Page 52 of A Thirst for Franc

I’d had sex plenty of times in my life, but nothing like this. There was a connection like nothing I’d ever experienced. And Franc. He was… skilled. I didn’t want to think about all the practice he had before me, but I was grateful for it. He touched me in ways that lit up my entire body, and he made sure I’d finished before he had.

I wasn’t used to that. The guys I had been with always pumped until they dumped, then they rolled over and went to sleep.

Franc was different.

His arm tightened around my waist and drew me into him even more. I rested my head on his upper chest, my body rising and falling with each of his breaths. His lips pressed to my forehead, and I closed my eyes, letting the tendrils of calming satisfaction roll through me.

“This changes things,” he said, and the bubble I was happily sitting in popped.

“It doesn’t have to.” Just because I said it didn’t mean I believed it. We just had mind blowing sex, but it was more than that. It was cosmic, cutting through all the layers of each other and stripping us completely to each other. There was nothing left of me, and Franc had it all. He was right. This changed things.

“You know it does.” He shifted off the wall and slipped down until he was eye level with me. His hand reached up, brushing my hair behind my ear. His finger twirled a strand before letting it fall. “Because when you’re standing in my kitchen, making dinner for Gio, all I’m going to see is you naked on my counter, begging me to fuck you.”

I toyed with my lip, a rush of heat spreading across my cheeks. “I don’t think those were my exact words.”

“Close enough.”

“Then what do you want to do?” I was willing to accept whatever he wanted, but scared this would be the last time I’d ever feel his warmth against my skin or the hard lines of his abs beneath my palm.

A smile quirked at the corner of his mouth, revealing his dimple. It was the cutest damn thing, and I resisted kissing him. “I want to fuck you again, and again, and again.”

“I’m okay with that,” I said as a wave of modesty poured over me, and I sunk slightly into myself. My eyes darted down, embarrassed for a moment to meet his gaze. I usually was much more demure when it came to sex, but Franc brought out a side of me that wanted to be sexy and playful. He brought out the woman who knew exactly what she wanted and didn’t want to settle for anything less.

“Gio,” he said, and it was like a bucket of cold water was dumped on my head.

My sex kitten retreated, and the woman who had already lost a job resurfaced. “I’m Gio’s nanny first and foremost. He is my sole priority.” I meant it. Gio and I had developed a bond I was quite fond of. I didn’t want to jeopardize our relationship just because I slept with his father. “And I would like to continue in that role as long as possible, or at least until you don’t need me anymore.”

“I don’t want to lie to my son. But a part of me thinks we should keep this from him. At least for a while.”

Did that mean he wanted more than a single night? I didn’t want to get my hopes up. This was all very new and unexpected. I still needed to unpack it, and I wouldn’t be able to do that until I was out of this bed and had distance between me and the man who gave me screaming orgasms.

“I think that’s a good idea. Gio doesn’t have to know anything has changed.”

“Good.”

An unexpected pang of sadness slammed into me. We were on the same page, so why did the thought of us keeping this from Gio sting a little? Memories from my past poked and prodded at my mind. That entire situation was all based on lies. But this? I had a say.

“I don’t want to be your dirty little secret, either.” The words burst out of me. A tinge of relief settled in my gut.

Franc shifted, sitting up and taking me with him. I couldn’t look at him, afraid he was going to present me with the exact same scenario, but just add sugar to it to make it sound better.

“There’s nothing dirty about you,” Franc said. “Maybe your mind.” He laughed. “I’m okay with that. But you are not a dirty secret. I’m just trying to get Gio to eighteen without fucking him up. I don’t need him to be in therapy later in life. Admitting I had an affair with his nanny might make him lose trust in me.”

“So, this is an affair?”

I wanted to slap myself for trying to look more into this than what it was.

“No.” Franc sighed and thrust his hands through his hair. “I’m fucking this up now.”

“No, I am. I’m sorry. I’m just… I don’t know. It’s complicated, I guess.”

“Very.”

Before I came to Vine Valley, I was a teacher, a damn good teacher, and I was able to think rationally in all situations. It wasn’t until the community made me question myself that I lost confidence, but this wasn’t home. This was a new town, a new start, and I could be whoever I wanted, and when given the choice, I’d always choose the rational teacher.

“We’re two consenting adults,” I said. “Who are enjoying each other’s company and want to continue to do so. Whether it goes somewhere or not is still to be determined. In the meantime, it’s best we navigate that time together and without interference from outside influences.” There, that sounded totally and completely rational.

“So you want to keep us a secret?” Franc asked.

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