I grunt, keeping my thoughts to myself. Truth is, she’s always been one of those people who expect a good life to drop in her lap. My eyes drift to the table. Not like Robin, who put in the effort and managed to carve out a new and decent existence not only for her, but also for her daughter.
“Look,” Bunker says in a low voice, as he places the drinks on a tray. “She admitted she was out to make trouble for Robin. Maybe hoping that…fuck, I don’t even know what she was thinking. She says she never meant for Robin to get hurt, but I’m not sure I even believe that. Anyway, she won’t give you any more trouble.”
“Appreciate it.”
“We good?” he asks, handing me the tray.
“Course we are. You’re not her keeper.”
I take the drinks to the table and sit down beside Robin, pulling her chair closer. She tosses a quick grin my way before turning back to Eddie, who is telling a funny story. I don’t pay attention; I’m too focused on the feeling of utter contentment as Robin leans against me, her hand on my knee as she tilts her head to my shoulder.
Enzo draws my attention when he slaps both hands on the table.
“How about a game of pool?”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Robin
“I think Paige is coming home.”
Gray props himself up on his elbow and looks down on me, his free hand brushing a strand of hair from my flushed face.
“I’m not sure how I feel about you bringing up your daughter when I’m still trying to catch my breath here.”
I snicker at his dismayed expression.
“Only because it would seriously curb these amazing sexual adventures you take me on.”
He cracks a shit-eating grin and wiggles his eyebrows.
“Amazing, huh?”
“Creative, that’s for sure.”
Who’d have thought at forty-six, I still had so much to learn about one of the most basic of human urges. Gray has certainly awoken a sexual beast in me, because I can’t recall there ever being a time where I was constantly horny.
Gray has been an enthusiastic teacher and I’ve been a very willing student.
“It does lead one to wonder where you would’ve acquired all knowledge,” I tease.
“I read a lot of books,” he says on a shrug, making me laugh.
“I can’t recall any Clive Cussler or John Grisham containing erotica,” I point out, pulling myself up so I have my back against the headboard.
I’m not even worried about how my breasts instantly give in to gravity. In fact, I don’t really worry about the way I look at all. I don’t need to; Gray seems to love every part of me.
“That wasn’t all I read,” he admits with a wink, as he makes himself comfortable against the headboard as well. “Besides, with little else to do but fantasize, I’ve built up quite a bucket list of things to try.”
“Mmm. I’m all for trying new things, which is why…” I circle back around to my earlier comment, “…we should talk about what we’re gonna do when Paige comes back. I was thinking…” I glance over at him and see I have his full attention. “And you can shut me down if you don’t like it,” I quickly add. “But what if Paige took your apartment? She’d be close but still independent. Then you could move here? I mean, I know we haven’t really talked about it, but we’re either here or at your place most nights anyway, so—”
“Hey,” he interrupts my ramble, turning toward me and cupping my jaw with his hand. “Makes sense to me.”
“Yeah?”
I grin and scoot closer.
“Hell yeah.”
He pulls me on top of his body so I’m straddling his hips. His face is at level with my breasts, something he immediately makes good use of. His nipping and tugging soon has me rock my hips on the hardening ridge of his cock as my body sparks back to life.
“Gray?”
“Mmmm,” he mumbles around my nipple.
“So…what else is on that bucket list of yours?”
I walk out of the office to get a coffee refill. God knows I need it.
This past week I’ve been trying to catch up on the diner’s bookkeeping. Taxes are due on the fifteenth of next month and I’ve barely looked at the books since before Christmas.
It’s like this every year, I have the best of intentions and then stuff happens distracting me.
“How is it going?” Kim asks when I pass her.
“I may require wine instead of coffee to fuel me soon,” I grumble.
“Take a break.” She indicates a stool. “It’s about lunchtime anyway, Jason can whip you up something.”
I start telling her I can’t, I need to get this done before Paige comes home this weekend, but I stop myself. I’ll probably be more productive if I can clear my head and fill my stomach.
“I’d kill for a home burger,” I announce, sliding onto a seat.
“Jason!” she hollers over her shoulder. “Robin needs feeding. Home burger.”
“Coming up!”
“You could’ve just stuck your head in the pass-through,” I suggest.
She grins. “Now what would be the fun in that?”
Donna throws me a wink in passing on her way to the kitchen with a tub of dirty dishes. There are only two straggling tables but most of the breakfast crowd is done. Lunch won’t be quite as busy, at least during the workweek.
“You know Amanda Kerns?” Donna asks me when she reappears.
“Isn’t she the redhead? Pregnant?” Kim says.
“That’s the one. She’s a nurse at the Great Lakes Medical Center in Gladwin.”
I nod. “Yeah, I think I know who you’re talking about.”
“Well, she’s about to go on maternity leave, and I hear they’re having a hard time finding someone qualified. I was thinking maybe that’s something for your girl? May be only until Amanda comes back—if she does—but it could be a start?”
It might actually be perfect. Paige isn’t clear on what she wants, so something temporary while she figures it
