Then I brush her hair from her face, dancing a kiss across her lips and wet forehead. She lets go of me, the rain drizzling across my still twitching cock doing nothing to cool my desire.
“That was the hottest thing in the world, angel. Give me three breaths, then I’ll get you warm and do what I can to save your equipment.”
8
AUDRA
I’ve been well cared for my entire life. My mother did her best…some of the time. There were also nannies, housekeepers, and various personal assistants.
But nothing comes close to watching Thane meticulously going over every inch of my equipment with a microfiber cloth, followed by super-fine special cotton swabs.
His workshop is tidy, almost fussily so. He clearly knows where every single item is. His attention to detail is comforting.
Once everything looks bone dry, he places it all inside a clear plastic tub. Then he pulls out several large desiccant packs, puts them in too, and snaps the lid shut. He even runs a line of masking tape around the edge for a more airtight seal.
He turns to me with a grin. "I guess this means your equipment is being held hostage for at least twelve hours, sorry. But trust me – this usually works with cell phones, speakers, or whatever else I've ever accidentally drenched."
I step close, placing my hands on his shoulders. "I really appreciate it."
"Since I’ve kidnapped your gear, does that mean I get to kidnap you as well?" His eyebrow lifts. "Dinner? Snuggling on a couch? Sleeping over?"
I grin at the way his brow arches even higher.
"Or," he says with a chuckle, "you can always smack my face with your pretty little hand and I will take you home this second. We’ll bring the gear bucket, and you can open it in the morning."
My fingers glide back and forth across his prominent deltoids. "But then I'd have to bring the tub back to you. That sounds exhausting. I should probably just stay here. Cool?"
"Cool."
He takes me gently by the hand, but instead of leading me straight to his bedroom, we go into the kitchen.
I certainly didn't expect this handsome man to also be a great cook, but he throws together the best pasta I've ever had, made with shredded leftover barbeque chicken, two kinds of cheese, and some fresh basil snipped from a big pot in his kitchen window.
"Gotta say, you're full of surprises," I remark as I help him clean up.
"Turns out I like having someone to cook for. Who knew?"
It’s not the first time Thane has said something that makes me think he's never had a girlfriend for any significant length of time, and that this is all brand-new for him. Yet he's still capable and confident with every move. Given that I'm definitely experiencing everything between us for the first time, his self-assurance makes me feel settled.
Thane stops, staring at the way I’ve loaded the dishwasher. Everything is tilting inward. “Are you an engineer or something?”
I laugh. “Not that I’m aware of.”
“What about your parents? Did they teach you to do that?”
“Jenna taught me. She said the water flow was important to get things truly clean.”
“Jenna?”
Crap. I can’t tell him that I was raised by a series of nannies, even if most of them were sensible enough to raise me like a normal girl, not a spoiled princess, and treated me first like a daughter, then a friend.
“Close friend of the family.” I smile, even though the half-lie feels like a brick in my stomach. “Very precise about cleanliness.”
“Cool.”
Ugh, I hate being dishonest. It makes my skin crawl. Someday, when he knows me better, I’ll explain my bizarre life to him. I think it’ll go smoother then.
Just as I notice it's gotten quite dark outside, Thane’s phone beeps. When he checks it, his face lights up. He grabs my hand and we rush outside. "What is it?" I laugh.
