Present
After dropping Caroline off at school, I come home to find Linc’s truck in my driveway, but he’s not in it. He’s on the riding lawnmower, making his way around the front of the house as I step from the car. My heart thrums wildly in my chest when he catches sight of me and detours from his path, lifting the blades of the lawnmower to head my way.
Switching off the engine, he hops off the seat. “Mornin’,” he says huskily, wrapping one arm around my waist and pulling me to his damp chest.
“I don’t recall asking you to mow my yard,” I say, my hands braced on his sweaty biceps.
“Needed it.”
“Yes, I know. I was going to get to it today or tomorrow.”
He shrugs unapologetically. “Almost done now, you can grab me a bottle of water though. Sure is hot out here today.”
“Don’t you have to work today?”
“Took the day off.” Air becomes nonexistent as he caresses my lips with his. Both hands fall to my ass, giving it a hard squeeze. “You taste so fuckin’ good,” he murmurs between kisses.
Even though my cheeks burn with embarrassment at his dirty words, the rest of my body flames with desire. I moan and he swallows it appreciatively, rewarding me with a deep swipe of his tongue, delving into the cavern of my mouth with renewed passion.
He pumps his hips, pressing the hardness between us against my belly. My entire body trembles with need, desire building like a hurricane inside of me.
“Is this real? Are you real?”
“I’m real. You’re real. This is real.”
“I need to taste you,” he pleads against my wet lips.
“Isn’t that what you’re doing?”
“No.”
One hand leaves my hip, sneaking beneath my dress. I should be embarrassed by how wet I am, but I’m not. I want him to know what he does to me.
“Fuck,” he grits, rubbing back and forth.
I feel a vibration against my leg.
“You’re vibrating,” I tell him.
“With goddamn need.”
I laugh. “Linc, I think your phone’s ringing.”
He digs in his pocket, retrieving his cell. His brows furrow in the center of his head and the look on his face tells me it’s not his mother.
“Hello.”
I can faintly hear a female voice come across the line, and I move to walk away so I can give him some privacy but he grabs my arm and presses the phone against his chest. “We’re not finished,” he informs me, kissing my swollen lips. I turn away and walk inside the house.
A few minutes later, Linc walks into the kitchen, slipping his phone back into his pocket. “Now, where were we?”
“Who was that?” I ask, filling a glass with ice.
“My assistant, Kacey. The new album releases soon and she needs to go over the promotion schedule with me. Told her I’d call her back tomorrow.” He wraps his arms around my waist, pulling me close.
Hot stones of dread settle in my stomach. “You’re leaving?”
I don’t know why I hadn’t thought about it until now. Of course he would be leaving again. His life is his music, and I would never ask him to give that up for me.
