He puts a chaste kiss on my cheek and leans over my shoulder. “Have a good evening, ladies.” He backs away from the door.
When I turn back to my friends, they’re wearing identical smirks.
Nova sidles up to me with her arms folded across her chest. “Well, well, well—looks like the neighborhood just got a little friendlier, huh?” She cocks a brow like she just sniffed out some major conspiracy.
“Don’t start,” I say as I grab my wine glass and fill it to the top.
Sophia shakes her head, clearly disappointed in me. “So you just weren’t gonna tell us that you’re seeing the hot guy next door.”
“I’m not exactly seeing him. In the traditional sense.” My cheeks warm up as I slide back into my chair.
“What exactly are you up to, Reese?” Sophia questions with a lifted brow.
Nova’s grin spreads wide across her face. “Looks like our little Reesie has got herself a fuck friend.”
I cringe. “I prefer the term ‘lover’ please. Much less derogatory.”
My friends share a look.
“As you wish, classy bitch.” Nova crosses one leg over the other and reaches for another cupcake. “That doesn’t exempt you from giving us details, though.”
“Yeah, why didn’t you tell us about this?” Betrayal covers Sophia’s face.
I shrug, feeling a tiny bit of guilt. “I wanted to be discreet. That’s how these things work. Isn’t it?”
“How long have you been hoarding this information?” Sophia presses.
My shoulders hunch up. “Two weeks.”
Nova leans forward. “Well, I don’t want you keeping all that stuff pent up. It’s no good for your cardiovascular health,” she says generously. “Spill them beans!”
Laughing, I tell them everything. Starting at the hug in the garden to the kiss on the back porch to the nightly rendez-vous that have me creeping out my neighbor’s back door at 3:00 every morning.
“Oh my god. I have a lover.” I giggle into my hand. “Does that make me slutty?”
“Yes!” Sophia barks just as Nova yells, “No!”
“Exploring your sexuality without the burden of commitment makes you interesting, adventurous, worldly.” That’s Nova’s take on the matter.
Sophia rolls her eyes. “It’s all fun and games until you end up on one of those early morning talk shows where nobody knows the father of their kid.”
Nova waves her off. “Those shows are scripted. Grandma and I sat in the studio audience that time we visited New York. I was so disappointed.” Her attention comes to me. “Having a lover is the most liberating thing you can do for yourself,” she tells me. “There’s only one rule…Don’t fall in love.”
Simple.
One simple rule.
Except, as I bring my wine glass to my lips, I’m gut-clenchingly aware that not falling in love with a man like Leo won’t be simple at all.
Chapter 25
Leo
Reese gives me an apologetic look as she holds the door open for me. “I tried to get him to eat,” she tells me, “but he insisted on waiting for you tonight.”
“That’s okay.” I kick off my dirty work boots on the front mat and follow her toward the kitchen. My eyes skitter down her tempting body as she goes and the memory of that curvy ass riding my chin last night floods my mind. I try to resist but I can’t help copping a feel as she moves down the hall.
She glances at me over her shoulder. “Stop it!” she hisses with a wicked grin.
I grin back as I pull my hand away from her butt. “Sorry,” I say in the most insincere tone ever.
We do need to be careful. Brenton doesn’t know about us and I don’t want him getting the wrong idea. I need to keep my hands off of Reese in my son’s presence.
His eyes light up when he sees me. “Hi Daddy!”
“Hey buddy. How come you didn’t eat dinner?” I’m tempted to ruffle his hair as I sink into the chair next to him but Reese has it all brushed down like a 1950s choirboy again. So instead, I squeeze his little shoulder.
“We’re having chicken nuggets tonight,” he informs me, “and I know it’s your favorite so I wanted to wait for you.”
“Well, that was really thoughtful of you,” I say to him.
For the record, chicken nuggets are not my favorite—I’m a grown-ass man—but they’re one of the only meals I can prepare without it looking like an industrial by-product.
The little boy grins proudly. “Now, go wash your hands so we can all eat, daddy.”
