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“Yes. It is.”
He bent so that his lips brushed her ear. His low, throaty whisper teased her. “And what does the boss want me to do next?”
Everything. Anything. As long as you’re touching me. “She wants you to kiss her.”
He picked her up, set her on the counter, and insinuated his body between her legs—so close, but not close enough. He caressed her thighs, sending pings of hunger skyrocketing through her body. She curled his shirt into her hands and clenched them into fists, tugging him closer.
“I think that’s an order I can accommodate,” he said, and threaded his fingers into her hair. He nibbled her lower lip—a sharp nip, before he licked the sting away and captured her lips. Their tongues twined. His fingers st
roked her tingling scalp. Desire pooled in her stomach, sending a jolt of need to her core. She rubbed her heat against him, moaning into his mouth.
His hand slid free from her hair. His touch roved down her shoulders, over her breasts. He toyed with her nipples through her dress, but it felt as if he’d stripped her naked, touching bare skin instead of fabric. The need he roused in her was too strong and refused to be ignored.
He grasped her bottom and pulled her tighter against his body. She rocked her hips against him and dug her nails into his chest through his shirt. “Fuck, Brianna,” he hissed, and tipped her back against the counter, rattling the dishes in the drying tray. Suddenly his lips were on hers again, and his fingers roughly pushed her dress up. She arched her back with a desperate anticipation, knowing his fingers would soon ease the empty ache inside of her.
His fingers brushed against her, and she shuddered with a low moan. Such a light touch and she was already ready for him, wet and aching, her body clenching with the need to feel him. His gaze burned into her with a possessive wildness that forced her to turn her face away. The desire in every look was too much, his eyes nearly black with need. Too much to believe that she could rouse any man to such heights, let alone this one.
But then he hissed and jerked back, his breathing harsh. She went stiff, staring up at him in confusion. Dear God, what had she been doing? No wonder he—
“Someone’s coming,” he said, and she dropped a good ten bucks’ worth for the swear jar as she tumbled off the counter, smoothed her dress, and tried to calm her racing breath. Thomas cursed and looked around quickly, then stood off to the side to lean against the counter casually. And damned if he didn’t pull it off, too. She, meanwhile, probably looked a wreck.
Katelyn walked in, her teddy bear clutched in her arms. Brianna smoothed her hair and plastered a smile on her face. She shouldn’t have even bothered. Her daughter wasn’t here for her. Katelyn didn’t even look Brianna’s way when she asked, “Can Thomas tuck me in?”
Brianna couldn’t even answer. Her face was so hot she felt dizzy. She’d almost been caught nearly having sex on the kitchen counter—by her youngest child. What kind of mother did that? What was she turning into?
“Sure, I can tuck you in,” Thomas said, his voice far too even. “If it’s okay with your mom.”
He squatted down beside Katelyn, his motions perfectly steady and calm. While she, on the other hand, could barely stand up. Not. Fair. Wasn’t he affected at all? Or was this wholly one-sided? He looked like he hadn’t even been touching her, let alone driving her insane with want next to a half-empty box of Cocoa Puffs.
She studied him closely. No heat in his eyes, no hint of vulnerability. Just the mask he showed the world. How long would he keep that mask up around her? Or was he so stuck in the role that he’d never wholly let it go?
“Sure.” She wrapped her arms around herself and nodded, even though she had already said yes. Her head felt heavier than usual. As if the mere effort of nodding was too much strain for her neck. “You can tuck her in, and then go home.”
He shot her a look, then offered Katelyn his hand. “Come on, Princess. Let’s get you in bed.”
He left the kitchen, hand in hand with Katelyn. Brianna followed with leaden steps, but when they entered Katelyn’s room, she hovered in the hallway and eavesdropped without a hint of guilt, watching just past the doorframe. This was her daughter—and Thomas was still practically a stranger.
“Are you going home now?” Katelyn asked.
“Yeah, I think so.” Thomas sat on the bed and patted the mattress. “But I’ll tuck you in before I leave.”
“Can you come over again soon?” Katelyn climbed into bed and pointed at the corner of the room, where her pink plastic tea set was almost permanently in residence. Stuffed animals sat at each place setting. Two spots were empty. “I want to play tea party with you. See? I left you a spot.”
Thomas looked at the tea set and swallowed hard. His face was soft, the tight set to his lips easing. His guard was down and if he wasn’t careful Katelyn would worm her way right into his heart. She was good at that.
If only Brianna was so sure of her own ability to slip past his defenses.
Thomas smiled. “Sure.”
“Good.” Katelyn yawned. “Can you be my new daddy? Mine’s in heaven.”
Brianna’s heart stopped beating for a brief second, and then sped up painfully at Katelyn’s words. Did she miss having a father in her life so badly that she would ask anyone to take his place? Had Brianna somehow failed her children? And what would Thomas say to that?
She blinked away the tears and stifling pain to watch. His eyes widened and the moonlight reflected off his pale cheeks through the window. Brianna thought for certain that he’d stammer something and back out, then run for the door and out of her life as quickly as possible. But he took a deep breath and brushed Katelyn’s hair back from her face.
“He may be in heaven but that doesn’t mean your daddy doesn’t still love you very much.” Thomas tucked her in, kissed her forehead, and smoothed the bedspread around her shoulders. “Good night.”
He stood, eyes locked on the picture of Michael on Katelyn’s nightstand. Picking it up with an unsteady hand, he studied it closely, then set it down. He turned and left the room, but froze when he nearly ran into Brianna in the hall. She hardly saw him. She was choking on her own tears, nearly blind. Their salt taste was bitter. Too bitter.
