Chapter Twelve
APOLLO
I’m no stranger to hard work. There have been times, after being on set all day, I went home mentally and physically exhausted. And that’s to say nothing of the many shit jobs I had to take to make ends meet before fame found me. But I can’t begin to comprehend being so entrenched in my work I wouldn’t want to or know how to relax for a few minutes.
As much as I want to help Lily find a way to relax, I wasn’t about to send her back to the couch and turn away this opportunity to be close to her. Get to feel the feather-light brush of her fingers on my skin when I pass her a clean dish to dry. She’s eager. Fucking adorable needing that next plate or glass to keep her hands busy.
When she flips the dish towel over the plate I hand her, waving her honey and apricot scent my way, I start to think of the many ways I could find to keep her hands busy.
Fuck.
I turn my hips away from Lily’s view enough to hide the rapidly rising erection trying to break through my too-tight pants. If I don’t keep him in check, he’s going to give me away.
Not tonight, Apollo, I scream in my head at my sex-starved cock. It’s been close to a year, the longest dry spell in Apollo history and it’s starting to show.
Holding the next plate out for her, time slows when she reaches for it and takes in a deep breath, juts out her bottom lip, then huffs to blow a stray lock of her night-black hair out of her eyes.
As the dish slips from her hand before she gets ahold of it, I know it’s not just the lack of sex making me crazy about this girl. It’s just… her.
Lily shrieks as I grip her arm to pull her out of the way before the plate shatters on the floor between us.
“Shit, I’m sorry, Lily.”
“It’s okay. Accidents happen.” She’s breathing heavily. At first, I think it’s because she was startled by the broken plate but then I take note of my hand still wrapped around her forearm, soapy and slipping over her skin in a deliciously intimate way.
When she doesn’t pull away when I test the water sliding my hand up her arm, over her elbow, I get greedy. I take her other arm in my other soapy hand and pull her against me.
She sucks in a breath.
No hiding that erection now. She’s fully aware of it, pressed between her hips and against her soft stomach.
Self-control is slipping away with every second she doesn’t break away from me.
Her warm honey and sweet apricot scent surround me now. Holds me to her.
I want to taste it. On her tongue. Her skin. Dripping from her core.
My resolve slipping, my cock twitches between us.
Lily moans, her body slacking against me.
Grasping at the last frayed thread of my control, I give her one chance. “I can’t move, Lily.” Fuck. Even I’m turned on by how low and gruff my words are. The vibration is torture as I hate the next words that come out of my mouth. “You’ll have to. If you don’t, I’m going to make you very late for work.”
I don’t tell her, but I start to count. She has until I reach ten, then I’m taking her. I’m sweeping her off her fucking feet, carrying her to bed, and tasting every inch of her. I'm going to lick my Lilypop until she’s a trembling mess in my arms.
I’m convinced I’ll get the chance when I count nine. Before her eyes flick over my shoulder.
To the clock on the wall.
She takes a step back. “I’m sorry.” Her voice trembles but not for the right reason. “I—I can’t… I can’t leave them shorthanded.” Her arms slip from my hands as she steps further away. “Thank you so much for dinner and the driveway. I—.” That’s all she says before grabbing her coat and a green vest off a hook by the door, then running out into the cold, snowy night.
