I grin, and he starts to chuckle before he wraps his arm around me again, pulling my body against his. He captures me in a gentle kiss—once on my lips and then on each corner of my mouth—making the butterflies in my stomach start a riot. Ones that don’t calm down the rest of the evening as we lie on the couch together, watching TV and talking, content.
26 Ben
I grunt and then mutter a curse under my breath since I’m trying to be quiet. I freeze when I feel Pepper shift beside me, and then I start to move again as her breathing evens out. Slowly, I pull the covers back, a grin curving my mouth up as I look at her in nothing but my T-shirt.
Damn, it looks good on her.
These last two weeks of finally being with Pepper has done me a world of good in raising my spirits while my ankle is healing, and I can’t imagine life without her now.
I’ve been able to go out to some construction sites and supervise. The navigating my new work schedule is slow, but firefighting has been out of the question since I’m on crutches. I can’t go back until I’m one hundred percent again.
I tentatively reach out and run my fingertips down one thigh that I’ve exposed, watching her skin flinch in reaction, and she shifts again.
I still haven’t heard from Mark. The worry I felt has been replaced with anger because he hasn’t checked in. He called me and then left me to wonder. Finding him in the bathroom in a puddle of blood has been messing with my head. The department has been investigating the cause of the fire, and I’ve been following it closely, but there hasn’t been much word.
I move further down and replace my hand with my mouth, laying a trail of kisses along her smooth skin before she finally murmurs something, letting me know she’s awake.
“Again?” she asks in a sleepy voice, a light laugh accompanying the word.
“I can’t get enough,” I say and then bury my nose in her stomach.
If Pepper had it her way, she would hop on and ride me like a bull—her words, not mine. For now, we are making do with what we can, and it’s been wonderful.
She scoots down a little and opens her legs, so I climb in between them while tracing a path along her stomach with my tongue. She squirms, and I rise, blowing a stream of cool air on the wet lines. I watch as the goose bumps erupt on her skin.
“Come here,” she says, pulling on my arms.
I slowly slide up her body, pushing with my good foot. I pull her T-shirt up, taking one erect nipple in my mouth and biting down softly before she laughs again.
“I want a kiss.”
“I want a taste of everything,” I say before moving to her other nipple, flattening my tongue on it and then running it up to her breast and neck before finally coming to rest my lips on her mouth. “You’re amazing,” I whisper against her, and she sighs.
My phone ringing on the bedside table takes my attention, and I lean over slightly to see who it is.
Ezra.
“Hold on,” I say, pecking her nose with a kiss before sitting up and answering the call. “Hey,” I say, stretching my neck side to side.
Pepper presses her front to me, kissing my shoulders, and I fight back the urge to groan.
“Hey, man, there’s been some news. It looks like it was arson. Seeing as Mark and the other man were stuck in a bathroom, him injured and a dresser in front of the door, they think it’s a high probability that someone was trying to hurt them in the process. I’m sorry, man.”
I let out a sigh, and Pepper stops kissing, just placing her cheek on the back of my neck and wrapping her arms around my torso.
“They haven’t found the other guy yet?”
“Nope, no word about him. Have you heard from Mark?”
“No.” I reach back, squeezing Pepper’s knee. “I’ll let you know if I do.”
“Sounds good. Hope your ankle is feeling better.”
“Thanks, man. Talk to you later.”
“Okay. Bye.”
I hang up the phone and drop my head a little.
Arson.
“Everything okay?” Pepper asks, her breath skating across my back, where she’s still pressed against me.
“The report came back, indicating arson. They think Mark is connected somehow with those who did it. I don’t like this. I hate worrying and not knowing where he is.”
“I know, baby. Mark is a grown man though. You are not responsible for him, not anymore.”
“I know.” I sigh, letting the silence hang in the air.
“How’s your ankle feel today?” Pepper changes the subject, and I’m grateful.
“Ankle? What ankle?” I say, turning and pressing my mouth to her forehead, nose, cheek, and the corner of her mouth.
She giggles, and the sound rockets straight to my dick. I groan and drop my head to hers, eyes closed as I just breathe her in.
“Hey, you okay?” she whispers, bringing one hand up to run her thumb along my cheek.
“I’m perfect. I just want to stay here all day.”
“I wish we could, but I have to go to school. Why don’t we get out later and do something fun? We spend way too much time in this apartment.”
I nod against her head, and I can feel her face shift as she smiles.
“Great. I—”
I capture her mouth in mine again, cutting her off. Pulling away, I stare down at her for a beat, memorizing her face as she gazes up at me. I lightly push against her, watching her lie back on the bed, and then I move further down her body to finish what I started. I settle myself between her legs again and smile when her hands find my hair as she pushes herself up toward me.
“Impatient?” I murmur along one
