“Why?”
“It’s dangerous.”
Michael Irons had been the only man in the world I’d wanted since that day we’d met. Every other man in these long years had kissed like wet fish that I ran away from fast. Maybe that was because I’d tasted paradise and hadn’t forgotten perfection.
Michael laughed like he could read my thoughts, then said, “Because I said masturbate?”
Here I was in his arms, and the language was getting provocative. I tugged my arm free and retook my seat. I waited for him to do the same and said, “Yes. No. I mean, I’m not a prude, but I don’t want that language anywhere near him.”
He tugged on his chiseled chin. “So, you want him to learn about sex from his friends at school and not talk to you about it.”
Other children, no. I closed my eyes. This wasn’t something I wanted to deal with yet. And besides, I was now a full-time responsible parent and I suppose one day needed to rationally explain the birds and the bees.
“I…don’t know. It’s not like my parents talked to me about it.” I glanced at the wall like that might focus me. “But I don’t want him to get diseases, make bad choices, or die of heartbreak, because your husband died, and hurt his own children. Did yours?”
“Is that what happened to your parents?”
“Yeah.”
Michael took my hand like he cared about what I said and, for that moment, I was at peace. Then he said, “My dad explained a few things, like it’s healthy to tug the joystick, and I’ve had a lot of practice the last few years.”
“Joystick. Are you serious?”
He laughed at me like I was the one who sounded ridiculous as he shrugged and said, “I liked video games as a kid, and I have my own controller.”
He would consider his cock a joystick then. I rolled my eyes like I was offended when the truth was, I wasn’t, but I said, “I don’t need to hear this.”
He asked in a lower, sexier, deep voice that made my body get all twisted up, “So you don’t masturbate, Georgie?”
“No,” I said, but sounded weak. I never sounded like this. It was like Michael had some power over me I couldn’t describe and didn’t want to. No one would believe me anyhow.
“No pretend bat scoring in your bedroom nightstand?”
“A bat…no, I don’t have a vibrator.”
He scooted closer in his seat. “Do you have another man in your life I need to get rid of?”
“Get rid of?” I asked and played with the collar of my V-neck t-shirt as I needed to touch something.
He pressed his hand on my thigh. “I want you, Georgie. Seven years hasn’t quenched my desire for you. Time has actually enhanced it.”
The same. Not even childbirth pains had stopped the memories that had brought me pleasure for more than a few weeks. I avoided looking at him, but his hand on me just made me zap in ways I thought were dead. “I…should probably lie right now and say I do.”
His hand went up my body, from my waist to my chest to my face. “Better not to lie. I can see in your eyes you want me.”
I fluttered my eyes closed as I gave a weak sounding protest. “Stop this. I’m weak near you.”
“So am I, Beautiful.” He inched closer and I knew he stood from his seat as he said, “If I could stop wanting you, I would have, years ago.”
I stood, too. He wasn’t alone in this. I wanted to hate him. I’d wanted to forget him. But that hadn’t happened. He’d been the only man in my bed since we’d met. I stayed in his arms as I said, “We don’t know anything about each other. Whatever decision I make has consequences.”
He cupped my face. “I get that.”
“But you don’t care,” I said as my lips pressed together instead of arguing like I should. I should pick up my sleeping boy and run. I should have never been with him on that vacation either, but near Michael, all my ‘shoulds’ dissipated like the rules didn’t apply with him.
Michael’s warm breath and lips were a fraction of an inch from mine as he said, “Don’t put words in my mouth. Do this instead.”
He kissed me. I wanted to push him off, but my arms curled around his muscular shoulders.
I said, “Damn,” between breaths.
Tomorrow was tomorrow, but for a kiss, Michael hit a homerun. He still had whatever it was about him that made my veins crave him and only him.
All he needed to do was lead.
Chapter 4
Michael
My wood was hard and needy. I hadn’t been so wound up in a long time. Every other woman had tasted like I’d eaten rotten eggs if she’d kissed me, so I’d waited seven years for Georgie.
However, I’d wait more. I wasn’t in a hotel anymore. The sun was starting to rise out of her north windows. I’d driven both Georgie and my boy home. As he slept and I carried him in my arms, I realized he truly was an unexpected treasure.
He was like a small little angel when he slept, though he needed a better haircut. Longer hair on the sides blocked his peripheral view to catch the ball properly.
Now that I was in Jeremy’s life, I’d show him how to be a man.
Georgie’s conversation last night made me think she took care of the basics but needed better health insurance. She’d been an analyst and she’d probably priced out what everything in her life cost and probabilities that hadn’t. I remembered on our vacation how she'd said she had spreadsheets of math statistics to decide everything, including where she vacationed. She’d researched the hotel for crime statistics.
Last night though, she’d actively avoided planning a few things boys, in time, need to know, but I’d be here for Jeremy, too.
And to seduce Georgie into bed.
I took care of business in the basement
