Page 11 of Where We Found Our Home
It has been too long since I’ve been interested in a man. I’ve been too busy focused on my survival, but Lincoln wakes up every sexual yearning in me.
I can’t go there. I should just go to sleep, but I promised Nevaeh I would come back down. I just need to get through this movie, then I can escape to the guest room, and tomorrow morning I’m getting the hell out of this house.
When I get downstairs, I find Nevaeh cuddled up with Lincoln on the couch, and the sight makes my chest ache. He’s adorable with her.
He’s got to have a flaw somewhere. He’s a man. Find it and hold on to it. It’s the only way you’ll get out of this unscathed.
Right. Flaws. I can do that.
“Hey there.”
Lincoln and Nevaeh swivel around to look at me. “Hey there, we weren’t sure if you’d want salty or sweet, so we have popcorn and we have M&M’s,” Lincoln declares, holding out a bowl of popcorn and a bag of M&M’s.
I flop down next to Nevaeh. “Oh, the answer is always both. Have you ever mixed your M&M’s with your popcorn?”
Nevaeh gasps. “Ooh, that sounds yummy! Do it, Linky. Dump them!”
He laughs, showing those perfectly white teeth of his. “Yes, ma’am.” He throws a piece of popcorn at Nevaeh’s nose then dumps the bag of M&M’s in. He dives right in to try the mixture and moans as he chews. Lordt. Strike me down now. I push my thighs together and hope he doesn’t notice. “I think you’re onto something here.”
“This is really good! How come I’ve never had it like this?” Nevaeh ponders.
“I’m kind of the queen of snack combinations.” I shrug.
“What else do you mix together?” Nevaeh gives me her full attention, anticipating the discovery of new food combos, and fuck, this kid is going to be my undoing.
“Peanut butter and maple syrup sandwiches. Potato chips and chocolate sauce. Ice cream and french fries. I’m a big fan of salty and sweet together.”
Nevaeh wrinkles her nose. “Okay, okay. Tato chips and chocolate sounds nasty, but I trust you.” Lincoln’s shoulders shake with laughter. Nevaeh is five going on twenty-five.
“Well, I’m honored to have your trust. You’re gonna like it, I know it.”
“We can try it next time you come over.”
Shit.
There can’t be a next time. I have to keep all interactions to the coffee shop.
Deflect. “So did you guys decide on a movie to watch while I was gone? Or in my case, listen to?”
Nevaeh claps her hands in excitement. “I wanna watchCocobut Linky wants to watchGood Burger,so you get to be the tiebreaker.”
“Ooh, both excellent choices. How am I to decide?” I pause for dramatic effect. “I’m going to sayCoco.”
“Ha! I win, Linky.”
“Alright, the better person won this go-round, I concede.” He winks at me, and I feel it in my core. This is going to be a long night.
He cues up the movie, and I do everything in my power to focus on it. At one point, Nevaeh lays her head on my shoulder, and my heart melts.
When it’s over, Nevaeh is dead asleep in my lap.
“I’ll take her up to bed and be right back.” Lincoln scoops Nevaeh up with ease and carries her up the stairs.
Now would be a perfect time to escape to my room, but I make no effort to get up. I shake my head at my foolishness and chuckle to myself.
“You okay?”
Damn, for a muscular man he has quiet footsteps.
