Page 74 of Parentmoon

With his fingers moving in and out of me, he doesn’t respond other than to lick along my neck again before biting me in that sweet spot near my shoulder. My knees buckle and I arch my back, but he doesn’t let my backside meet his front.

Within minutes, I’m loose limbs and rushing insides. I come faster than I ever have before. “What was that?”

I’m breathless as Dallas releases me, still not speaking. Gently cupping my throat, he twists me just enough to kiss me over my shoulder. Kiss me, hard and deep, as his tongue swirls with mine, marking me as his.

Dammit, I want to be angry with him. I am angry but he’s taking the sting out of my buzz.

Then he’s pulling back, bringing my suit top into place while I adjust the bottom.

His stormy blue eyes meet mine through the mirror. “Gonna need a minute. See you in the pool in a few.” He reaches to his side and opens the bathroom door, calm as sunshine, like he didn’t just wind me up and release me into the sky.

As I step out the door, he playfully swats at my butt. Realization strikes as the door shuts on me.

He did that to distract me. He did it for me.

Chapter 19

The remainder of the day we lounge by the pool, and I drink too much rum punch. Eventually I beg off for a nap, but I can’t sleep. My thoughts are back to swirling and twirling, trying to organize a last-minute wedding and grapple with my son moving. I’m going to be a grandmother. It’s almost time to go home. Everything collides in my head.

Dallas books a local restaurant for dinner, that turns out to be a place more casual than our resort meals. He wants to celebrate Michael and Keli.

“To reunions and true love,” Dallas toasts.

I chug down my wine.

We’ve remained eerily quiet around one another today. He’s given me space since the bathroom scene. I appreciate the distance.

When the day finally ends, an awkward moment occurs before bed. Michael and Keli are standing in the sitting space near the couch, and I start for the stairs after saying good night to each of them.

“Um.” Michael clears his throat when he notices Dallas following me. I freeze on the short landing at the base of the stairs.

Dallas stalls one step down from me, looking directly at Michael. “I know ladies don’t have a problem sharing a bed, kid. Keli and Jo might not mind, but while you’re cute, I’m not sleeping with you. I’ll be sleeping with your mama.”

“Oh God,” I mutter, clutching the banister for support. Dallas’s words sound so wrong.

Michael and Dallas have a long stare down before Michael breaks away.

“Good night, Mom,” he mutters to the television set, as if unable to look at me.

“Night, baby.”

Dallas follows me up to the loft and we hear Keli and Michael working to open the couch for a bed.

“Should have gotten them a room,” Dallas murmurs behind me.

There are so many things I could say, but I don’t. Instead, I silently get ready for bed and climb in, curling on my side, back to Dallas. The lights go off in the lower portion of the house and the hum of ceiling fans along with the air conditioning unit fills the awkward silence. Dallas lays on his back behind me. My unease is worse than that first night. When I still didn’t really know Dallas. When I still had preconceived notions about him. When I hadn’t slept with him, learned his body, discovered how he could make mine come alive.

Time passes before a stern poke presses into my spine.

“Don’t do this, darlin’.” Dallas keeps his rugged voice low.

“I’m not doing anything,” I murmur, trying to contain my own voice.

“That’s just it. You’ve shut down and you’re shutting me out. I don’t like it.”

I could counter with all the things I don’t like. I could say how upset I am the more I think about that damn house-gift. I could add how worried I am about Michael and Keli having a baby and starting out as a family before spending time as a married couple.

A tear slips from my eye, unwarranted, as all my discomforts are a reflection of me, and not them. Michael and Keli have been a couple for years, and while they didn’t live together, they’ve spent enough time overnight at each other’s place, they get the gist of sharing space with someone else. Michael is responsible and having a baby isn’t irresponsible. While they’re surprised, they admitted earlier that they always agreed that when it happens it happens. Kids were a must-have for Keli and Michael was on board. He was ready to be a father.