“It took every ounce of my willpower not to take you on all fours,” he growled.
Sensation erupted over every inch of my skin, most notably between my legs. The area in question had been well taken care of this past week. I had a delightful ache from the previous night, but I still wanted more.
I didn’t consider myself a greedy person, but when it came to Beau Shaw, I always wanted more.
“You were so fucking sexy that night,” he continued. “Cheeks flushed. Ass in the air. Happy.” He looked into my eyes. “There’s nothing more beautiful than my happy woman.” He paused, teeth scraping his bottom lip as his eyes slid over me. “Well, maybe my freshly fucked woman. You’ll be both tonight.”
My toes curled in my boots as Beau leaned in to kiss me slowly, leisurely, with promise.
“I’ll get drunk,” I agreed, voice breathy.
“And no fucking rideshares,” he ordered roughly. “Elliot is under strict instructions to drive you home.”
I rolled my eyes. “Overprotective.”
He cupped my jaw. “No, Hannah. You are one of two things in this world that is irreplaceable to me. I’m just sensible about how you’re taken care of.”
I stared back at him, my breathing shallow. Beau could talk dirtyandtender. Plus, he had a kick-ass beard, a six-pack, and made excellent sourdough.
I was done for.
A faint knock at the door tugged me out of my lovestruck haze.
“I’ll get it!” Clara yelled. The patter of her feet could be heard from down the hallway.
Beau kissed my head and released me, already walking in the direction of the door. It was most likely Calliope, but he didn’t take any chances. He never did. Not with Clara. And now me.
I took one last look at my reflection. My cheeks were flushed, and there was a brightness in my eyes that hadn’t been there before. Even my hair looked shinier.
I was happier.
A quick glance around the room told me why. Some of my things were mingled with Beau’s on the dresser. A library paperback sat on my side of the bed. My clothes were in the closet.
Before I could get too misty-eyed, before I could give myself the chance to conjure up all the ways this could go wrong, I walked down the hall.
Beau and Clara were standing at the door with Calliope.
“It’ll be dark soon,” Clara was telling Calliope. “You can look through my telescope.”
The birthday gift had not lost its novelty. Clara learned more about space every day and was deciding whether she was going to be an astronomer or astronaut.
Calliope grinned at her with obvious love, her features softening whenever they touched upon Clara. “Although I would love nothing more than to be the one to discover the black hole that will eventually destroy us all, I’m here for Hannah.” She looked up as I approached, smirking knowingly when Beau’s hand instantaneously went to my hip as soon as I was within touching distance.
“Can I come too?” Clara asked, wide-eyed.
Calliope bent down to eye level. “As much as I would love to share champagne with you, I think we’ll wait another ten years.” She winked.
“You’ll wait another sixteen years,” Beau barked at her.
Calliope didn’t break her gaze with Clara. “What’s the fun in trying champagne for the first time when it’s legal?”
“Her prefrontal cortex won’t be developed, so there’s that,” Beau grumbled, even though he knew Calliope was just trying to get him to bite, as she always did.
And Beau always bit.
She kissed Clara on the cheek. “We’ll have a date in the morning. Hopefully when we’re all nice and hungover, your dad can cook us bacon and eggs.”
“That sounds perfect!” Clara cheered, having absolutely no idea what a hangover was. I was with her dad on that one—she wouldn’t know for another sixteen years.
