I ruffled the hair on the top of her head and she squirmed, ducking away, laughing. “Well, your mom is Cupcake, so I think you should be Muffin. You’re both sweet and so are the treats.”
She wrapped her arms around my legs and squeezed as tight as her little limbs could. Then she pulled back and looked up at me and knocked me on my ass with what she said.
“I love you, Bronson. I’ll miss you, but I’ll be back tomorrow.”
After blowing my mind and touching my heart she ran off toward her mom. When I looked up, Lake was watching me with a shit load of expression crossing her face. She’d obviously caught on to the last part of the exchange because her warm, chocolate-brown eyes swam with tears.
Stormi reached her and she brushed at her eyes, giving her daughter a bright smile. She gave her mom the same speech as she had me about her sleepover adventure. They hashed that out and then I heard the little muffin say, “Don’t worry, Bronson will be with you all night so you won’t be alone.” After saying her peace, she took off to play.
Lake’s gaze snapped to mine as the ladies teased her mercilessly. And not too quietly I might add. Yup, the women were relentless when it came to that kind of stuff and enjoyed every moment of it.
“We want all the deets later,” Alley told her. “Hope you shaved your legs and are wearing sexy undies.”
The star of my every fantasy’s eyes had got so big, I couldn’t help but chuckle. I didn’t care what she had on or if she forgot to shave. All I cared about was that we were going to have alone time.
And I damn well hoped it would go beyond kissing.
I gave her a sexy smirk and her eyes filled with desire.
That’s right baby, it’s just you and me, no itty-bitty chaperone tonight.
Fuck, I was ready to bale out and head home that instant.
Lake was extremely quiet.
She’d barely said anything on the way home except to ask a few times if I thought Stormi would be okay. I’d reassured her that she would have a blast and was in good hands at any of our friends' homes.
When we parked in front of the house, I noticed her wringing her hands together in her lap. I didn’t want her to think I expected anything from her that she wasn’t ready for or willing to give.
We’d come a long way and I wouldn’t jeopardize that. With every kiss we’d shared, I felt forgiveness seep from her body. Maybe Lake was beginning to believe that the two of us were meant to beforever.
“Lake, sweetheart, we can watch movies all night and eat popcorn if that’s what you want to do.”
A nervous laugh bubbled up from her throat and echoed throughout the car.
We’d been circling around each other for over a month. I knew she was very aware that without Stormi at home things could go farther than the sneaky touches and kisses we’d exchanged. But she needed to understand something.
“You’re in control.”
Obviously Lake had sex before, she wasn’t a virgin and had said enough about the night Stormi was conceived. But we still hadn’t talked about her experiences beyond that. It was one thing I hadn’t been able to bring myself to have her divulge knowing it would be hard to hear even if that was ridiculous when we were adults and I was the one that walked away.
“I haven’t had sex since getting pregnant with Stormi,” she blurted, her gaze glued to her side window so she wasn’t facing me at all.
Wait, what?
She continued, “I’ve only been with one person, and only one time.”
Well, shit. Now my nerves kicked into high gear. She may not have been a virgin, but she may as well have been. The thought of being with her, something I wanted so damn bad, now seemed like a very fragile situation. Not that it wasn’t already with our history and what she meant to me, but even more so now knowing if she ever went there with me that it was a very big deal for her.
Just as it would be for me.
Because it was Lake.
I turned off the car and got out, rounding to her side. After opening the door, I held out my hand and we walked in silence to the house. My mind was spinning in circles. When we stepped inside and I locked the door, I turned so that Lake was facing me.
With one hand still in hers, I swept the other down the side of her face. “There is no rush. I’m not going anywhere.” I gave her a smile. “Except to grab the popcorn while you go change into something comfortable.”
I started to walk away, our palms still clasped and before I got too far, I was yanked back against Lake. Chest to chest, her breathing picked up and her eyes seemed to look right into my soul.
