Lottie grins, grabs Ned’s hand and drags him away. Ned looks over his shoulder at me and gives me a very naughty smirk that hits me right in the gut.
Jesus Christ. It’s going to be a long, long day until the kids are in bed. It is such a shame they have grown out of naps. Seven p.m. feels a lifetime away, because the moment they are asleep, I’m ripping Ned’s clothes off.
My body is vibrating with excitement. That was the very longest day of my entire life. But the end is in sight. I’m sitting on the floor in the kids’ bedroom, reading a bedtime story.
Ned is sitting by the foot of Noah’s bed. Just sitting there, cross-legged. Listening to my terrible story telling skills. But somehow he is making his mere presence an intense distraction. It is as if he is the center of gravity and pulls all things towards him. Especially all my thoughts.
I have no clue how I’m managing to read this book. A whole day of heated glances as we took care of the kids together, and now I am about to combust. I’m going to be one of those news stories about people who randomly caught fire and nobody knows why.
“They’re asleep,” whispers Ned.
My head snaps up so quickly I nearly give myself whiplash. I quickly cast my gaze over all three children. They all have their eyes closed and are sleeping peacefully. My heart melts for a moment at how adorable they are. I love them so much. My little angels.
Then my attention snaps to Ned. He grins at me as he backs silently out of the room. My stomach flips right over and I stalk after him. He runs straight to my room and by the time I get there, he is already pulling his top off.
That’s an excellent idea. Superb even. The best idea I have ever come across. My fingers clumsily fumble with my buttons as I attempt to copy Ned.
His dark eyes flash. He prowls up to me. Then, in a series of swift, efficient motions, my clothes are removed. Ned’s trousers disappear. And all of a sudden, he is standing naked in front of me. In my bedroom. And I’m not hallucinating or having a dirty dream. This really is happening.
My gaze roams all over his beautiful body, drinking in the sight. He is truly gorgeous. Perfection. I should feel awkward standing before him with my hairy middle-ageddad bod, but the look in his eyes is leaving me with no doubt that he likes what he is seeing. Wonders never cease.
Suddenly he is in my arms and I’m losing all ability to think. My world is shrinking. My awareness narrowing. There is Ned and nothing else.
My universe is kisses and lingering caresses. A world of tongues, fingers and lips. Pleasure and arousal. With soft sounds of lust. There is nothing else. I don’t want there to be. Everything I need and want is in my arms. And in the next room.
All the treasures of the world exist under my roof. I’m the richest and luckiest man alive.
A small whimper snaps me back to reality. Ned is spread out on my sheets. I’m half over him, my lips are pressed against his, and my fingers are teasing around his hole.
I stop all movement. I pull away from our kiss and stare into his dark eyes.
“Everything okay?” I breathe.
He nods, but he doesn’t look very confident. “I haven’t since…” He trails off and swallows instead.
The harem? He hasn’t had sex since his imprisonment? This is the first time he has had consensual sex since… goodness knows when? Oh my.
“I’m honored that you trust me that much,” I say, somehow finding the words.
His blush is beautiful. Then a thought comes to mind and slips past my tongue before I can stop it.
“Grindr?” I ask.
His blush deepens and he looks away. “That was for feeding,” he mumbles. “I never…”
Oh. I see. A strange, gleeful feeling is twisting through me. Surely I’m not happy about this? I’m not one of thosestrange, jealous and possessive people. At least, I never used to be.
I close my eyes for a moment and imagine Ned in someone else’s arms. My entire body recoils and convulses. Okay. Guess I am possessive now.
I open my eyes and meet Ned’s gaze. I’m not going to dump my new found envy on him, but he is being honest and vulnerable with me and I want to give him the same in return.
“I…um.” Shit, this is hard. “I never tried Grindr again, and that really was my first attempt.” Phew. There, I did it.
Ned’s eyes grow impossibly large. “This is your first…since…Jennifer?”
I swallow and give him a shallow nod.
A look of pain crosses his face, and he closes his eyes. He sucks in a tiny shuddery breath.
