Okay, well, that didn’t really answer her query. “What then?”
He shook his head. “Remember that kid with the grudge I mentioned?”
She nodded. His teenage self. “What about him?”
“He’s still a big part of who I am today. I think you should know processing emotions isn’t one of my strong suits. I can’t talk about my feelings, and I’m not really good at identifying them. If that’s not enough for you, I can respect that. But I’d miss you, Ava. I really like you.”
He sort of stalked over to her. Putting his hands on her shoulders so she had to tip her head back to look up at him. “Making you happy made me happy, too.”
Chapter 9
The boy with the grudge.All she saw was a man who had a lot of caring inside of him and no way to let it out. When he was this close to her she couldn’t really think about anything other than kissing him. It was that mouth of his. Full lips, stubborn set to his jaw, just made her want to ruffle his hair and pull him closer…
So she did.
Put her hands on either side of his face, went up on tiptoe and brushed her lips against his. His parted and she felt the warm rush of his breath as his tongue swept into her mouth. Closing her eyes as Chay’s arms went around her, pulling her closer until she stopped thinking.
God, the warmth of his body enfolded her, and his hands slid down her back, cupping her butt as he drew her more firmly against him. The nudge of his growing erection against her belly made her squirm and try to get closer as she deepened the kiss.
He pulled his mouth from hers, his mouth on her neck. Holding on to his shoulders, she tipped her head to the side to give him more access to her skin. One of his hands slid up under her sweater, warm against her back. His finger stroking the small of her back in just these small sweeps that sent shivers through her.
She wanted to touch him. Maneuvered herself until she could get her hand under his shirt. He’d worn a button-down with the tail left hanging out, and as she snaked her hand up under it, she groaned when she encountered the soft cotton of a T-shirt.
He laughed against her neck, which made her smile and her nipples get perky.
“What’s the matter?” he teased.
“I want to touch you,” she said.
“You are,” he pointed out.
“Touché.” There was a lightness in Chay at this moment that she didn’t normally encounter with him. She undid the buttons of his shirt and then looked up at him, their gazes meeting as she tugged his T-shirt from his jeans and pushed her hand under it.
He was hot and hard. Her fingers moved across his abdomen and around his waist.
His breath caught in his throat as he waited to see what she would do next. She drew her fingernail up his back, lightly, and watched as his pupils dilated and his breathing got the smallest bit quicker.
His touch on her back changed. His fingers no longer just randomly stroking her but instead moving more deliberately, stroking her with intent as his hand moved down her back to her butt and dragged her even closer.
His mouth was on hers again, his tongue in her mouth as she felt the ridge of his erection against her center. She moaned again, felt it echo in their joined mouths as he thrust his hips against hers.
He felt so good.
She heard some noises, knew that Gracie was waking but tried to ignore it. She didn’t want this moment with Chay to end. Not yet.
Just another few moments, Gracie, she thought.
But the baby was awake and crying for Ava.
Chay set her away from him and nodded toward the hall. “Go on.”
She hurried to the baby’s room. Her heart was racing and her entire body was throbbing. If only Gracie had slept longer, but it wasn’t the little sweetheart’s fault she was awake.
“Hello, honey. Ava’s here,” she said. In her heart she almost wanted to sayMommy’s here, but didn’t give in to that impulse. She wasn’t going to be Gracie’s mom; she was her foster mom, sure, but it was important for Ava to remember this was temporary.
Gracie looked over at her, stopping her crying as she did so. Her hand was still in her mouth, and Ava lifted her out of the crib, cuddling her close.
She changed Gracie’s diaper and then carried her down the hall. Chay wasn’t in the hallway; instead he’d moved to the living room. He had the TV on with the volume down low.
