Page 78 of In Good Company

“What are you smiling at?” I ask Lucy, walking into the kitchen to find her sitting at the counter, looking at her phone. The smell of garlic and herbs fills the entire room.

Lucy looks up at me, almost taking my breath away with how stunning she is. It’s been a week since we had sex, and I can’t get enough of her. Every night, when she gets ready to leave, I want to ask her to stay the night. There’s nothing I want more than to hold her all night and wake up to her in the morning, but I haven’t told her that yet because she reminds me any chance she can that things are casual between us.

So, no matter how badly I want her to sleep next to me, I’m scared she’ll say no.

I’ve never really felt scared to do anything, so all of this is new territory to me.

“I was going through our videos I’ve been posting, checking for comments and responding to them, when I realized there’s this account that’s liking and commenting on everything I’ve posted. Even my old photos.” I close the distance to her as she holds up her phone to show me.

I smile, paying attention to the account she’s pointing out. The account is mine, but I don’t tell her that. “I love that, baby.You have a fan.” I lean in and press a kiss to her cheek, reveling in her familiar scent I’ve become far too attached to. “Do I need to figure out how to get on there and tell them I’m still your number one fan and they can’t take my place?”

She rolls her eyes before setting her phone on the counter. She stands on her tiptoes and wraps her arms around my neck. “Dolores asked about you this morning.”

I raise my eyebrows and smile. “Oh, did she?” I had a meeting I couldn’t miss, so I couldn’t go to the farm stand with her. It’s become a little tradition ever since that first time I showed up and surprised her there. Sometimes, she convinces me to ride bikes there together; other times, we drive and revel in having the top down on one of the sports cars I own and keep here for the summer. “She did. You’ll never believe what also happened this morning.”

I wrap my arms around her waist and pull her body flush with mine. “What happened?” I ask, my gaze traveling over the constellation of freckles on her cheeks.

“Mr. Fred agreed to meet me at the farm stand this morning. He finally got the courage to ask Dolores on a date. They’re going out tomorrow night.”

I give her a wide smile as my arms tighten around her. “Seriously?” I don’t hide the shock in my voice. I’ve only met Mr. Fred a few times when I’ve accompanied her to her place to grab her things. In the times I did talk to him, he seemed too nervous to actually ask Dolores on a date. I didn’t know if he’d ever do it, but apparently, today was the day he was brave enough to finally ask. I never thought I’d be so invested in a potential love story between two people old enough to be my grandparents, but because of Lucy, I’ve been telling Dolores to give Mr. Fred a chance every morning.

My smile gets even wider at the realization she actually listened to me.

Lucy nods her head. Her gaze flicks to my lips for a moment before her eyes return to mine. “Seriously. We’re about to be the best matchmakers, babe.”

Her eyes get wide for a moment at the slip of the nickname. She stills in my arms, her brown eyes pinned on me.

Pride radiates through my entire body. I love that she just called me babe. “Babe, huh?” I give her a smug grin, finding the shocked look on her face absolutely adorable.

I live for moments just like this. Moments where it seems like maybe one day, I’ll be able to convince her that this thing between us is far more than a fling.

Lucy gives me a nervous smile.

God, she’s so fucking perfect that it makes my heart hurt to even look at her.

“It kind of just rolled off my tongue,” she confesses before burying her face against my chest. I love holding her in my arms like this, but I’m a little sad to not be able to see the beautiful blush creeping over her cheeks from the slip-up.

“Was it too much?” Her words come out muffled against the fabric of my shirt.

I squeeze her tighter before tucking my chin over her head. “Hell no,” I answer immediately. I want her to do it again. I’m desperate for any inkling of affection she’ll give me that shows she doesn’t see me as just some summer fling. “Baby, you can call me babe all you want. I fucking love it.”

She pulls her head from my chest and smiles up at me. “Really?”

I nod, leaning in to press a kiss to her lips. I was planning on keeping it soft and fast, but she changes my plans when her tongue skirts against the seam of my lips. I open my mouth for her, welcoming the feeling of her tongue slipping against mine.

My hands find the side of her face as the kiss deepens. I don’t know what it is about being alone in this kitchen with herthat makes my entire body heat. Maybe it’s the fact that so much of our time is spent in here, or maybe it’s the memory of having her spread wide open for me on the island. Whatever it is, my cock gets harder with each swipe of her tongue against mine.

Her breath is hot against my lips as she pulls away, a sultry smile forming. “Babe,” she repeats, saying the word nice and slow.

I groan. “Say it again.”

Her hands move to my chest. She runs her palms along the button-up, her fingers moving south. “Babe,” she says again, her voice lowered. She begins to undo the buttons of my shirt.

“What’s in the oven?” I ask, my words coming out hoarse. I was inside her only a few hours ago. I shouldn’t feel this desperate for her, yet I do.

Lucy pulls her head back, her eyebrows slightly furrowed with confusion. “A summer vegetable quiche. Why?” She finishes unbuttoning my shirt before pushing both sides open. I love the appreciating look she gives my body as her eyes roam up and down my torso.

“How much longer does it have?” I ask, my voice tight. I want her so fucking bad, and I don’t want to wait any longer. I know her well enough that she won’t spare whatever dish she’s making for breakfast—even if she got an orgasm in exchange.

---