Page 63 of Rainbow Kisses

He was right. Although I really, really wanted to keep this about us, we couldn’t. We didn’t live in a vacuum. We had to consider my family and the team.

“So,” I drew the word out a little, “you don’t want anyone to know? About us.”

I couldn’t help it. My gaze slipped down his naked body then snapped back up to find his eyes crinkled at the corners.

“For now, yeah. That doesn’t mean I don’t want to see you.” His gaze wandered my body, which made me burn from my sex to my nipples. “It just means we need to be…circumspect.”

“Ooh, that’s even longer than ‘fraught.’”

“Longer, huh? You trying to tell me something?”

My cheeks flushed, my core clenched, and I wanted to jump back on the couch and ride him again. Hello, new obsession.

“I think I’ve already told you everything you need to know.”

He looked into my eyes, nodding. “This doesn’t mean I’m ashamed of you or of us. You know that, right?”

I nodded solemnly, because I could see he was serious. “Yes.”

“Then you also know I want to pull you back on the couch and fuck you wearing my shirt. Right?”

I had to swallow before I could respond. “I was hoping, yes.”

He reached out his hand, and I took it because I wasn’t about to say no.

“Then don’t let me disappoint you.”

“Why doyou look all glowy and shit? It’s only six in the morning. No one should look this happy when the sun is barely up.” Erin yawned. “And you’re smiling weird.”

“No, I’m not. You’re just delirious from lack of sleep.”

It was Wednesday, the day before Christmas, and I’d promised to give Erin a hand in the bakery. It was all-hands-on-deck today because everyone in town and in what seemed like a fifty-mile radius had ordered their pies, rolls, bread, cookies, muffins, and cupcakes for the holiday to be picked up today.

Besides the regular staff, Erin had recruited a few of the Angels to help as well. Luckily, they hadn’t arrived yet to hear Erin’s way-too-loud pronouncement.

Eyes narrowed as she slugged down scalding-hot coffee, Erin stared at me like I was an exhibit at a science fair that she couldn’t figure out. I didn’t meet her gaze because I was dropping cupcake liners into pans before I filled them with batter. I already had ten pans ready to go and would start on the roll tins next.

“You got laid, didn’t you?”

I felt my cheeks burn and turned away to grab more cupcake liners that I really didn’t need.

“You need to make more cake batter. I’m pretty sure we don’t have enough.”

“We have more than enough. And now you’re avoiding me. Damn, girl. Good for you. Who— Oh my god, did you finally nail Brian?” Her squeal had to be able to be heard all the way to Philly and Pittsburgh. “Finally. I’m so proud of you.”

I rolled my eyes as I shoved balls of dough into the tins. “Jesus, Erin, why not just announce it to the world. Which you can’t do, by the way. And I can neither confirm or deny what exactly happened Monday afternoon.”

“Then I’m right.” I couldn’t see her smile because she’d turned to take out another two trays of rolls from the ovens then immediately shoved in another two trays of bread. “You and Brian got it on. Good for you. Glad to know one of us is getting laid.”

Erin had been in the bakery for two hours already and probably wouldn’t stop for another four, at least. So I was going to give her the benefit of being nearly completely without a filter because of exhaustion.

But I’d been dying to talk to someone about what had happened, and I knew if I told Erin, she could be trusted to keep her mouth shut. Because Brian was right. We couldn’t afford the knowledge that we were sleeping together to get out. Just too many complications.

“Look, I promised Brian we would keep this just between the two of us.” I expertly filled this tray and started another. This wasn’t my first holiday helping Erin. “You have to promise me you won’t tell anyone.”

Erin threw me a look that let me know exactly what she thought of that. “That seems like a recipe for disaster.”

“Only if anyone finds out before we decide to spill the tea.”

---