Page 23 of Skid
This was going to be our first night alone.
The thought settled deep in my chest. As much as I wanted to have an intimate night alone with her, we had a good thing going, and I didn’t want to fuck it up by being in a rush to get in bed with her—unless she was ready. And if she was ready, I was more than ready.
When we pulled into her lot, I killed the engine but didn’t move. Laken glanced over at me and said, “Feels weird being here without Bay.”
“We could go back and get her…”
“No, she’s happy. There’s no need to disturb her.” Laken lowered her head as she admitted, “It’s just been a long time since I’ve trusted anyone enough to let her stay the night with them. It’s nice.”
“Means a lot you trust my family with her.”
She looked back up at me as she whispered, “I trust you, Thatch, and I don’t trust many.”
That one got me right in the gut. I got out and came around to her side, and I walked her up to her door. She fumbled with her keys for a moment, then unlocked the door and asked, “You want to come in for a bit? I’ve got coffee, or…”
“Yeah, coffee sounds good.”
She opened the door, and I followed her inside. I’d always picked her up at the door, so this was the first time I’d actually gotten a good look inside her apartment. It was small, but cozy in a way that only Laken could manage. Everything seemed to have its place, including Baylor’s toys, which were piled into a basket in the corner. A couple of Baylor’s drawings were on the fridge, and there was a fuzzy blanket draped across the couch.
A light blush crept across her cheeks as she started for the kitchen and said, “It’s not much, but it’s ours.”
“I like it. It suits you.”
“I think so, too, but I’m hoping that soon I’ll be able to find a place in a better neighborhood.”
She started the coffee, and I leaned against the counter, watching her move through the kitchen. As I stood there, it felt so familiar, almost like I’d been there a hundred times before. She gave me a nudge as she said, “You’re being awfully quiet over there.”
“I was just thinking.”
“About?”
“How easy this feels.”
“It does. Doesn’t it?”
Her eyes locked on mine. That small spark between us, the one that had been there since the night we’d met, caught again. Slow and steady. I reached out and brushed a loose strand of hair from her face, and the air shifted. She didn’t step back.
Neither did I.
And right there, in that tiny kitchen, it was clear where the night was headed, and I couldn’t have been more ready.
8
LAKEN
Things were moving fast.
Possibly too fast. But that didn’t stop me from wanting him.
God, how I wanted him. His sense of humor, his sexy smile, and that body that made my pulse race were just too hard to resist. He shifted his stance as he looked at me.
I knew what was coming and glanced away, then, unable to resist the temptation, I looked back at him. He towered over me as his eyes roamed seductively over my lips, and I could only sit there frozen with excitement and anticipation.
I couldn’t remember ever wanting anything more than feeling his lips against mine, and the waiting was pure agony. I should’ve been patient, but I couldn’t help myself. I inched closer, leaning towards him, but he never made his move. Instead, he just stood there staring at me with lust-filled eyes.
Without thinking, I mumbled, “Is something wrong?”
“Just thinking about whether or not I should kiss you right now.”
