Alaric closed the garage door, leading the way around his house. We strolled through the untended gardens—save for a vegetable patch that looked relatively new—toward the back of his property.
“It’s kind of awesome that you get to avoid people and still enjoy this,” I remarked, gesturing with my chin to the trail his property backed up to.
“Tell me about it.” He chuckled, his arm brushing against mine as we walked side by side. Tig ambled in front of us, his tail wagging. He came across a large stick and sniffed at it before picking it up in his mouth. “It was one of the reasons I jumped on this place.”
“What are the other reasons?” I asked, my curiosity piqued.
His eyes flitted to my face, and he drew in a breath. “It was cheaper than buying a house in town.” I laughed, shaking my head, and he smiled as if making me laugh had been his goal all along.
I chanced a glance at him. He looked very much like a demigod with the way the sunlight enveloped him, dancing off his blond hair and golden skin. Regarding me with warmth and affection set deep in his irises, he ran his hands through his hair, tugging it into a bun with ease I envied. How he could do a killer bun without a mirror, hairspray, and ten thousand bobby pins was beyond me. Unlike most dads, he must do a great job with his daughter's hair.
I thought about asking him if he wanted more kids, but I had the sense to call that question back before it left my lips, and I redirected my brain. “Well, my mother would be envious of the gardening potential here.”
“She’d get along with my mom.” Alaric huffed a laugh. “Don’t have much of a green thumb myself.”
“Me either,” I laughed. “I tried to keep a houseplant once. It died. But hey, I’m doing an awesome job keeping my cat alive.”
Alaric guffawed, the rich sound of it making my inside shiver delightfully. Biting my lip, I looked ahead, watching Tig catch the scent of a squirrel. Unwilling to part with his stick, he attempted to chase after it. The wood in his mouth made him clumsy and slow, but he wouldn’t let it go.
Nodding, I stepped onto a large branch blocking the trail. Tig was on the other side, tugging on a smaller section, his stick forgotten. He snapped the branch off and dragged it, tail wagging triumphantly.
* * *
The sun was setting,its fading light casting orange and pink hues on the horizon. I leaned on the railing, watching as it slunk lower in the sky.
I didn’t turn when I heard the side door open or at the sound of Alaric setting two bottles of beer on the top of the barbeque.
His hard body pressed against me from behind. He rested his arms on the railing beside mine, and his lips skimmed the place where my shoulder and neck met. I shivered, leaning back against him, and exhaled.
After hiking around his property, we came back for lunch. We spent the afternoon tangled in his sheets, only rousing to cook a light dinner when I couldn’t ignore my rumbling stomach any longer.
Now, here we were. Watching the sunset. Everything about this moment—this entire day—had been perfectly harmonious.
I bit down on my lip, releasing it and letting out a soft sigh. “I should go.”
It was a knee-jerk reaction. I was comfortable, I was happy, and I was afraid of how good it all felt.
“Why?” His voice was muffled, and his lips still pressed to my skin.
I looked at him, unsuccessfully trying to fight a smile. “You don’t feel like I’m overstaying my welcome?”
“Do you feel like you’re overstaying your welcome?” he asked, lips twitching with amusement.
“No. Yes…maybe?” I tilted my head, my eyes flitting away from him. I tried to resist the pull, but it was fruitless. My gaze slid back to him almost instantaneously, and I couldn’t even be mad at myself.
When his right hand rose, his fingers gently wrapped along the side of my neck, and his thumb brushed my bottom lip attentively. “What if I don’t want you to go?”
His question and the reverent look in his endless blue eyes were all the reassurance I needed. “Then I’ll stay,” I said, the words tumbling from my lips breathlessly.
Lowering his lips to mine, he claimed me. I felt his erection against my backside as his kisses deepened. Each scorching pass of his tongue against mine matched the burning low in my belly.
He pulled his lips away reluctantly, softly chuckling as his hand dropped away from my face.
“What’s the matter? Can’t finish what you started?” I goaded.
“Oh, I could finish it, all right.” He tilted a brow at me, his cock jumping against my butt. “I thought you’d be sore.”
I laughed. “Wow. That’s egotistic. Accurate, but pompous to say out loud.”
