Page 215 of Small Town Firsts
“You’ve done enough today. Time to relax.”
Oh yeah, like I could do that when he was stroking my hip through my flimsy dress. All the while, I made sure Laurie was still occupied with her balloon and not watching us.
“We can’t just leave everything out here. If it rains tonight?—”
“So stuff will get wet. No big deal. They’re folding tables and cheap tablecloths. Easy to replace.”
“But that all costs money. No reason to—what are you doing?” I asked breathlessly as he inched up my dress to caress my bare skin.
“Not nearly enough.” He turned his face into my hair. “Next time, don’t wear panties. I want easier access.”
I snorted out a laugh. “Dude, you want me to go commando at a children’s party? I was running around all day. Pretty sure a random kid doesn’t need to see my muff and be scarred for life.”
Seth chuckled and tugged at the edge of my panties. “I’d love to see your muff.” He dropped his voice until it was barely a whisper over my skin. “Actually, I’ve been fantasizing all dayabout going down on my knees between these pretty pale thighs and licking your pussy until you come all over my chin.”
My fingers slid off the condensation on my empty bowl of ice cream. “Hi, little ears nearby.”
“She’s not paying attention.” He tipped up my chin with his thumb. Sometimes he seemed to have ten hands and he knew exactly how to use all of them. “Stay over tonight.”
Arguments formed in my head. It had been a long day, and I wanted my bed. Needed that space to myself to regroup after the confusing feelings being with Laurie and her friends had stirred up in me. I’d enjoyed playing with them and keeping them from getting into too much mischief. It was tiring, sure, but it was rewarding too.
Add in Laurie’s questions and the whole Tina thing that morning and the conversation with Seth that had come afterward, and I was seriously in want of some alone time.
But then I glanced over at Laurie, babbling to herself as she sat on the grass and poked at her Sleeping Beauty balloon, and absorbed the warm muscles pressed against my outer thigh and I absolutely didn’t want to leave. My loft with Sage was fine. I liked it well enough, and maybe someday it could be a home.
This place—and these two people—had been home for me since the day Seth bought the house, right after his divorce.
“Okay.”
Seth frowned, his expression so like his daughter’s when she was trying to puzzle out something. “Seriously?”
I fought not to smile. “Seriously.”
“Babycakes, it’s bedtime.”
Laurie glanced up and pouted. “No.”
I had to laugh. He was about as transparent as glass. “How about a story first?”
“She needs a bath too,” I added under my breath.
“Another one?” Seth asked, sounding as petulant as his child. “Twice in one day? A little soil never hurt anybody.”
Laurie picked that moment to stand up, revealing the streak of dirt all the way down one leg, ending in a glob on her frilly white sock. I glanced pointedly at Seth.
“Not it,” he said under his breath.
“I’ll do it.” Chuckling, I pressed my bowl into his rock-hard belly and rose to go scoop up Laurie off the ground, balloon and all. “Bath first, then a story. Can even have bubbles tonight.”
“Yay.” Laurie wrapped her arm around my neck and pushed the balloon in my face. “Here.”
“Thanks.” I grinned over my shoulder at Seth, and he was doing that way too intent watching thing again. It made my knees tremble and my belly do somersaults. Especially since he was smiling, his eyes warm and brown like melted chocolate.
He liked seeing me with Laurie, almost as much as I enjoyed taking care of her.
Maybe my reserves for taking care of others weren’t nearly as low as I’d believed. Somehow taking care of her—and of Seth—filled me up in other ways.
“You coming in?”
