Page 52 of Floored

"I can be gentle."

"Can you?" Her hands moved down, pulling open my trousers and gripping me with unexpected strength, my back bowing in unanticipated pleasure. "Because I'm still learning that particular talent."

I laughed into her skin.

Lia whispered just next to my ear, lifting the hairs along the back of my neck when it was paired with what she was doing to me with that clever, clever hand. "My size check is happy to report consistently above average sizes."

With a tortured groan, I snagged her lips once again. Each kiss built upon the last, each time her tongue tangled around mine, frantic energy powered our hands, mine seeking the same intention she seemed to have for me.

"Yes." She sighed as my fingers slid to their preferred destination. "Oh, oh, I like this rule."

"Just this, love," I told her. My breath hitched. I took her mouth again, deeper this time, and she tilted her head.

Lia arched her hips into my palm while I emitted harsh puffs of air against her soft, soft lips.

She found her release just before I did, in the bend of her back and the way she pinched her eyes shut, the utter relief in the sigh she allowed me to taste from her mouth.

Relief.

To me, Lia felt like sweet relief.

By the time I groaned into her neck, and I fell like a great weight on top of her, I felt like I was in high school again. Our clothes were hardly even undone, yet the satisfaction spreading like warm caramel through my veins was absolutely brilliant.

For so long, the oblivion found in nameless women, the chasing of yet another goal, another benchmark that only meant something to me did nothing to ease the disquiet clawing at the inside of my rib cage.

But now, here, was peace. And I found that I didn't want to skip a moment of it.

15

LIA

TWO WEEKS LATER

Molly: Can you tell your little strawberry that I am the favorite aunt? I feel like subliminal messaging is important right now, and I don't like the leg-up that Claire will get because of the twin thing.

Me: It is a strawberry right now. Good sleuthing.

Me: What about Isabel?

Molly: Isabel doesn't threaten me because I have a MUCH more maternal nature than she does. She'll be like... the cool scary aunt. Not the favorite aunt. It's an entirely different category.

Molly: PLUS, Isabel is visiting you in a few weeks. She'll get to plant her own subliminal messages before I get a chance.

Molly: I NEED YOUR HELP IN THIS, OKAY?

Me: I'll get right on that after I meet with Atwood. About to listen to her eviscerate my first draft.

Me: Are you home now? Didn't you just film something in ... Georgia? Somewhere south?

Molly: Tennessee. We did a piece on the Titans. If Noah got transferred there, I wouldn't be sad to live in Nashville. DON'T TELL LOGAN I SAID THAT.

Molly: He'd probably be more heartbroken to lose Noah from the Wolves than to have me move.

Lia: Oh, please. He would not.

Molly: I know. But he knows it's a reality we may have to face someday. Contracts expire. Athletes change teams.

Molly: Good luck in your meeting!!

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