AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“That doesn’t make sense.”
“You’re right, it doesn’t.” He scrubbed his hand over his hair. This is not the conversation he’d expected to have with Leigh’s daughter today. Nothing about this meeting was what he’d expected. “A pet name is a nickname you have for somebody special. Like when your mom calls you ‘honey,’ that’s a pet name.”
Lennox nodded, set the drawing pad on her lap and reached into the bag for another item.
He gave himself an internal fist pump. Another test nailed.
Withdrawing the pair of pencils and a blending stump from the bag, Lennox turned them over in her hand for inspection. “Mommy calls me ‘honey’ because she loves me. Do you call her ‘babe’ because you love her?”
It was physically impossible to swallow your tongue, but it sure felt as if he’d done it.
“Lennox, that question is too personal to ask someone you’ve just met,” Leigh said, jumping to his rescue.
Now it was his turn to jump in and rescue Lennox. “I don’t mind answering the question.” With both sets of eyes trained on him, he took a breath and then a leap. “I really like your mom. I haven’t told her I love her, but I’m getting there.”
Another nod from the little girl, this one as she stood, art supplies in hand. “Thank you for the drawing stuff. I’m glad you really like my mom. I’ll take Ladybug back now.”
He smiled while handing off the puppy. Watched in silence, with Leigh at his side, as Lennox disappeared up the stairs.
“I’m so sorry she put you on the spot like that,” she said, facing him as soon as the door clicked closed on the second floor.
“Don’t be.” He slid his arm around her waist and pulled her close, threading his free hand through her silky hair in a way that tipped her face toward his. “I haven’t been at this place in a relationship before, so I don’t know how fast or slow feelings are supposed to develop. But what I told Lennox is the truth. I like everything about you, Leigh. When we’re not together, I’m thinking about you. Constantly. When I’m with you, it’s a combination of turned-on and relaxed and comfortable, all at the same time, all of the time. It’s amazing. You make it amazing.”
“I feel the same way.” The shine in her eyes was only eclipsed by the smile on her beautiful, kissable lips.
He dipped down and did just that. Kissed her slow and long, enjoying every second of her sweet taste and softness. Kissing her was never enough, but it’d do for tonight. Their date had taken a drastic turn, but the road ahead looked pretty damn smooth.
Chapter 10
LEIGH
Leigh casta careful glance at the bodies sharing her couch. To her right—Sam, his arm slung over the back with his fingertips grazing her nape. To her left—Lennox, lying on her side, her head on Leigh’s lap and her arms curled around the sleeping puppy. Even Smokey had joined them, perching on the armrest nearest Sam about ten minutes into the show.
One movie, then off to bed, that’d been the agreement. Yet, as the finale music began, nobody moved. She didn’t want them to move.
Not because she wasn’t eager to advance their Friday evening. She definitely was. The reality of single parenthood had taken her newly reactivated sex life from all-you-can-eat buffet to menu-browsing only. And good God, she was hungry.
They’d get there. Tonight, after Lennox was asleep, Sam would follow Leigh into the bedroom, then they’d lock the door and feast on each other. That was the plan. And they both knew how dedicated she was to her plans.
Until then, she let the movie’s final song play out as the credits rolled up the screen. Sandwiched between her favorite people, she stroked Lennox’s head while leaning her own against Sam’s shoulder. Bliss, that’s what this was. The life she’d dreamed of and hoped for. The universe had really delivered.
“Movie’s over, honey,” she said, clicking off the TV when Netflix prompted them to binge-watch more, more, more. “It’s bedtime for you and Ladybug. I’ll take her outside, then bring her up to your room and tuck you both into bed.”
“Okay, Mommy.” With the puppy in a clinch, Lennox did a classic kid roll off the couch. She kissed Ladybug’s head, then passed her up to Leigh’s waiting arms.
“I can take her out,” Sam volunteered as she rose. Sam had become part of the Ladybug housetraining team. Since his official introduction last weekend, he’d joined Leigh and Lennox for dinner twice, spending the subsequent evening with them both times.
In the course of the second evening, Lennox had invited him to partake in their Friday princess movie of the week. A pretty big deal, considering it had been a girls-only activity for the past four years.
Each time he’d been at the house, he’d stepped in to assist with Ladybug’s frequent trips to the backyard. He’d also set the table, dried dishes and fed the cat. Naturally and easily. He fit in with them.
She couldn’t wait for him to fit inside her. “I’ve got puppy potty duty this time. Take a few minutes to check all those messages that had the couch vibrating like a massage chair.” A quick check assured her they had the room to themselves. “When we finally get naked alone time, the only thing I want vibrating is your tongue against my clit.”
“Done.” He hadn’t laid a finger on her yet, but his sexy grin had her revving and ready. “Sorry about the phone. I muted it after the first message, but I should’ve turned it off completely.”
“You’re a popular guy, I get it.”
“Hey,” he said, cupping her leg and drawing her between his knees. “I’myourguy. No matter who messages me, I only want to be with you.”