I shake my head at his scolding tone as I rise from the table and move toward the sink. With her lips pursed against a smile, Reese stands at the kitchen counter, portioning the French fries, chicken nuggets and vegetables into separate plates. I wash and dry my hands, then return to my seat next to Brent. Reese sets the food down in front of us.
As he eats—with a knife and fork! Who eats chicken nuggets with a knife and fork?!—the child tells me all about how he helped Reese make the nuggets from scratch.
I’m amazed. Who is this bright, composed, well-behaved young man sitting next to me? I was sceptical about letting Reese watch Brenton after school. I didn’t think she’d be able to handle him. I thought he’d overwhelm her. But I was so wrong. I’m astonished at the positive effect she’s had on him in such a short period of time. The fact that he has a major crush on her seems to be at play.
And I can’t blame him because damn, I have a crush on her, too.
Theresa Hartley is perfection. Beautiful, smart, kind. And her goodness is rubbing off on my little rogue.
My brain keeps harassing me. This girl isn’t just a cheap fuck. She’s not the kind of woman you just use for her body. She’s the type you step up for. She’s the type you risk a friendship for. She’s the type you claim. But I’m not ready. I don’t know if I ever will be. Mara burned me so badly and now, I just need to focus on raising Brent. I can’t get into a relationship. Not even with a woman like Reese.
After dinner, Brenton helps bring the dishes to the sink and then runs off to finish watching a whale documentary that he and Reese started after school.
It takes a ton of convincing but I finally get Reese to allow me to wash the dishes. “I don’t want to sound trite but those were some damn good chicken nuggets,” I tell her as I rinse off a plate. “You really made those from scratch?”
“Yup,” she nods as she takes the clean plate I just put in the dish drainer. She runs a dry cloth across the surface, soaking up the water before packing it away into the cupboard.
My eyes peruse her pretty face. “Where’d you learn to cook and bake and all that stuff?”
She laughs and wipes off the wet baking sheet I hand her. “When we were younger, our parents were always busy campaigning and being political and all that other stuff. So, we spent a ton of time with our grandmother. She badgered my mom into firing our nanny so she could cook and clean and take care of us.” Her face lights with amusement at the memory. “Anyway, Viv and Charlie were always too cool to play with me so I hung out in the kitchen with grandma all the time.”
“Why didn’t your siblings want to hang out with you?” I rinse the soapsuds from the sink and close the faucet.
A melancholy smile touches her lips and she shrugs. “Y’know how kids are…Actually, my siblings still boss me around like a kid.”
That pisses me off. I hate that they treat her like a child. The wide flare of her hips, the soft curve of her breasts, the shape of her thighs—it’s testimony to the fact that she’s all woman.
“You know you’re allowed to stand up to them, right?” I grab the towel from her and wipe my hands.
She grabs it right back. “It’s part of the natural pecking order, I guess. I’m the youngest in the family so it’s only natural that I have to bare the brunt of my siblings bullying.”
I can tell that it hurts her, even though she’s trying to make light of it. “Reese, you don’t have to let people boss you around. You don’t have
to bend over backward to accommodate everyone. It’s okay to put yourself first sometimes.”
She’s such a good person. She goes out of her way to make sure that everyone around her is taken care of but she doesn’t do the same for herself. She should have the best of everything.
I brace her by the shoulders and lower my face to look into her eyes. “You’re beautiful. You’re sexy. You’re an amazing cook. You’re a rockstar in bed.” A blush crawls over her cheeks and she can’t hold eye contact. I tilt her chin to bring her focus back to me. “How come some guy hasn’t swooped in and put you in an ivory tower?”
She laughs, taking a half-step backward. “I have a hard enough time just getting a decent guy to take me to the movies. I don’t see any ivory towers on the horizon for me.”
“That’s a damn shame.” For a second, I wish I could be that guy. But it’s complicated. I’m complicated.
I’m in no position to offer her the kind of relationship she deserves. So I lean in and steal a kiss.
Yes, it’s a stolen kiss because this amazing woman can never be mine.
