Page 11 of Rain Delay

Looking around at the elegant beach house, I said, “Well, I guess there are worse places to be stuck during a storm.”

“True.”

“Are you hungry? I was gonna have a snack.”

I don’t know what it is about being on lockdown that makes me want to eat more than usual. And after skipping lunch, we’d had an early dinner and both went to our rooms. So it feels late but it’s just past eight.

She glanced at the clock. “I should be full from that huge steak I ate for dinner, but a snack sounds good.” Standing, she added. “I’m gonna take Finn out before it gets worse out there.”

“I could take him.”

“Thanks but you took him before. I got him.” She stood. “Come on baby.” He jumped down from the couch. “I’ll take him through the garage. So he can go on the patch of grass out front.”

Finn followed her down the stairs and I went into the kitchen to whip us up something to eat. I opened the refrigerator and grabbed a beer, twisting it open while I figured out what to make. Spotting the leftover steak and Mexican blend cheese, I decided on nachos.

Placing the bottle of Blue Moon on the counter, I dug through the shelves, grabbing everything I’d need. I set the ingredients on the counter and pulled a pan from the rack and placed it on the cooktop, setting the flame to low heat. Grabbing a cutting board and knife, I diced the steak into bite-sized pieces and tossed it into the pan then sprinkled it with chili powder, paprika, and cumin I’d found in the cupboard. While that heated, I removed the seeds from a jalapeno and minced it as small as I could then scraped it into the pan, giving everything a quick stir. After scrubbing the cutting board and wiping it dry, I chopped two tomatoes then found a platter and loaded it with a layer of tortilla chips.

Now comes the fun part.

Turning off the burner, I stirred the contents of the pan one more time then used the wooden spoon to scoop some of the steak and jalapeno onto the tortillas. I topped that with a healthy dose of cheese then added another layer of chips and toppings. I put the platter into the oven.

I glanced at the clock and realized fifteen minutes had gone by. I’m thinking Ivy should have been back by now. I was just about to go check on them when I heard her voice followed by the sound of Finn running up the stairs.

“Well look at you.” I chuckled.

Finn ran over to my side, skidding as he stopped in front of me. I patted his wet fur. Ivy must have at least towel dried him because he’s not dripping. That thought had just left my head when the woman in question appeared in the living room.

The dog’s soaked appearance had amused me. Ivy’s not so much. My eyes skimmed her from head to toe, lingering on the see-through T-shirt and the plump breasts its clinging to. She’s wearing a bra, but it must be a light color because it’s pretty much transparent too and I swear I can tell the color of her erect nipples.

Realizing I was just standing there staring at her with my mouth hanging open, I blinked and shifted my eyes up to meet hers.

“The uh—” I cleared my throat. “The nachos will be ready in a couple minutes.”

She nodded and licked her lips, her eyes glancing down at the semi-erection I’m sure my athletic shorts aren’t doing a thing to hide before meeting my gaze again.

“I’ll go change and be right back.” She looked at Finn. “You behave and stay off the furniture.”

I watched her walk toward the stairs, noting the perfect globes of her ass visible through her white shorts. Ivy is tiny but she’s curvy in all the right places.

Finn nudged at my hand. If he could read my thoughts, he probably would have bitten it instead.

“You deserve a treat after going out to do your business in this mess.”

I reached into the box of treats and pulled one out. As soon as he’d heard me digging in the box, he sat and watched me. He’s really trained well and as I held out the treat, he leaned forward and gently took it from my hand.

The oven timer sounded and I opened the door and glanced inside.

“Perfect,” I said to Finn who was watching my every move, probably hoping I’d give him another treat.

Sliding on oven mitts, I pulled the platter out of the oven and placed it on the cutting board. I figured it could serve as a trivet and it’s large enough so I won’t need the oven mitts to carry it.

I sprinkled the tomatoes over the top of the bubbly cheese then added some sour cream, spreading it around as much as I could.

Sliding my hands under the cutting board, I lifted my masterpiece and walked toward the dining area. I started to set it on the table, then stopped.

“We might as well make use of the coffee table, don’t you think? That way you can cuddle up to your mom while she eats.”

He seemed to like that idea and followed me while I leaned over and set the platter down. Ivy walked into the room just as I straightened, looking adorable in a pair of sweatshorts and an oversized T-shirt. She’d pulled her hair back into a braid that rested between her shoulder blades.

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