Page 26 of Luck Be Mine
“Because. Come here.” She made her way to the chair. Her hip was aching like she’d stood on it all afternoon.
Hunt rinsed her plate and put it in the dishwasher and added their glasses. Drying his hands, he tossed the towel on the rack and came up behind her where she stood waiting. “Me first?”
“Yeah, this won’t work if you try to sit on my lap.”
“Mmm, sounds interesting.” His fingers trailed over her lower back, teasing all the way.
He collapsed into the chair and lifted a hand to her hip to help her settle in his lap. She put her good arm around his neck and leaned against him. She might never move again.
He cleared his throat and settled. “Is there a goal to this?”
She smiled at him. “Of course, but you might need some reminders.” She leaned in and pressed her wet lips to his warm ones.
“Reminders?” He tipped his head to achieve a better angle.
She sighed against his mouth. “Maybe not much of one.”
Hunt’s hand stroked her back. His other hand cupped her face. The sizzle alive, her body went boneless. The man was tough as steel yet could kiss with a tenderness that ripped away all doubt about how he felt.
“This was a brilliant idea,” Hunt whispered. He swept his lips over her neck. “We could have done this in bed, though.”
She sat back, cupping his face so his eyes met hers. “I need to be upright. I love our bed, but I can’t stand any more time in it. I thought necking on the sofa would be fun.” She twisted her mouth and glared at the scarlet mistake.
Hunt coughed. “Fuck, no. Until Adele cleans it.”
“I will cover it with something…anything else. I don’t like feeling as if I’m in a sex shop with my husband.”
“Oh, it would be okay with someone else?”
She gripped his chin and planted a sloppy kiss on his mouth. “No, and you know it.”
Hunt smirked his way through the tender, possessive kiss. “I do, honey. So, we’re sitting in the recliner to tease, talk, and neck.”
“Exactly. Besides…” Her voice trailed off. God, where were the words?
But Hunt knew. He always knew. “We can’t make love yet, so the chair is safer for both of us. Don’t tempt things.”
She gripped her hands together, cursing the dead zone. “I want to tempt things.” She turned her head away, tears coming out of nowhere.
He brushed her hair aside and gazed in her eyes. “Oh, honey. We’re both in the same state. But I’m not doing anything to stall your recovery.”
“Physical therapy again tomorrow. I’ll ask.”
Hunt’s eyes widened. “Ask? If you can have sex with your husband?”
She wiped at her tears and ran a finger across his jaw. “Yes. It’s a medical question I never even thought to ask. I’ll get the recovery parameters. While we’re on the subject, you should buy condoms. My birth control may have deactivated. I’ll make an appointment and ask.”
Hunt stayed silent for a moment. “Not like Afghanistan where we could go for it in the moment, huh?”
“Nope. Not unless you want a baby and to potentially mess up my hip.”
Hunt froze and finally deeply sighed. “Let’s wait on that, okay?”
She lightly slapped his shoulder. “No, it’s not okay. None of this is okay.” She pressed her lips together, shut out the emotion, and tried to be practical. “But it doesn’t change because we want it so.”
Hunt leaned in and nipped her lips. “It takes hard work, something we are familiar with. I’m all about risk in my job, but with you? No. Hard pass. Ask. I’ll take care of the condoms.”
Emotion cut loose and clogged her throat. “Makes it not romantic or sexy, doesn’t it?”
