I still wasn’t through kicking his ass for his missing my hotness—though come on, my hotness was debatable anyway—but he was already peeling off my dress as if it served as wrapping for his very favorite present. He touched me reverently, pulling the fabric aside to bare my bra and tiny panties before dispatching those too. Lowering his head, he licked one tight nipple, his gaze locked with mine. Every minute movement made me clench inside, tighter and wetter than I’d ever been. I splayed my legs wider so he could move between them, already writhing against the soft spread under my back.
“Tell me what you want.”
I shook my head and shut my eyes. Dammit, he was supposed to know. Wasn’t that his job? Best friend and all, forfuck’s sake. He was supposed to know I was dying for him to keep doing that to my breasts while he fingered me and made me come. Then he was supposed to move down my body and?—
“That’s it. Tell me. Every dirty word.”
I blinked. Had I spoken? Oh, that wasn’t good. Except maybe it was, because he was doing all of that. His big hand covered my pussy, rubbing gently before he parted my swollen lips and stroked my clit in circles. Over and over so that I had to grind myself wildly against his palm. He released my achy nipple with a pop and slid down my body, his intended target clear. Instead of closing my eyes again, I leaned up on my elbows and licked my lips, ready to watch every lewd moment?—
“Daddy!”
FOURTEEN
The cryfrom down the hall had Seth scrambling back so fast that I nearly fell off the bed. I grabbed hold of the bedding and tried to haul myself up, but all the build-up without a finish for a second time was giving me one hell of a head rush.
Almost in slow-motion, the doorknob started to turn. Seth flung himself at it while I scrambled for my dress, for a corner of the comforter, hell, even for a damn shoe to cover my nakedness. I settled for Seth’s T-shirt where he’d tossed it on the footboard and yanked it over my head just as Seth blocked Laurie’s flight into the bedroom.
“What’s the matter, sweetheart? Come here.” He scooped her up in his arms and cupped her head, holding it to his shoulder while he pivoted and ascertained I wasn’t flashing any T and A at his young daughter.
I was already ruing not making a grab for my dress, because what was I supposed to do to cover my lower half? Lace panties were not adequate. But without any alternatives, I tugged the comforter halfway over me and tried to unobtrusively tug them on.
And Laurie was crying, and it just did not matter. Nothing did but making her feel better.
As soon as I’d yanked them up my ass, I flung off the comforter and scrambled toward Seth and Laurie. “What’s wrong, honey?”
She cried harder and clung to her father, and for the first time in a long time, I felt as if I didn’t belong. As if I didn’t have a right to intrude. This was a private moment between them and I wasn’t her mother.
I stepped back, pushing my messy hair away from my face, and would’ve aimed for the bathroom—possibly to have a good cry, though I wasn’t even sure why—if Seth’s voice hadn’t stopped me.
“Ally, c’mere.”
Frowning, I looked back to see Laurie knuckling her red eyes with one fist and reaching for me with the other.
I moved toward them and took her chubby hand. Seth shifted to slide his free arm around my waist. “Let’s go back to your room.” His voice was low and soothing. “We’ll read you the rest of the story from earlier.”
Laurie curled into his chest while I rubbed my thumb over her soft skin. “Spend the night?” she asked me, peering out from underneath her father’s chin. Her lashes were starred with tears.
Seth answered before I had a chance to think of an answer. “Yes, Ally’s spending the night. She’s going to be spending the night a lot more often from now on. Okay?”
Laurie nodded and stretched out her other arm to me so I could take her. I glanced at Seth, and he held her out to me as if she was mine too.
Eyes scratchy all over again, I pulled her into my arms and buried my face in her still damp hair.
“Story time,” Seth murmured, and I nodded.
Together, we walked down the hall to Laurie’s bedroom. Gently, I unwrapped her from her ferocious hold on me and set her back on her bed, taking my spot again on the side as ifI belonged there. Seth sat on the opposite one. We took turns reading the story, with Seth playing the part of Mr. Peppermint while I played Mr. Peppermint’s nosy neighbor. By the end, Laurie was laughing at our exaggerated play-acting, but her eyes were heavy with fatigue.
“We’ll stay until you sleep,” I said, fussing with her sheet.
Seth nodded.
It didn’t take long, maybe ten minutes. We waited another fifteen beyond that, making sure she was out. Then we tiptoed back down the hall to his room and carefully closed the door behind us.
“I like this on you,” he said, fingering the hem of the shirt that brushed my thighs. I still hadn’t felt comfortable wearing it without pants in front of Laurie, but at least it had covered everything. Mostly.
I started to shrug off the compliment. My emotions were raw and jagged and all over the place. I was still horny yet I wanted to sniffle. So much was changing, and even trying to hold on to what I knew was impossible. Nothing was the same. Not Seth.
Not even me.