I moved closer, leaning my hip against the island as I stood in front of Murphy. “Brenna wants me to have a life of my own, one where I’m not always taking care of her and Branson. A life with someone who matters to me.”
“So, what’s stopping you?” Murphy asked the question without a hint of artifice, an honest question between friends.
Leaning down to steal a small bite of doughnut left in her hand, I chewed before running my sugary lips along hers. “Didn’t meet the right person.”
“Oh.” Murphy’s eyes widened slightly before she glanced away. “I’m sure she’s glad you’re helping with her son.”
I nodded. “Enough about them. Let’s take a tour.”
It was enough. Talk about Branson led to confessions I wasn’t ready to make yet.
Forgetting the ciders, leaving them to get cold, Murphy put her hand in mine, and we turned the corner so I could show her my home office with a red leather couch and fireplace. I liked to do my charting there on the weekend, I told her, and she listened intently as we made our way back to the living area with a dining table in the far corner.
Murphy spun around. “Another fireplace. So cool.”
“I have one in my bedroom too.” My voice was low, husky with want. I cleared my throat, trying to tame the desire running through my veins.
“You do?” Murphy’s eyes met mine, bright with excitement and sensuality.
“Too bad it’s not cold enough tonight to build a fire. Soon. By the time September comes around here, we usually see a frost.”
“I’m shivering at just the thought of it.”
We walked slowly, something undefined burning slowly between the two of us. When we entered my room, I flicked on the light, but immediately dimmed it.
“A four-poster bed. Hmm, not what I was expecting.” She ran her tongue along her lips, now wet and tantalizing.
“It came with the house,” I said with a shrug.
“Nice.” She moved over to the bed and sat down.
“New mattress,” I said for some reason as I sat next to her.
I wasn’t sure who leaned in first, but in the next breath we were kissing in a furious frenzy. I worked at loosening the knot on Murphy’s flannel shirt, tugging to loosen the buttons, and she shrugged it off.
“Wow,” I said, leaning back to take in all of her in a red satin bra.
“Left over from my New York days,” she said. “I can’t afford this now.”
“Everything is going to change for you, Murph.”
I leaned over to press my lips to her neck, then worked my way down her clavicle, lingering on the line of smooth skin where her bra met her breast.
A small moan escaped her, and I tugged down the fabric and found her nipple. As her head fell back, I worshiped her other breast before she came up and shoved me down, yanking my shirt over my head and relieving me of my khakis.
Murphy grinned at me. “Commando, Doc?”
“It’s comfortable. Surprised you know that expression, little lady,” I said without thinking.
I wasn’t sure how she would react to that, but she laughed and worked her way down my body, kissing every inch along the way. Taking my length in her hand, she caressed me up and down and back up again.
“Rougher,” I grumbled, and she obliged.
It was my turn for my head to fall back, and multiple moans poured from me. I was so enthralled by her small palm working me, it wasn’t until her lips ghosted over my tip that I realized she’d leaned over me. She took all of me in her mouth, still using her hand, and I was going to explode. Soon.
“Murph, I’m not going to last.”
“Good,” she mumbled, refusing to back off.
