Mistletoe Mommy

herself over him and slowly eased down, gasping at the erotic shock of him inside her. For a second she went completely still, savoring the feel of their joined bodies. But then he brushed his thumbs over her nipples, lightly at first, then with increasing pressure. She tightened around him, her body moving of its own accord.

Keeping his eyes on hers, he trailed his hands up her thighs, unerringly finding where she was most sensitive. The combination of sensations was overwhelming, hurtling her toward climax. He gripped her hips and drove up into her, relentlessly pushing her over the edge.

“Adam!” She felt flung from her body, distantly aware of him finding his own release. Incapable of thought, she sagged against his chest, bonelessly content. A girl could get used to this.

It was a dangerous thought. Used to it? Not unless she wanted her heart broken. Because he was leaving in five days.

He stroked her hair. “That…”

“Yeah.”

For a long time it was the most coherent speech they could manage. Reverently he laid her back, easing her onto the couch and covering her with his big body. He felt so good above her that she decided she wanted to make love this way the next time. Because they were definitely doing that again. There were so many things she wanted to do with this man, say to him, share with him. Realizing just how limited her opportunities were left a cold knot of dread in her chest.

“When do you have to go?” she asked. Did she sound panicky?

“In a hurry to get rid of me?” he drawled.

She dredged up enough energy to thump him on the back.

He kissed her collarbone, and she could feel him smile against her. “It’s okay, we still have time.”

No. We don’t.

“I DON’T WANT to go,” Adam said mournfully.

The sheet slid across Brenna’s naked skin as she sat up to hug him. “I know. But you have to.”

She needed him to go, anyway. She’d shuffled some appointments around to have tonight free, and tomorrow would start even earlier than usual. Yet she wondered now if she would have difficulty falling asleep. Her bed, which had always been more than adequate, was going to seem annoyingly empty once he departed.

He turned, covering her hand with his. “I wanted to ask you a favor.”

“Well, now would be the perfect time to do it,” she said wryly. After experiencing three shattering orgasms tonight, she was inclined to give him whatever he asked.

“Spend the Fourth of July with us?”

She wasn’t sure what she’d expected to hear, but that hadn’t been it. The invitation was…sweet. “It’s my busiest day this week, Adam. I’d love to, I would, but I can’t.”

His face fell. “We leave very early on the sixth. I won’t be here much longer.”

She tried to smile, but it felt so forced that she turned and rested her head against his broad shoulder, where he couldn’t see her expression. “We’ll always have Mistletoe,” she quipped.

“And that’s enough for you?” He didn’t sound accusing, but was genuinely bewildered.

“It has to be enough.” She pulled away and scooted up alongside him. Accepting reality was easier when they weren’t touching. “Adam, let’s look at this pragmatically. You have those three wonderful children who need you and an all-consuming job. I have a life here in Mistletoe and a business I’m trying to build.

“I’m so glad I met you I wouldn’t trade tonight for anything. But do you honestly see this having some sort of long-distance future?”

“I…With my career, that is hard to imagine,” he admitted.

“And do you see yourself moving to Mistletoe?”

“Away from my kids? Of course not!”

“Which is as it should be. By the same token, I’ve worked to establish a solid reputation and enough word of mouth to sustain a client base. I’m not going anywhere. I’d have to start completely over and I spent the first half of my life doing that. This-us-was temporary.” Her voice softened. “Incredible and something I’ll always remember. But temporary.”

“I know you’re right.” He cupped her cheek. “But I selfishly want more of you before I go. You’ve come to mean a lot to the kids, too. Are you sure you can’t join us? If not for the downtown festival during the day, at least for the fireworks?”

“I don’t know. I’m booked solid. By the time I finish daytime assignments, I’ll barely have time to grab something to eat before it’s time to get the evening visits started. But maybe,” she mused, tamping down the objections of her own common sense, “with careful scheduling and some help…”

There were several subdivisions where she had more than one customer on the same street, the beauty of happy pet-owners referring their neighbors to her. If Quinn was willing to help, could they set up a divide-and- conquer system? The woman had ridden with Brenna a couple of times in the past, learning the ropes. Would she be ready for a couple of the simpler solo gigs?

Brenna had known that, by the winter holidays, she didn’t want to be working alone. She’d warned her clients already that she might occasionally bring in someone else for training purposes or give someone working for her temporary use of a house key. Her customers trusted her and agreed that, at her discretion, she could send an employee on her behalf.

“I’ll look into it,” Brenna said. “But no promises, so don’t get too attached to the idea.”

He gave her a rueful smile. “A little late for that warning. I’m already too attached.”

Chapter Fourteen

Adam was relieved that none of the kids asked for details of his date the next day. He wasn’t sure what he would have said. Mostly they chatted about the upcoming festival. Josh had told Geoff all about the annual antique car show that the boy was excited about, while Morgan looked forward to the fireworks. If Eliza seemed less ebullient about the event than her siblings, at least she wasn’t being negative about it.

“Daddy,” Morgan asked during lunch, “can Brenna come with us to the festival?”

Adam grinned. “Great minds think alike.”

Morgan wrinkled her nose. “What’s that mean?”

“It means I already asked her,” he said. Seeing the excitement lighting his daughter’s eyes, he hastened to add, “But she probably won’t be able to.”

Eliza looked sullen, but he couldn’t tell whether his daughter was miffed that he’d invited Brenna or upset that the woman wouldn’t be able to come with them.

“She really wants to come with us,” he assured Morgan, “but she has a lot of work to do that day. It depends on whether she can find help with her pet-sitting.”

“I’ll help!” the five-year-old declared.

Geoff laughed. “Spending the day with dogs and kitty cats does sound right up your alley, but we can’t. Brenna told me that only adults are allowed to go into the houses where she’s working.”

Morgan scowled, but seemed unwilling to let the matter go. “Daddy’s an adult. He could help.”

Eliza exhaled impatiently. “Then what do we do, dummy?”

“That’s not how we talk to one another,” Adam reprimanded sternly.

Geoff’s expression was thoughtful. “I don’t know, I think the squirt’s on to something. What if we could hang out at the festival with Josh and Natalie? Then Dad and Brenna could meet us there later, like, for dinner and stuff. They might miss some of it, but the fireworks are the coolest part, anyway. We like Josh and Natalie, right?”

“Right!” Morgan chirped.

Even Eliza was forced to admit, “They’re pretty cool. For grown-ups.”

“I don’t know.” Adam hesitated. Josh and Natalie had already been very gracious with their time, and he didn’t want to take advantage of their generosity. Besides, it had never been his intention to spend the holiday away from his children.

Still, time with Brenna was running out fast. They had only a few days left together, and he couldn’t deny