish a sidewalk. She’s my best friend’s sister. My neighbor. My kid’s babysitter. The poor girl just came over to drop off some tomatoes. What the hell is wrong with me?
I need to start with an apology.
I knock the door again and she slides it open. The clenching in my gut is instant. One look at her lips and the memory of how they taste comes flooding back. They actually do taste like watermelons. Her eyes are shy and her cheeks are pink tonight, her mind is forever stained by the vile things I did to her.
“Hi…” She sucks her bottom lip into her mouth. Probably to keep from saying anything more.
“Hi…”
Her hair hangs loose around her face like waves of chocolate that I want to drown in. My fingers twitch to touch it. Instead, I shove my hands into my pockets and rock back on my heels. “I’m sorry I’m a bit late tonight. Charlie wants to make sure we finish Sophia’s project on time so I worked a few minutes over.”
“No problem,” she says with a shrug. “Sophia’s completely melodramatic about the remodeling. I’m not surprised that she’s pressuri
ng Charlie.”
We share an awkward laugh as we linger clumsily in the doorway.
She glances over her shoulder to the couch in the living room. “Brenton’s asleep, actually. He crashed right after dinner. I think he may be coming down with a cold or something.” Again, she bites down on her lip.
Concern tackles me immediately. “Shit—I hope it’s nothing serious. Preschool is a damn petri dish for viruses.”
“I know,” she whispers with a little smile as she glances at him again. He looks so peaceful, deep in sleep on the couch. She meets me with a shy gaze again. “Do you want to come in? You can eat your dinner while Brent sleeps.”
Do I want to come in? Hell, yeah, I want to come in. I want to kick off my shoes and take a seat at the table. But I’m not interested in the leftover tuna casserole I see sitting on the counter. It’s her pussy I want spread out on the place mat in front of me.
I can’t be trusted around her for any extended period of time, that’s for sure. So, I decline her offer as I’m kicking off my shoes. “Nah, I’m not hungry. I’ll just grab Brent and get going.”
As I walk past her to grab my son from the couch, I feel her fingers lock around my wrist and lust overpowers my carefully-laid plan of resistance. “Wait…” she pleads softly.
I spin toward her. We stand there frozen, looking at each other. A million conflicting thoughts roar through my head even after her hand falls away.
Kiss her. Shove her against the wall and kiss her…
Slide your hand under the hem of her skirt and touch her pussy…
Hoist her up on the kitchen table and fuck her as all fuck…
…Grab your kid and get the hell out of here!
“About last night…” I hear myself saying.
“About last night…” A deep flush crawls up her neck and I watch the increased rise and fall of her chest as those lurid events replay in her mind.
I rake my fingers roughly through my hair. “I’m sorry about that, Reese. I crossed a line. I lost control—”
Lover Boy Page 10