Chapter 26
Reese
Leo reaches over a sleeping Brenton and grabs the bowl of popcorn from my lap. The TV lights his face in flashes of blue and red. He winks at me as he hums the movie’s theme song through his nose. I grin wide. He doesn’t look like the type of guy who would know the soundtrack of Frozen but he is. He hits every note in perfect timing.
He’s such a good dad.
Add that to the growing list of things I like about Leo Montgomery. That kid is the center of his universe. He’d do anything, sacrifice anything to make sure Brenton is happy and healthy. It’s crazy that he doubts himself and the job he’s doing. Brenton couldn’t ask for a better father. I wish there was a way to make him see that.
When the movie ends, the only sound in the room is the child’s soft snores. The light of the blank screen shines on Leo’s face as he watches me.
I don’t want them to go tonight.
Three hours ago, Leo showed up to pick Brenton up but I lured him inside with promises of fried chicken and Netflix.
It was his idea to watch a movie together after dinner. He seemed hesitant to make the suggestion, like he wasn’t sure I’d want to spend my Friday night with him and his kid. But hanging out with them is seriously one of my favorite things so I couldn’t say no.
We made popcorn and hot chocolate and cozied up on the couch. Naturally, Brenton went straight for the Disney movies but halfway through, his heavy lids fluttered shut.
And I don’t know if you’re allowed to do this with your lover—spend Friday night watching cartoons with him and his kid—but I’m so intoxicated by this man. I’ll take any opportunity to spend time with him. I’d probably ride along to a colonoscopy with him just to be close.
Now, he’s sitting at the other end of the couch, giving me a look that makes my heart pound. He smiles and just like that, the hairs on the back of my neck are standing on edge. I bite down on my bottom lip and he gives me a knowing stare. He brushes my hair over my shoulder. “What are you thinking, Cupcake Girl?” His low whisper settles in the throbbing space between my thighs.
My breathing stutters. “Maybe we can put Brenton down in the guest bedroom…” The suggestion barely makes it past the lump in my throat.
Leo twirls the ends of my hair around his finger. His voice is thick but playful as he shrugs a shoulder noncommittally. “Maybe…”
We share a lusty grin in the dimly-lit room. He rises to his feet and so do I. As I turn in the direction of the stairs, he comes up behind me and loops an arm around my waist. He pulls me flush against his hard, throbbing body. I feel his erection digging into my spine. “Wait for me in your bed. I want you naked on top of the sheets when I get there.”
A wave of yearning rolls up from my toes all the way to my pussy as he lets go. He wiggles his brows at me then leans down to tenderly scoop the sleeping child into his arms. I watch him climb the stairs. The way his shoulders bunch with restrained power under the cotton of his t-shirt makes me ache.
I’m a horny fool for this man.
When I get to my bedroom, I’m nearly breathless. I peel off my leggings with shaking fingers. I unbutton my shirt and shrug it off of my shoulders then lay it on the dresser together with my bra. I climb into bed, on top of the sheets and set out a roll of condoms.
I’m so wet. Long strings of my desire pull away from my core as I move my panties down my thighs. I’m almost ashamed. I don’t know if I should want him this bad. I don’t know if just the thought of him inside of me should make my body react this strongly. But here I am naked and soaked, waiting for him in my bed.
The door creaks open and my heart gallops in my chest as Leo appears in the dark shadows of my room.
He locks the door.
There’s a fire in his eyes as his gaze sweeps over my body, spread out for him. “God—you’re beautiful.” His words rumble across my skin like thunder. My arousal pours out like rain. “Those big, pretty tits. That soft belly. Those curvy thighs.” I feel lightning in my veins as he steps closer to the bed, tugging off his shirt. He slides his hand under the elastic of his pants and strokes the rod of steel between his legs. “Touch that pussy for me, Reese. I want to see you make yourself feel good.”
My cunt clenches hard at the command. I’ve never shown myself to anyone like this. But I want him to see me. I want him to see what it looks like when I think of him.
My fingers sweep down my pelvis and settle between my thighs. I’m flooded by my own desire. It flows out of my pussy onto the sheets. My movements are shy at first. I’m so aware of his eyes on me, of his breath accelerating. I roll the pads of my digits over my wet clit. I’m touching myself with both hands. All my fingers are drenched. I’m so sensitive down there.
