I rushed to our bedroom and plopped on top of the bed. It didn’t matter that the sun glared through my window, my eyes drifted shut as I waited for sleep to finally take me.
“Bri?” I let out a silent groan at the soft knocking at the door.
“Hey, Vic, come in.”
She was almost thirteen and already my height. My stepdaughter was a beautiful young woman, but at times still timid like a little girl. Sara moved back into the city after graduation and worked at a restaurant in Midtown Manhattan. Since she worked late nights, Victoria stayed with us during the week and with her mother on her nights off.
“Want to take a nap with me?” I extended my arm. She laughed and climbed onto the bed next to me.
“Dad said you’re trying to sleep, but I needed to talk to you.”
“Okay.” I propped my head onto my elbow and noted her tentative stare. “Shoot.”
“Can I, um, go to the movies tomorrow?”
My eyes narrowed; she went to the movies with her friends all the time.
“Who’s going? Do you need us to drive you?” Unless sleep deprivation was clouding my brain, I didn’t understand why she was so afraid to ask.
“No, Hunter’s mom is driving us, but he only asked me to go.”
My eyebrows shot up.Now, I got it.
“Dad is going to freak out, right? He won’t let me go. You know all those jokes he makes about getting a shotgun when I start dating.”
I chuckled and looped my arm around her. “He’s kidding, Vic.”Mostly.“Hunter is a nice guy. If his mom is driving you and picking you up, I’m sure it’s fine. I’ll talk to him later. After I get some sleep and can actually talk in complete sentences.”
“You’re the best, Bri.” She kissed my cheek and raced out of the bedroom.
Ah, the circle of life. A new baby came into our lives as our other child grew up. I laughed into my pillow.
Josh would totally freak out, and I couldn’t wait to watch.
My eyes fluttered open and landed on the clock. I was asleep for three whole hours and it was fucking glorious.
“You up?” Josh whispered in the doorway.
“And if I wasn’t?” I called back.
“I just got Chris to sleep.” He set the video monitor on our nightstand and peeled off his shirt. “We can get naked, or we can argue, up to you.”
I salivated at Josh’s naked torso. The muscles and tattoos and those hands . . . Foreplay was completely unnecessary.
“Maybe we can do both.” I quirked an eyebrow.
“Ah, there’s my girl. I love the initiative but not sure how much time we have.” He climbed on top of me and pulled at the hem of my shirt. “Get this off.”
I tore off my shirt and Josh yanked off my bra so fast he almost ripped it in half. He let out a growl before taking my mouth in a kiss that made my toes curl. My husband wasthathot, and it had beenthatlong.
“Still like my hands, Cupcake?” His hands slid between my legs. I was already soaked and aching for him, and not knowing when we had to stop made me that much more impatient.
“Yes,” I croaked. “Take your pants off and get inside me. Now.”
“Your wish is my command.” Both of us didn’t even get our pants past our knees before he thrust inside me—hard, fast, and unrelenting with his lips still on mine. His sweet and gentle kisses as he moved deeper made my head spin. I’d never tipped over the edge so fast, but the time limit was a huge and unexpected turn-on.
“The sexiest woman alive, and she’s all fucking mine.”
My legs went stiff as the tremors burst over the lower half of my body. Josh grabbed the headboard and fisted my hair as he came.
