Page 77 of Ruin

I’ve missed being a part of the Kincaids. It felt nice to have that chance again today. And it was even better, knowing Gigi will have that and them for the rest of her life.

“So, I’ll see you tomorrow?” he says.

“You’re still picking Gigi up from pre-K? I said I’d work overtime tomorrow.”

“Yeah, I was planning on taking her to my place. Thought we could go down to the water, feed the birds. Unless you want me to bring her here?”

“No, it’s fine. Take her to yours. She’ll love feeding the birds. I can come straight from work and pick her up after I’m finished. I get off at six.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll bring her home at about half past six.”

“You sure?”

“Mmhmm.”

“Perfect. Thanks, Z.”

I smile, and his lip lifts at the corner into that sexy smile of his.

“It’s been a hella long time since you called me that.”

Shit.

I called him Z.

I used to do that only when I wanted him—sexually, I mean.

I never even realized that was the case until he pointed it out one day. He said that was when he knew I wanted him inside me, which was pretty much all the time.

And, now, I’ve just called him Z and given myself away. Zeus is nothing if not observant.

My cheeks heat, and I lower my eyes. “Yeah. Weird.”

He chuckles softly. “Night, Dove.” Then, he leans close and presses his lips to my forehead.

The instant his lips touch my skin, the air between us heightens, like a fully charged lightning rod has just been plunged into the ground beneath us.

I know he feels it, too, because his breaths quicken.

My pulse starts to throb in my neck.

His lips linger for long seconds. I’m about to ask what he’s doing even though I’m fully aware of what he’s doing, but I know I need to put a stop to it before it gets out of control. But he shifts closer, and my breasts brush his chest, sucking the words out of my head and all the air out of my lungs.

His lips trace a path down my temple, stopping to press a soft kiss to my cheekbone and then my jaw. He keeps kissing until he reaches the corner of my mouth.

My eyes are closed. I open them and find myself staring into his. I know that look. I used to love that look.

“Z…” I whisper.

And that’s all it takes.

His mouth crashes onto mine.

I open up for him without hesitation. His tongue sweeps inside, sliding against mine, and all rational thought abandons me.

His hands drag up the material of my long dress to my thighs. He lifts me like I weigh nothing.

To Zeus, I don’t. The guy is about two hundred fifty pounds of pure, solid muscle, and he squats five hundred pounds for fun.