Page 86 of Some Like It Hot

Legs shaking, she brushes her lips over mine. “Hi.”

“Hi.” I wrap my arms around her and kiss her more deeply, running my palms over her spine. Her bare skin is warm, and she smells incredible—like sex and cinnamon.

My very own sweet treat.

“I should put some clothes on.” She steps back and stumbles a little over Blake’s enormous feet.

He catches her, but she does tumble back down into his lap. He tugs her hair and tilts her face to him, giving her a tender kiss that makes me smile in amusement. There’s a soft side there beneath all that facial hair and grumbling.

She lifts her hand again and Aidan takes it this time and it’s his turn to claim a kiss.

I love that this is so easy, the four of us.

It feels natural.

Right.

Which makes my chest tighten.

Elise slips past Aidan and pulls a silky piece of floral fabric off of a pile of clothes on her dining table. A second later she has it on and belted.

“Of course you have a silky robe,” I groan. “You are truly the perfect woman.”

She giggles. “Being at home isn’t an excuse to not look cute. Fashion is a full-time job.”

“You get no argument from me.” I shove a pile of papers off of a chair and take a seat. “So. How do we ensure Grandma believes yours is a love story for the ages?”

Elise bites her bottom lip and glances at Blake. He’s pulled his pants back up and zipped them. He stands up with a wince, condom in hand and disappears into the bathroom without a word.

“Did we interrupt something?” I ask, half-joking, mostly serious.

She shakes her head. “Nothing more than what you saw.”

I study her. She looks a little bewildered herself.

But she adds, “I didn’t mean to exclude the two of you…”

Aidan takes her the latte and cups her chin. “Hey. This is about you. You call the shots here. We all agreed to that, I’m pretty sure. You’re allowed to do whatever you want with us, separately or together.” He glances over at me. “Right?”

“Absolutely.” I open the bakery bag. “I’m content with my pastry. We need to focus on Operation Cabin Procurement. Would you like a pain au chocolat?”

“I would love one.” She takes the pastry from me and bites into it immediately, giving a moan of pleasure. “So good.”

I love that Elise enjoys food and isn’t on a permanent diet, like some women I’ve dated in the past. She doesn’t deny herself life’s little pleasures and I find that, and her, incredibly sexy.

Aidan’s eyes have darkened, watching her flick her tongue across her lip to catch an errant crumb, but he sticks to the plan and just lifts his coffee to his mouth.

Blake returns and I realize he’s limping a little, though he’s trying to hide it. “You okay?” I ask in concern.

He nods, but it’s clear he’s in pain.

I follow him into the kitchen, where he’s grabbing a glass and filling it with water. I’m opening a cabinet for a plate I don’t actually need when I see him lift his closed fist to his mouth and shake pills in. He quickly swallows.

“New injury or old?” I ask, striving for casual.

He glances over at me. For a second, I don’t think he’s going to answer.

But then he says, “More like permanent. Hip flexor tendonitis. Inflammation of the iliopsoas muscle and tendons from overuse. It will probably get better after retirement though.”

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