He cocks his head to the side, and I feel his hard length pressing against me. I admit, I’ve had a hard time picturing him in anything but those damn sweats ever since soccer practice, and that isn’t my fault. He’d look good in a paper bag, but gray sweats is taking it to a whole new level.
Leaning down to press a kiss to my jaw, he slowly makes his way to my lips, caressing me so carefully and gently. His fingers trail around the back of my apron where I feel him pull the strings. “You ain’t gonna be needing this, Mama.”
My heart rocks against my rib cage, faster and harder than it’s ever beaten before. I would pinch myself if I had a second to think because this seems too crazy to actually be real, but I’m loving every second of it. I love the way Brad stands in front of me, tall and broad, masculine and sexy, that soft but intoxicating cologne sweeping over me. His eyes rake over my body as he pulls the apron loop up over my head and discards it on the bench behind me. “You’re so fucking beautiful, Chels.”
“Like this?” I can’t help but laugh, I’m sure that’s far from true. “As glamorous as ever in my bakery gear?”
“You don’t need to be glamorous for me,” he says. “I love you just the way you are.”
I stare at him, sure my mouth is hanging open, but hoping it isn’t. He doesn’t meanI love youin that way, of course, surely. But my body is humming to the words like he wrote them just for me. My core is throbbing like it never has before, and I’m afraid if he touches me under these clothes, even remotely, I’m going to combust. “You do?”
“Isn’t it obvious I’m a little nuts about you?”
I let out a breath and rest my hands on his shoulders; he leans his forehead in to press mine. “It’s been building,” I whisper. “I could feel it, I just didn’t know if we would ever take that step. If we’d been brave enough.”
“Hey, you were the one telling Mindy we were fucking, if I recall. It sealed the deal for me. It’s sexy when you swear.”
I laugh a little nervously. “I was going out of my mind yesterday,” I admit. “I didn’t like what she was doing, or the way she was looking at you and touching you. It drove me nuts.”
“I kinda gathered that.” He twitches a smile. “And I enjoyed it,Mama. I enjoyed seeing that feisty side of you.” He dips his head farther, the same time he presses into me, his hands on my hips. His thumbs rub over the flesh of skin from where my shirt has ridden up between my waistband and my belly-button. Justthat gentle little swirl has me seeing stars. I’m definitely not used to being touched. I haven’t been touched since… since Deaton’s dad. While I may have been on those few dates over the years, I haven’t made out or had sex in six years. Instead, I threw myself into work and tried to be a better mom for Deaton. Getting my ducks in a row has taken a long time…
“You overthinking again?” He grins.
“When am I not?”
“Let me take some of that away.” His hand slides up my shirt, his fingers moving over my breast where he massages me soft and slow. My mouth gets slacker by the second, and I feel my breath caught between words and wonder. It feels amazing, but I need to tell him no one has touched me like this in a long time.
“Brad, it’s been so long… I don’t even know if… if… I mean, sex is pretty basic, right?”
God, I love his cheeky grin. “I can stop at any time if you want me to.” His words make my ovaries explode.
I tug on his apron, shaking my head, adamant. There’s no way I want to stop this. “No. I don’t want you to. It’s just, it’s been years…”
“Years?” He piques a brow. “How long?”
I swallow hard, and I don’t know if I’m preparing him or myself for what I’m about to say. “Six years.”
His eyes almost bulge out of their sockets. “Six years?”
“I mean, I’ve had a few dates, but I just…I don’t know, I lost my libido, or something. I just wanted to be a mom. So much happened, my ex hurt me really badly, I just didn’t feel worthy.”
He places a finger over my lips. “Don’t ever say that. You’re a fucking goddess. That jerk is a piece of shit. His loss, my gain.”
I tug him closer. “Take that apron off and show me what you’ve got.”
A lopsided grin takes over his face. “Bossy, too. I like that in a woman.”
I wiggle my eyebrows. “Are you sure you can handle me? I can be a lot.”
“A whole lota sugar?”
“I can see why you’re the regular Casanova.”
“I’m onlyyourCasanova.” He peels his apron off over his head, tossing it onto the counter. “Reporting for duty.”
I giggle. This is how Brad makes me feel, like a girl again. Lost in love and lust and everything else in between. Knowing that it’s probably wrong, but also throwing caution to the wind because I know I haven’t felt like this before. He pinches one nipple and I groan. “That feels so good.”
“I want you on this counter. Now.”
