Page 114 of Love, Lies, and Whiskey

They peeked into his room. Lucas was lying on his back with his phone on the mattress beside him. The covers were pulled up to his belly. His necklace hung to one side, twinkling in the light from the lamp on the nightstand. She remembered when she’d given that necklace to him. She’d wanted him to have a piece of Seeley, and she’d thought Seeley’s good luck charm could help keep him safe, too. If only it were that easy.

“Look at our perfect boy,” Seeley said quietly. “He was made of the purest form of love there is.”

There were no truer words.

“I won’t let anything happen to him, darlin’,” he whispered. “If he’s sick, we’ll make sure he gets whatever treatments he needs. If he needs an organ, I’ll give him mine. I will do whatever it takes, always, for him and for you.”

Choking up, she turned and wrapped her arms around him. “I don’t want to think about any of that.”

“I’m about to help you with that.” Seeley pulled Lucas’s door closed, took her hand, and led her into her bedroom. “I want you to relax while I fill the tub.” He looked around her bedroom and snagged a candle from her dresser. “Do you have any more of these lying around?”

“Just one.” She pointed to the nightstand on the far side of her bed.

He reached for the candle, but stopped short, picking up the framed photo of her and Lucas instead. “Look at you two with that baby goat.” He smiled, studying the picture. “When was this taken?”

“When Lucas was three. It was his first time at the petting zoo.” In the picture, she was crouched beside Lucas, looking at him, and he was caught mid-giggle, petting the goat.

“So you were twenty.” He ran his finger over the picture. “You’re both so beautiful. Look at his little pudgy cheeks and hands. He liked the goats?”

“He loved them. But he called them boats.” She laughed softly. “He had trouble with Gs for a while.”

Seeley smiled. “That must’ve been adorable.”

“It was pretty darn cute.”

“I wish I could go back in time and be there with you. I missed so much. I’ll never know how it felt to kiss those pudgy cheeks or hear that infectious toddler giggle kids have.” His jaw tightened as he set the picture down. He cleared his throat, turning a tender smile on her. “I’m glad I’m here now. I’ll never miss another thing.” He picked up the candle. “Okay, sweet girl, your bath will be ready momentarily.”

He winked and headed into the bathroom, leaving her with so many emotions, it was hard for her to separate the gratitude for their coming together from the guilt of her keeping Lucas a secret from him for so long.

She was still thinking about that and stewing over what Lucas was going through, when they climbed into the tub. She nestled between Seeleys thick thighs, leaning back against his chest. The lights were off, the candles flickering on the counters, and moonlight streamed in through the window.

Seeley gathered her hair over one of her shoulders, kissing the one he bared. “Close your eyes and relax.”

She closed her eyes as he bathed her, his hands moving down her arms and over her stomach. It felt good. Soothing. But her mind was still racing. “I can’t stop thinking about Lucas.”

“I know. Me too.”

“He’s going to freak out when he hears he’s seeing an oncologist.”

“I’ve been thinking about that.” He kissed her neck. “I think we should keep things as normal as possible. There’s no need for him to worry until we know what we’re dealing with. Once you make the appointment, say it’s a doctor appointment. Keep it general.”

“But he’s smart. He’ll know when we get there.”

“And at that point we’ll explain that we wanted him to see a specialist who looks at swollen lymph nodes all day long because they’re the most qualified to figure out what’s going on.”

“That’s a good idea. He’ll understand that.” She took a deep breath and blew it out slowly, feeling a little better.

He kissed her shoulder, cupping water in his hands and pouring it over her breasts. “Now, how about you close those beautiful baby blues again, and let me redirect that pesky fire from your brain to other, more appropriate places?”

“I like the sound of that.”

She closed her eyes, and his warm lips trailed up her neck. “Your mind can only think of one thing at a time. Think about me kissing you.” He slicked his tongue along the shell of her ear and sucked the lobe into his mouth, sending rivers of heat slithering through her. “My hands on your body.” He kissed her neck as he cupped her breasts, teasing her nipples, sending prickles of desire chasing over her skin. One hand moved between her legs, teasing her where she needed it most. She gasped, rocking against his talented fingers. “Think about my mouth on your pussy.”

He worked her clit faster, his cock pressing temptingly against her back. He caressed, kissed, sucked, groped, and teased, distracting her in the most glorious ways, driving her out of her freaking mind. He rolled her nipple between his finger and thumb as he teased her clit, sending heat searing through her core and drawing a whimper. “Oh…God.”

“That’s it, darlin’. Let me hear those needy sounds,” he said huskily, and sank his teeth into her neck at the same time he pinched her nipple. Spikes of pleasure shot through her, and “Seeley,” flew from her lips like a plea. She tried to turn toward him, but he held her in place.

“Not yet, beautiful.” He continued his masterful assault, quickening his efforts between her legs, lavishing her breast with gropes and tweaks, bringing her to the verge of orgasm. His mouth was a sinful storm of taunts. Biting, sucking, and kissing. Need coiled hot and tight deep inside her as she writhed and moaned, splashing water over the sides of the tub. “My greedy girl. You’re so ready to come, you’re shaking.”