Page 18 of Shielding Soledad

“Let me take him,” Alex offered as soon as I finished feeding Luke. Alex continued pacing with the baby on his shoulder, showing him the shiny glint of a crystal in the front window and the whirling of the ceiling fan’s blades, anything to entertain him.

I did some work and then tried to turn my attention to my blog, but hot-air balloons weren’t enough to keep my mind from Alex’s kiss and what might—would—have happened if Luke hadn’t taken that moment to wake up. I forced myself to add content and respond to another message while my thoughts whirled, focused on Alex. Alex snoozing in the shaded backyard; Alex expecting a kiss in exchange for the pastries; Alex playing with our son as he was now. It was impossible not to remember the nights we’d spent together. God, how I wanted that again. Was it mine for the asking?

After what seemed like forever, Alex tapped me on the shoulder, silently indicating that Luke was asleep. Instead of placing him in the portable crib, Alex climbed the stairs with him. I heard footsteps overhead as Alex settled Luke in his room. Odd choice for three in the afternoon.

Unless…

Unless Alex planned to be upstairs, too. With me. In the master bedroom across the hall from Luke’s room. I couldn’t be sure of his intentions, but what if I met him in the hall between the rooms?

I kicked off my flip-flops by the front door and quietly went up the stairs barefoot, getting to the landing just as Alex closed Luke’s door. Our eyes met, complete understanding passing between us in a second. We both wanted this. And what was the harm?

“I’ve never wanted him to sleep so much,” Alex said, reaching for me and leaving me no doubt of his plans. His warm hands went around my waist, and he hauled me against him.

I suppressed a nervous giggle as I put my arms around his neck and let myself sink into another kiss. It started out gentle, nipping and teasing, but escalated quickly to something as hot as a summer’s afternoon. We both came up gasping for air, but Alex was relentless, delightfully so, when he started another mind-blowing kiss.

Slowly, as his mouth worked over mine, he backed me into the master bedroom I’d been using since I came to live in his house.

“I haven’t been in here in a while,” he murmured against my lips.

“You were always welcome to join me,” I said as my legs bumped the bed. I’d lain there many nights thinking about him, wishing he was there with me.

“Was I?” he asked. His lips trailed down my neck and coasted along my collarbone, making my rational thoughts scatter. “I didn’t think so.”

“If you do that, you’ll be welcome anytime,” I said, arching into him to let him know how much I enjoyed it.

“I’ve been thinking about kissing you here.” He nipped at the base of my throat. “And here.” He nibbled on my earlobe. “And so many other places.”

I laughed. “I’d like you to list all of them, but first I want this off.” I plucked at his T-shirt.

“Done.” He whipped it over his head and tossed it aside. “Now, you.” His hands were under the edge of my tank top, working it up as his palms slid up my stomach and over my breasts. My shirt joined his on the floor.

“I’ve wanted to touch you,” I said, taking full advantage of the opportunity to run my hands over his chest.

“Touch away,” he invited. “I’m done resisting the pull between us.”

I raised an eyebrow at him. “Resisting?”

“Yeah.” He grinned at me. “I can’t fight it anymore. This might not be smart, you know.”

“Maybe.” I was doing it anyway, because having him for now was better than not having him ever. I could cling to that thought. Easily, I decided, when he unfastened my bra. I’d always been small-breasted with a lean torso. Since my pregnancy my figure was a little fuller, more curvy. He cupped my breasts in his hands.

“They’re bigger,” I said, feeling almost shy.

“I know. I like it,” he said, kissing along the top curve of one breast and into the valley between them.

It felt so damn good to have him close, to have his mouth and hands on me. I couldn’t help the contented sigh that escaped me. Then, suddenly, I wasn’t content at all. I wanted more of him, so I tugged on the button fly of his jeans, a silent demand for them to be off him.

He chuckled low in his throat at my impatience and pressed his lower body against mine, trapping my hand between us.

“You said I could touch,” I argued, moving my fingers enough to feel the hard outline of his erection through his jeans.

“So I did.” He gave me enough space to undo the other buttons. That done, I pushed the jeans and his boxers down his legs. He kicked them off, his eyes focusing on mine. He was naked and mine. I felt a hot, wet rush between my thighs.

I placed my hand flat on his chest, rubbing my palm over his nipples before following the line of dark hair down his stomach to his dick. I stroked the length of it, flicked my thumb over the slit on the head, and did it again. And again. His head tilted back, a deep groan coming from him as pleasure played across his face. I was considering dropping to my knees to take him with my mouth when his eyes flashed open.

He moved quickly, decisively, lifting me off my feet and placing me in the middle of the bed. My running shorts disappeared a second later, banished to the floor with the rest of our clothing. He claimed my mouth first, kissing me deeply, his tongue swiping against my teeth, playing with my tongue. I wrapped my legs around his, feeling his erection against my belly and wanting it inside me. But not yet. Alex appeared to have other plans.

He broke the kiss to start a slow exploration of my body, as if he was reacquainting himself with every inch of flesh, every curve. His lips left trails of heat over my breasts and across my stomach. So good. He moved lower on me and kissed the inside of each thigh, blowing a warm breath across my clit but not quite touching that sensitive part of me. I arched up, trying to bring his lips in contact with my body, but he resisted.

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