Page 60 of Bad Boy for Hire
Right now, he needed to be close to her, to remind both of them they were still who they were before the bomb dropped. Before the baby news. Before everything changed irrevocably.
This wasn’t just about sex—it was about anchoring them both to something solid. Something real.
“You are unbelievable.” She grabbed a fistful of his T-shirt, but she was smiling.
“That doesn’t sound like a no.” What else was there to talk about? What else mattered? “I don’t want you to worry about anything tonight.”
Her eyes sank shut. “That is tempting.”
“So am I.” He erased the scant inch separating them and kissed her. He wasn’t going to wait for an argument, and she returned the kiss, content with not offering one.
Her arms were around his neck when she suggested, “Is it wrong to seal this moment with sex?”
“Sex is what started it. Feels right to me.”
“Damn you! Why do you sound so reasonable?”
“Part of my charm.” He tucked her close, until her breasts were pressed against his chest. “Let’s head inside, unwrap you from this challenging one-piece ’fit, and see if I can’t make you forget that time exists.”
She shook her head, but whispered, “Okay.”
“Okay.” He took her hand and walked with her up the stone steps toward his house. Along the way, he questioned his own sanity. On paper, he was a guy who should be having a nervous breakdown right about now.
Then again, why?
He wasn’t a kid. He was a grown-ass man who had a steady job, plenty of money, and a house large enough for a family. He’d do well to take his own advice and not worry tonight. Well, except for delivering multiple orgasms to the goddess at his side.
There wasn’t a single downside to that.
Chapter Eighteen
Cup of Jo’s was bustling on a Thursday afternoon. It was like everyone had shared May’s brilliant idea to escape the office for a cold brew. Except in her case, and since she was avoiding caffeine, her afternoon sleepies would have to contend with decaf green tea.
Womp.
May popped the lid off her tea to allow the steam to escape. Across the table from her, Lisa sipped on an Americano that smelled like absolute heaven.
“How’d you snag a corner table?” May asked.
“I texted Elli to tell her we were coming.” They both looked over at the counter at their favorite barista, who was wearing a cute handmade T-shirt and frothing milk in a tiny metal pitcher. She must have felt them looking because next she looked over and grinned.
“She’s darling,” May commented.
“She really is. Okay, I let you have your small talk. Let’s hear it.” Lisa, apparently impervious to pain, slurped her hot coffee, her unblinking eyes locked on May.
May had managed to avoid her friend this week, though she’d texted back that they would talk as soon as she could take a break from work. Thankfully, Lisa had been working until eight o’clock every evening, so she hadn’t pressed the issue.
“All week I have been dying to know how Xavier reacted.” Lisa sent a furtive glance around the coffee shop before whispering, “You know. To the news.”
“Yeah, babe. I know what you’re referring to.” May, her tea halfway to her lips, narrowed her eyes. “I’m surprised you didn’t go to Salty Dog and ask him yourself.”
Lisa curled her upper lip in a guilty grimace.
“You didn’t!”
“He’s my friend too! Anyway, he didn’t say anything. He smiled that sexy Xavier smile and said, ‘You’ll have to talk to May.’”
“God. I love that man.” Leave it to Xavier to?—
