Page 45 of Unexpected
I laughed. “Yeah. After the divorce, it kind of became our thing.”
“I’m sure that was hard on her. Hard on both of you.” Preston grabbed a few waters from the fridge.
“It was hard on Sophia. For me, it was more of a relief.” I grabbed several bowls for the popcorn.
“Do you think you’d ever remarry?” He popped the tops off the bottles. The question seemed innocent enough, but it had my heart racing.
“You mean likeChristina on the Coast?” I teased, trying to lighten the moment.
“Yeah. Like Ant and Christina and their four kids plus one on the way.”
“Five kids are way too many for me,” I deflected, not prepared to answer his original question.
“Still, they seem genuinely happy.”
I nodded, relieved when the microwave beeped to signal the popcorn was done.
“Mom. Preston,” Sophia called. “What’s taking so long?”
I laughed. “Be right there, Soph.”
We settled in to watch the movie, with me sandwiched between Sophia and Preston. Every time he shifted, I caught a whiff of his cedar scent. It mingled with the popcorn to give me a sense of home, of rightness.
Sophia sang along with the movie, and Preston seemed to be enjoying himself. Though my eyes were trained on the screen, my attention was focused on the man next to me. Every time he moved, his thigh shifted against mine, his hand brushed against my knee. He was making it impossible to concentrate.
He kept his hand next to my thigh, moving his pinkie finger back and forth along my bare skin. My heart stilled, and I wondered if Sophia would notice. But she seemed too lost in the movie to care. I held my breath, shifting my hand so our pinkies were touching. It was the most innocent of touches, yet it felt practically erotic.
We stayed that way the rest of the movie, and I could tell Sophia was getting tired when she stopped singing. By the time the credits rolled, she was out. She looked so peaceful in her sleep, and I couldn’t bear to wake her.
Preston picked her up, and I followed them up the stairs to her bedroom. Logically, I knew he took care of her every day. That he was paid to do so. But watching him cradle my daughter to his chest, carrying her up the stairs to her room, was so very different.
He gently set her on her bed, smoothing her hair away from her face. “Goodnight, princess,” he whispered, kissing her forehead.
And that was my undoing.
He rejoined me in the hall, closing the door softly behind him. Without saying a word, I intertwined our hands and led him to my bedroom. I wanted him—not in the pool house or the backyard. Not in the living room or the gym. I wanted him in my bed, because he was certainly making his way into my heart.
“Are you sure?” he asked when I closed the door behind me. We had yet to actually spend the night together, and my room had always been off-limits. Until now.
I nodded. I was certain. “As long as you’re gone by the time she gets up.”
He grinned, stalking toward me. “I think I can manage that.”
* * *
Preston brushed my hair aside,baring my neck to him. With my eyes still closed, I snuggled deeper into the covers as he kissed the sensitive skin behind my ear.
“Good morning.” His voice was deeper, gravelly.Sexy.
“Mm,” I hummed as he continued kissing me. “Good morning.”
A breeze carried the scent of jasmine in through my window, birdsong filling the air. Preston’s arms were wrapped around me, bringing me a sense of security like I’d never known. His erection dug into my backside, and I wiggled a little, hoping to entice him to go for another round.
“You are insatiable.” He kept his voice low, knowing Sophia was just down the hall.
“Can you blame me?” I asked, turning to face him and teasing his lips with mine. “I mean, it’s not my fault you make me feel so amazing.”
This man made me crazy. It was like my body had been dormant all these years until him. Preston turned me into this fiery ball of heat that craved nothing but him. He made me feel desired. He made me feel younger than my thirty-five years.
