More than that, he’d organized the dishes I was giving to charity, wrapping them in paper and placing them in the boxes that had been in the same place for a full month. All that was left was taping them shut.
The kitchen appeared huge.
Who was this man and why was he invading every aspect of my life?
Leaning against the wall, I took several deep breaths, fighting both nerves and millions of questions. Should I contact my godfather and learn more about Viper and his past?
That was the smart thing to do, but I obviously wasn’t interested in doing anything typical for the girl who’d planned out her entire life.
There was no noise in the house other than from the dogs, yet while I usually couldn’t tolerate total silence, on such a beautifulafternoon, I didn’t mind. Just walking through the living room brought memories, but today they seemed entirely different. The photographs told a story of love and family in celebrations from births to graduations. There was also sadness from the last picture taken of my childhood dog and the only photograph I could remember being taken with my aunt. She’d died when I was ten.
I didn’t have such extensive memories. The photographs I’d gathered in my life were almost all centered around pets. Maybe because no relationship had lasted longer than a few months. Including the last one, which I wanted to forget about. As I passed by the mantel, I realized maybe the pictures I’d haphazardly stuck in a box did tell a story.
Only it was different than my parents.
I moved into my father’s office, which I used for the clinic as well as my makeshift art studio.
I’d even started a picture of Ellie May but could never seem to finish it. Maybe because she needed a friend much like all humans did.
I left the paints on the table and returned to the kitchen. With a deep exhale and a million questions still racing through my mind, I grabbed a glass of wine and moved through the house, finally heading upstairs.
The least I could do was say thank you. That wouldn’t cross any lines. Would it? He wasn’t in his room, but what few clothes he’d brought were put away. With the guest bathroom door being open, he wasn’t in there either.
Okay. Maybe he’d taken a walk.
Well, I’d talk to him later. Time to change into grubby clothes and maybe I’d become inspired by Viper’s organization attempt and pack a few boxes to start. I could drop them off at Goodwill in the morning.
After kicking off my shoes in the closet, I ripped off the little dress I’d worn, tossing it on the bed to dump in the hamper later. I yanked open a dresser drawer, trying to find my favorite pair of drawstring shorts and a crop top. I had a feeling I’d been sweating in less than an hour.
Since the cutesy little top had a bra sewn in, I didn’t need the one I was wearing. After peeling it off, a flicker of something caught my eyes. What the hell was I seeing in the reflection?
I spun around, pulling the material to my chest and taking a couple of long strides toward my bathroom door. It was suddenly thrown open, a huge hulking mass of manhood storming out. And he was holding a towel wrapped around his waist.
The moment our bodies collided, he steadied me with both hands as I smashed my palms into his chest.
Down went the top I’d been holding.
Down went the towel he’d been wearing.
The collision knocked the wind out of both of us and only after ten seconds did I begin to regroup. By then, Viper was already smirking as he slowly lowered his gaze, perusing my almost naked body.
Holy moly, the man was glistening with beads of water still dripping down his bronzed skin. My vision was slightly cloudedwith highly filthy images of my tongue lapping up every drip, every drizzle.
With my fingers forming minds of their own, I was barely paying attention that I was kneading his skin and muscles, my fingertips seared from the explosive heat.
Although I’d prided myself in having extreme willpower, my eyes betrayed me by slowly falling to the deep V cut leading to his…
Huge. Throbbing. Cock.
That was positioned between my legs, inches away from my throbbing core.
His chest rose and fell, the motion catching my eye and I lifted my head while he lowered his. His scent was incredible, spicy with hints of jasmine and…
“Grace,” he whispered, the tone hypnotizing.
“Viper,” I breathed in return, leaning against him as every molecule in my body was driven to a full wildfire burning hot and heavy.
With every centimeter his head dropped, I rose onto my toes, matching his move. Until our lips were almost touching, a whisper away. When I dragged my tongue across my bottom lip, I inadvertently touched his and bottle rockets went off throughout my body,
