“You might be nervous, but I think we’re going to have a lot of fun,” she said. “I’m not going to judge you, Nick.”
“I want to get it right,” I said quietly.
“You will. We’ll do it together. I know where you’re coming from now. I didn’t this summer.” Greg stopped to do his business and she turned me to face her, sliding her arms around my waist. “I’m glad we know each other better now.”
I kissed her forehead. “Me too.”
I was still intimidated as hell, but there was a certain warmth that hadn’t been there before. When we got back and got Greg settled, I used my phone to put on a playlist that I’d made the night before with painstaking detail. I headed back for the kitchen to get the lighter again, lighting a candle when I got back in the living room.
“You don’t have to set the mood, Nick.”
“I want it to be special,” I said.
“It will be. Because it’s us. Come here.” She crooked a finger at me and I came to stand in front of her. Her hands went to my hips, gently lifting the bottom of my shirt. “This okay?”
“Yeah. But I think it’s about touching you tonight, right?”
She stuck out her bottom lip and shook her head. “It’s for both of us. Group effort.”
“Is there anything you don’t want?”
“Let’s just take it slow and see where things go. Just like earlier. Feeling and talking and listening. Sound good?”
I nodded. Her hands slipped under my shirt, exploring my chest. She made a quick visit to my nipples, giving them a little rub to my sigh. I steadied my trembling hands on her hips.
Her eyes were soft as her brow quirked up. “You like that?”
“Yeah. But I think I’d like to kiss you more.”
She faked rolling her eyes. “So needy.” Then she swept me into a tender kiss, her lips soft and imploring. I was even nervous to start using my tongue, cautiously swiping it across her bottom lipbefore I went on. She hummed and met me there, pressing her body more into mine. We parted briefly for her to remove my shirt. The cool air met my skin, her warm hands scraping down my back.
“You want to do this here or in your bed?”
“I think I owe you some time in a bed,” I laughed. “No more golf courses and locker rooms.”
She grinned. “Those have their merits too. But let’s take this candle so we don’t burn the joint down if we don’t come out again tonight.”
That thought alone had my stomach tangled up. I’d be spending the rest of my night naked in bed with Annie. My angel. I hadn’t spent a night in bed with someone since Shane.
She put the candle by the bookcases, and Greg had followed us down the hall. He was headed for his ramp to my bed, and I had to stop him. “Sorry, buddy. You can’t hang right now.”
“Oh, how could you?” Annie whined, meeting Greg’s marble eyes as I carried him to the comfy chair in the reading nook.
“Do you want him in on the action?”
“Well, no, but he doesn’t understand.”
“Don’t let him fool you,” I said. “He’s got enough libido for all of us. He knows exactly what’s up.”
Annie walked over and tucked him into a blanket. “Sorry, little buddy. Mommy will snuggle you later.”
“You two,” I scolded them. “Get over here, ‘Mommy.’”
Annie’s laugh was musical as she approached me. Joking about Greg had loosened me up. I needed to just go for it. Stop messing around. “Are you jealous?”
“Very,” I growled, nibbling her neck. “Jealous and needy and ready to make you scream.”
“Oh yeah?”
