Gettingout of my seat, I straddle his lap.“Me too.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
DANNY
“Work,”I mumblebetween kisses.My back is pressed against the wall next to the door to Ronnie’sapartment while she attempts to climb me like a jungle gym. Her legis twined around my calf; one hand is down my pants while the otheris scratching up and down my back. I should mention we’ve only comedown from the last set of orgasms maybe twenty minutes ago. And I’mabout to be late for my next assignment.
“One of thethings she noted on the client dossier is her obsession withpunctuality,” I remind my partner, who, for the last fifty-sixhours, give or take, has been my lover almost nonstop.
Wehaven’t left her apartment since the evening ofPaynter and Chloe’sgathering. Since Abby caught me chasing a spider up Ronnie’s leg.After blueberry pancakes and sex that broke the chair we weresitting on, we retired to that outrageously soft carpet in herliving room, snuggling and searching for porn on the television.Okay, maybe that was just me teasing her about checking out a pornflick, but either way, we didn’t even get to that part before wechristened the rug.
After anap, we moved to the shower then ordered pizza.We sat on the balcony and split a bottleof red while devouring Chicago deep dish. I think Ronnie atetwo-thirds of it. Apparently multiple orgasms make a girlhungry.
Copy. Repeat.And again.
Now it’sSaturday, and if we wantto ensure Ronnie can afford to pay next month’s rent, I have to goto work.
“Whydon’t you go through the emails that have been piling up,” Isuggest,untwining herleg and slipping out from between her and the wall. “Schedule mynext two weeks. And don’t get dressed. I’ll be back as soon as I’mdone. We’ll do something crazy, like have sex again.”
Shegiggles. Unabashed bliss looks good on her. After our last shower,I finger combed her hair, leaving it 100percent bedhead styled, and then we banged,mussing it even further, to the point that if anyone, no matter whothey were, saw her right now, they’d say, “You just gotlaid.”
Her eyesare bright, sparkly—allthat sappy, fuzzy shit people think about someone else’s eyes whenthey enjoy looking into them, relishing it as the pupils dilatewhile they thrum said person’s clit, commanding her to keep themopen so he can watch as the climax overcomes her.
Her lipsare swollen, red, and maybe a little chapped. Who knew exchangingso much bodily fluid would dry them out likethis? “Chapstick,” I say, touching thatfat lower one. She darts out her tongue to touch the tip of myfinger then sucks it into her mouth, vividly reminding me how goodthat mouth felt wrapped around my favorite joystick.
Maybe Karencan wait.
“Go,”Ronnie says, pulling my digit out of her mouthand turning me toward the door. She slapsmy ass and twists the knob. “Don’t do anything I would disapproveof.”
“You mean likedate other women?”
She smirks.“Right.”
I wanderdown the hall and out onto the street, hanging a right and headingtowardthe restaurantwhere I’m supposed to meet Karen, who is renting my time to saveface while she lunches with her mother and aunt, who apparentlytake issue with her status as a single woman. They both live out oftown, so she figures she can convince them we’re dating, and asthey’re both heading home to Florida tomorrow, this will buy hertime before the next visit. And maybe by then she’ll have foundlove and everybody will be happy.
I shovemy hands into my pockets and whistle while I walk, undoubtedlylooking cheerful, butinside I’m conflicted. This thing between Ronnie and me, it’s thedefinition of complicated. First, her family. Yes, they loveme—most of them—but that’s the Erin’s best friend me. Will theyfeel the same now that I’m Ronnie’s lover? I’ve adopted thesepeople, I genuinely love the Frost family and their entourage ofpets, and I can’t even think about the possibility that I might becut from this clan if I do their daughter wrong.
Whichmeans I need to do this right, except I don’t know whatthisis. We didn’t get much talkingdone in the last few days. No conversation like, “Hey, so are wedating now?” Although I think it’s safe to assume that, in hermind, we are simply fucking. This is nothing more than a mutualphysical attraction, and we will ride it out until one or the othergets bored or, God forbid, meets Mr. Right.
And byone or the other, I mean her. Clearly, I’m not interested in Mr. Right, and I’m notgood enough for Mrs. Right, so when that time comes, it will mostcertainly be Ronnie who ends up with her happily everafter.
What’s workingin my favor is her belief that she doesn’t want to find love. Thatmeans she won’t actively look for it, so this fuck fest couldpotentially last for quite some time.
Cool withme.
Therestaurant is a smallItalian place with floor-to-ceiling windows that open onto thestreet during the warm summer months. It’s loud, smells a bit likeexhaust, but when you live in a cold climate, you take everyoutdoor minute you can.
As Istep into the lobby,Ispot Karen, who sent a picture of herself with her dossier. Herdark hair is streaked with bright red, and there’s a tiny silverring in her nose. She’s pear shaped and wearing a pair of paintedon jeans that hug her ass.
“Hey,baby,” I say, jumping into character and sidling up to her, slipping my arm around herwaist and kissing her cheek.
“Danny?”
Ifreeze, my arm still inplace, my lips puckered. That’s not Karen’s voice. I know thisbecause I recognize that voice.
Slidingmygaze to the side, Isee Mama Frost seated at a table next to the windows. Across fromher is a woman who looks to be her age, and between them is abottle of red and two wineglasses, along with a platter of pickedover appetizers. Cynthia says something to her companion and thenstands, dropping her cloth napkin on the chair before heading myway.
I swingmy gaze to my client, whonarrows her eyes and says, “Do not break character. That’smy mom and my aunt, about to step into this restaurant rightnow.”