Vance took my hand and placed a kiss on the back.“Tiramisu.”
My hands inched toward my blouse, my fingers twitching with the urge to rip it open.“I love tiramisu.”
He chuckled.“I know.”
We pulled up to the apartment a few minutes later, the easy atmosphere turning tense.Vance had made his thoughts on my living situation more than clear.And so had I.We’d come to an uneasy truce, which included us simply not talking about anything to do with my living situation.After all, it wasn’t that I didn’t see his points and knew they were valid.But I also didn’t have a choice.
Staying at his house this week had been amazing, but I wanted to clean up my apartment tonight and then be here tomorrow morning in case the kids came back early.Which meant sleeping here tonight.
The apartment was dark and cold when we walked inside.I hadn’t been here in two days and had turned the heater off to save money.Luckily, the space was so small that it wouldn’t take long to warm up.
We settled on the couch to eat since it was the only place where Vance fit.
Once we’d cleaned up—aka thrown the pizza box in the trash—I took off my sweater since the apartment was now toasty warm.“I’m going to take a shower.”I took off my pants next.“I might need help with my hair.”
By the time I’d made it into the shower, we’d both lost all our clothes.
We crashed together in a tangle of limbs, my legs hooking around him, our bodies already slippery from the water.The shower was so small we had no choice but to be as close as possible.But for once, I had no intention of complaining about its size.
Vance took my mouth in a deep kiss, his hands leaving goose bumps in their wake as they slid over my body.His fingers pressed into my ass cheek, pushing our bodies even closer together.
He gently placed bites along my neck and collarbone, his movements frantic as if he wanted to mark me as much as possible.His massive hands spun me around without warning, and the front of his body pressed against my back.
The contrast of the lukewarm shower to the cold tiles made my nipples pebble and my core clench.I gave him my weight, tilting my head in a silent invitation.His mouth met mine once again, this kiss much less refined than the last one.This one was claiming.
“A man could get addicted to you.”The intensity in his raspy voice sent shivers through my body.“Or maybe I already am.”
His mouth met mine again, taking it in a frenzied clash of teeth and tongue.The warm glow flowing through me gained intensity, my body pliable in his arms.I arched my back, lining my core up with him, and he nudged my entrance.Not having to use a condom meant he didn’t have to stop.
Once he was fully seated inside, he paused, his mouth finding my neck.After a few deep breaths, he slowly moved in and out, building a delicious friction.My wildly beating heart drowned out even the water, the steady thrum growing faster with each stroke.
I tilted my head to the side and he kissed me again and again, stealing the last of my breath.Then his lips wandered over my cheek and down to my shoulder, nipping and sucking.I reveled in the feelings he elicited, in the way my body responded.I was his, and I trusted him to take care of me.The realization that I was irrevocably in love with this man, combined with his deep thrusts, pushed me into an orgasm that made me shudder and moan, uncaring of who might hear.
After a few more thrusts, Vance buried his head in my neck.My legs finally gave out, unable to keep me up, but I didn’t slide to the floor.He held me to him, his body moving against mine with each breath.I relaxed into him as he washed my hair, then my body.The gentle caress of his hands made me tingle with awareness wherever he touched.
Once he was done, my core clenched in need.Taking the body wash from him, I squirted some into my hands, then ran them over his pecs, shoulders, and arms.I made sure to do a second pass.I slicked my hands over every inch of him, except the one place that was getting hard to ignore the more I explored.
Vance groaned and stepped under the spray to rinse off before turning the water off.“Bed.Now.”
He wrapped a towel around me, then dried himself enough that he wasn’t dripping anymore.My drying skills were equally as superficial.I dropped the wet towel on the floor—I would be outraged with myself tomorrow, no doubt—before we tumbled onto the bed in a heap of limbs.
And then he kept me up way past my bedtime, and we fell asleep with my head on his chest and my hand held in his bigger one, resting over his heart.
Chapter twenty-one
Thedoorbellwentoffand I sprinted across the apartment, hitting my toe on the coffee table on the way.Hopping on one leg, I lunged for the door, pulling it open.And was greeted with my favorite sight: my two girls, big grins on their faces.
“Momma,” they yelled in unison and threw themselves at me.
I dropped to my knees in front of them, and they pushed me over and onto my back.I rained kisses on their cheeks and heads.“I missed you so much.I’m so glad you’re back.”
Once they were satisfied I’d missed them enough, they moved on to greet Orange, who had joined us at the door.He was cautious around Cockalorum, since he’d kicked him once when he was a puppy.And he’d never forgotten.But as soon as the girls hugged him, he became more animated, licking them and wagging his tail.
I pulled myself back up from the ground and straightened my clothes.Usually on days when I didn’t have any plans, I’d be wearing leggings and a T-shirt.But since I knew Cockalorum was coming over to drop off the kids, I couldn’t help putting on jeans and a blouse.I’d even dabbed a little makeup on (I still had some shits left to give, after all).
“How was your trip?”
Cockalorum took my apartment in with a raised brow and then pasted a fake smile on his face when he turned his attention to me.“We had a great time.The girls didn’t want to leave.”
