Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 68882 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 344(@200wpm)___ 276(@250wpm)___ 230(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 68882 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 344(@200wpm)___ 276(@250wpm)___ 230(@300wpm)
“You undo me.” His lips are on my neck as he reaches down, palms my ass, and lifts me against the wall. We seem to really love shower sex because we end up here often.
And I’m not complaining.
But I feel the shift this time. When he fills me, he pauses and stares into my eyes. God, I want to tell him that I love him so damn bad.
But is it too soon? Is it totally stupid to say it for the first time when we’re having sex?
I don’t know.
Instead, I cup his face in my hands and rub my nose over his before kissing him sweetly, and he starts to move. Long, easy strokes that feel like he’s massaging every inch of me. I can’t help but clench around him, making us both moan.
“Can’t get enough of you,” he says softly. “It’s never enough.”
“I’m right here.” He begins to move faster, finally chasing after that glorious orgasm, and I move my hips with him. Until, finally, we’re both coming apart together. “Looks like I have to wash you off again.”
“Hell no,” he says with a laugh. “We’ll never make it out of here, and I’m starving.”
“Let’s go eat, then, and I’ll fill you in on my week.”
“Deal.”
Ike dries us both off, something he seems to enjoy and I will never say no to, and then we dress in fresh clothes before we head down to the kitchen.
“Did you make carrot cake?” he asks.
“Yes, and the icing too, all from scratch. It’s my grandma’s recipe.”
“I’m warning you,” he says as he sniffs the cake. “This is my favorite, and I might only save you one tiny piece.”
I laugh and swat his ass with my dish towel. “I’ll fight you for it. It’s my favorite, too.”
“You’ll probably win,” he says with a wink. “You’re pretty badass.”
“I totally am.” I pull the lasagna and bread out of the oven, and Ike pulls down plates for us. “But no need to fight. There’s plenty here.”
“Let’s go eat in the living room by the fireplace,” he suggests. “It’s cozy in there.”
“Let’s do it,” I agree, and we carry our plates and glasses of wine into the living room. Ike flips on the gas fireplace, and we sit on the floor with our plates in our laps and dig in.
“So damn good,” he mumbles around his food. “Holy shit, you can cook.”
“It’s my job.” I shrug and eat my own food. “I want to show people that you don’t have to eat stuff that’s tasteless or just plain gross in order to eat well. Sure, there’s cheese in this, but there are also a ton of veggies and protein. And I made the bread from scratch with gluten-free flour.”
“This is gluten-free?” he asks. “No way. It doesn’t taste like cardboard.”
“Exactly.”
“You’re a fucking genius.” He takes another bite. “Okay, tell me everything that I missed this week.”
Chapter 14
Ike
“You have a really great backyard,” Sophie says the next morning. We decided to have coffee on the back porch, with views of the water and my yard.
“We sound like adults,” I reply and sip from my mug. She’s sitting in her own chair, but her legs are propped up on my thighs, and I’m rubbing the arch of one of her feet.
“I hate to break it to you, but we are adults, Isaiah.”
“Wow, you broke out the full name. Does that mean I’m in trouble?”
“No, it means you’re a grown-up.” She smirks and then looks out over my estate once again. “I like it out here. You have a big, fenced grassy area, and that fire pit is killer. Have you ever used it?”
“No.”
She goggles at me, and I shrug. “I keep meaning to, but I just haven’t had the occasion. I’m not really one to sit by the fire by myself.”
“Well, if you don’t hate the idea, I’d like to invite some of the cousins over and have a barbecue out here, enjoy that fire pit. Maybe play some cornhole. Although, they get pretty competitive.”
“I can handle that. I’m competitive for a living, sweetheart.”
“I know.” She grins and leans her head back on the chair. “You need a dog in this backyard.”
“Can’t happen.”
“Why not?”
“I’m gone way too much. I don’t want to have to put them at a boarding kennel all the damn time. It’s just not fair.”
“But you want a dog.”
I shrug a shoulder and reach for my fork to take a bite of the leftover carrot cake.
Breakfast of champions.
“Who doesn’t want a dog? Hell, I’d have four dogs and as many cats as my house can hold if I could.”
“Okay, now that might be a bit much.”
I laugh and offer her a bite of the carrot cake, which she happily takes. “Don’t tell me you’re not an animal person.”
“Oh, I definitely am. I would love a dog, but the condo isn’t great for that. I could do it, but I’m like you in that I want to bring an animal to the best possible scenario. But, I don’t plan to be in the condo forever. Just for now.”