Bursts of electricity shoot to my breasts. I draw one hand there, pinching my nipples between slick fingertips. I squeeze my eyes shut and moan.
Leo is panting, groaning. I hear the rough jerk of fist sliding back and forth on his cock. Listening to him brings me so close to the edge. “You’re the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen,” he whispers hoarsely. “Such a pretty girl. With such a pretty pussy. All wet just for me.”
If he keeps talking like that…If he keeps…Oh, shit…If he keeps talking like that…
My fingers move faster, pressing and rubbing on my clit until I’m lost in the frenzied quest for release. He moves closer to the bed and I feel his fingers traveling up the inside of my spread thighs.
Shit…
Just as I’m about to explode in bliss, his fingers close around my wrist and he pushes my hand away. “Open your eyes, Reese. I’m going to eat your sweet pussy and I want you to watch me.”
My eyes blink open and I see him at the foot of the bed. His boxers are low on his hips now and he jerks his cock roughly. He pushes his underwear all the way off and crawls onto the mattress. Gripping my wrist again, he brings my fingers to his mouth. He sucks three of them between his lips and the hot suction makes my clit into a jealous, whiny bitch.
Unable to control the words slipping off my tongue, I moan. “Fuck, Leo. You’re so hot.”
I catch sight of his cocky grin right before his face disappears. Now, his head is between my thighs, his tongue working restlessly at my core. I convulse against his mouth, losing my fingers in his hair, holding him in place. I tell him how much I love it, I tell him how good he’s making me feel. I squeeze my thighs to his cheeks, trapping him there until I’m flying over the edge, losing my mind with pleasure.
I am completely boneless once the orgasm is through with me. I need a moment to recover but he’s still touching me, his fingers dance in my wet channel as his thumb brushes over my clit.
He chuckles, his eyes on me as I writhe helplessly. His cock is sheathed now. He flips my limp body unto my belly and with his arm banded around my waist, he yanks my ass up toward him.
“Face in the pillow, loud girl.” He
pushes my head down roughly and I moan, loving the way he manhandles me.
With a hand firmly on my back, he drives his cock into me. My pussy stretches, swallowing the crown. My stomach tingles as he feeds his shaft through my slippery tunnel. I gasp into the pillow, letting my frustration out into the down feathers. And Leo is behind me, smoothly working his hips against my ass. He’s so big, so hard. I shudder at the combination of pleasure and pain.
He grumbles softly and falls forward, wrapping his arm around my belly. He hunches over me, his hard chest pressed flush to my back, my ass crushed by his rhythmic pounding.
Oh god…
Leaning over my shoulder, he presses his cheek to mine as one hand smooths down my torso and settles between my thighs. The other hand grips the sheets beneath us. He strums my clit, each swipe of his fingers resonating throughout my bones.
I’ve always wanted a man to fuck me this way, to take complete control of my pleasure. To close his fingers around my throat and sink his teeth into my skin and clobber my pussy like he’s drilling for diamonds. But in all my fantasies, I’d hand over, not just my body, but my heart, too. The man in my fantasies had all of me.
But Leo doesn’t want that. He’s only in it for the sex. I promised him I was okay with that. So now that I’m starting to catch feelings, I have no right to complain.
I shove my pesky little emotions into a box and tuck them away, some place I’ll never find them. I focus on the moment, on the cock ripping through my body, pushing me, yet again, to the edge of devastating pleasure. He angles my face and our lips clash. It’s a soft but eager battle. And I feel it all throughout my limbs.
I’m so close now. My hips move frantically. I can’t think. I can’t breathe. All I can do is chase that orgasm as if my life depends on it.
And when I catch up to it, I fall, tumbling toward a bottomless crater of pleasure. I come so hard. Leo is gasping above me, hurtling toward his own climax. His chest flexes against my back. He chokes back a groan and his cock jerks all the way to the root. His body goes tight and he swears against my cheek as the aftershocks of my orgasm echo into his body.
Lover Boy Page 13