Page 42 of Lost Times

“I wasn’t going to, at least not the ones with you in them. I know that with your company, image is important.”

He relaxed again, content to let the ride play out. It only lasted a few minutes, and then we were getting off and heading for Naomi. Jasmine led the way, bouncing around her now as she asked.

“Are we going to start the sleepover soon?”

Naomi nodded, winking my way. “Yup, and I even bought you some cute new pajamas to change into. It’s a matching set with mine. Are you ready to go?”

Jasmine nodded, then froze, spinning to face Ludwig and I before bolting back to us. I wasn’t braced for the tackle hug and nearly toppled when she latched onto our waists. Burying her head between us, she smiled.

“Thanks for the awesome day. I love you guys.”

My heart squeezed, and I nodded. “I love you too.”

Glancing at Ludwig, I paused, taking in the shocked look on his face as Jasmine raced back to Naomi. He looked as if he’d been struck with lightning, his eyes wide and mouth open just a hair. When he didn’t snap out of it after a minute, I took his hand and asked.

“Hey, you okay over there?”

He jerked, sucking in a deep breath and nodding. “Yes, I am. I just…I never expected to hear that from her so soon, and it took me off guard.”

Leaning against him, I nodded. “She’s a very open kid. Once she decides she likes you, it doesn’t take long. Are you alright with that?”

He bobbed his head, clearing his throat before he spoke. “More than.” Then he shook himself, his arm tightening around my waist as he visibly changed the subject. “Now then, I believe we have something at home waiting for us?”

The look from before melted into something heavy with promise, and my skin hummed in response. Taking his hand, I led us toward the exit while muttering under my breath.

“Oh, we definitely do…”

Chapter 17

The entire drive to the house was silent, his hand in mine making focusing on the road exceptionally difficult. His thumb flicked out, tracing over the back of my hand occasionally, and every touch seemed to wake something up inside me.

By the time we pulled into the driveway, I was keyed up in a way I’d never been before, and all from one innocent touch. The knowledge of what waited once we reached my room only added to the tension as we walked inside, shutting the door firmly behind us.

He didn’t start moving deeper into the house like I expected. Instead, he trailed a hand up to my cheek and let it rest there. The touch was solid, warmth seeping into my skin as he leaned down and kissed me.

It carried thousands of unspoken words, and by the time he pulled away, his forehead resting on mine, the air crackled with a different kind of tension. His free hand trailed down, two fingers tucking into the waistband of my pants as he traced them along the sensitive skin.

They stopped just a few inches above where I wanted them the most, and he smiled knowingly. “If I were to slide my hand in your underwear and press your thighs apart, what would I find?” He asked, voice low and stroking over my nerves like satin.

Swallowing around my dry throat, I answered, feeling every brush of his fingers as if I couldn’t focus on anything else.

“That I’m wet.”

He bit his lip, finally unbuttoning my pants to have better access. Leaning me against the door, he tugged them down around my ankles, along with my underwear, and waited for me to kick them off.

The shirt followed shortly and I shivered, relishing in the hungry stare he swept over me.

“Perfect.” He said, fingers pressing between my thighs and opening them wider. They slid in without any restraint and when he sank to the knuckle, twisting and scissoring, he groaned.

“I don’t even need to prepare you. I could just,” he paused, jerking his hips against me until I felt the hard grind of his length, “start right away. Would you like that?”

I nodded, brain cells scrambling as his hand picked up its pace, my knees dropping out from under me when he stroked something swollen. He didn’t hesitate, scooping me up at the knees and moving us to my room.

Gently setting me on the bed, he stripped, his usual grace gone as he raced through the process. The last piece of clothing hit the floor and he shifted over me, length hard between us. One hand drifted down, lining him up, and the other palmed my chest.

Locking eyes with me, he pressed the head in, only to freeze and rip himself away with a curse. I barely bit back the whine of disappointment, watching as he snatched up his jeans and took the wallet out. It was only after I saw the condom that I realized what we almost forgot.

He ripped it open, sliding it down his length before shifting back over me with a shake of his head. “You’re bad for any kind of ability to think for me…”

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