Total pages in book: 110
Estimated words: 107965 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 540(@200wpm)___ 432(@250wpm)___ 360(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107965 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 540(@200wpm)___ 432(@250wpm)___ 360(@300wpm)
Brock returned to his spot on the sofa and pulled me over to straddle him.
“I fucking missed you so much.” He groaned.
“I missed you, too.”
He lowered my face to his and kissed me passionately. Tasting him again was heaven. Brock grunted into my mouth as he pushed his tongue inside. I felt myself growing wet, which felt wrong with the baby right there. After several seconds of being immersed in our kiss, I forced myself off of him, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand.
“We should stop.”
“Why?” he asked, his eyes hazy and lustful.
“You know why.”
“Patrick doesn’t understand.”
“I know, but…”
“Are you staying tonight?” he asked.
“I was planning to.”
“Well, Patrick’s crib is on the other side of the room. And I fully plan to fuck you properly. So we have to figure something out, even if I take you on the damn kitchen counter.”
A chill ran down my spine.
He turned toward me and brushed the backs of his fingers against my cheek. “Tell me how you ended up here. What made you come?”
“Honestly? I had a panic attack while on a boat in the middle of Lake Como.”
“Seriously?”
“Yeah. They had to bring the boat ashore, and I promptly said goodbye to a very worried Giovanni and Francesca.”
“Are you okay now?”
“Yes. It all just finally caught up with me. I couldn’t get on a plane here fast enough. I needed to see you. Needed to meet him.”
“How long can you stay?”
I laughed. “I have no plan because I wasn’t even supposed to be here. But I don’t intend to leave until after tomorrow.”
“Well, I’m so happy to have you here, even if it’s only for a couple of days.”
“I want to help you,” I insisted.
“Isn’t it enough that my son pissed in your face? I think you’ve paid your dues.”
“I didn’t mind it.”
“If you don’t mind stuff on your face…” He flashed me a mischievous grin. “I think I can work with that, actually.”
I tugged at his hair. “Good to know becoming a father hasn’t taken away your perviness.”
“Actually, I might’ve gotten worse. I realized this morning that I’m hornier than ever. I thought about you in the shower earlier, never imagining that my fantasies could come true today. You’d better be ready for tonight.”
CHAPTER 33
* * *
February
“Wow.” Brock stood in the bathroom doorway and looked me up and down. “You look smokin’ hot.”
After deciding to stay for the weekend, I’d had the brilliant idea to invite his brothers over for dinner on Saturday night—something I was now regretting as I stressed about getting ready. I smoothed the black leather skirt I’d paired with an emerald green silk blouse. “Is this too much? Should I change?”
Brock hooked an arm behind my back and yanked me flush against him. “Out of your clothes? Yes.”
I smiled and rested my hands flat on his chest. “I’m serious. Am I overdressed? And do we have enough food?” My idea of hosting was generally picking items from a menu at a restaurant that did the cooking and cleaning up.
“You look beautiful.”
“Thank you.” Though I hadn’t asked how I looked; I’d asked if I was overdressed. But before I could clarify, an odd aroma wafted through the air. “Do you smell that?”
“The roast cooking?”
“No, something else.” I wiggled out of Brock’s grip and let my nose lead the way. The stench grew stronger as I moved toward the kitchen, and my eyes nearly bulged from my head when I saw the oven. Flames! “Oh my God!” I ran to the baby while screaming to Brock. “Fire, Brock! Fire!”
I wasn’t about to stop for a closer look or attempt to put it out. Instead, I scooped poor sleeping Patrick into my arms and bolted to the door. He woke with a scare, and Oak followed us in hot pursuit. From the landing outside, I watched as Brock pulled a fire extinguisher from under the kitchen sink, opened the oven door, and sprayed. Thirty seconds later, he set the extinguisher on the floor. “It’s out. It was contained to the pan. You can come back inside.” He pulled the still-smoking roast out of the oven and placed it in the sink. Fanning away the smoke, he shook his head. “I think I ruined your dinner though.”
I walked back inside with Patrick and Oak, leaving the door open behind me to clear the apartment of residual smoke. “What the heck happened?”
Brock grabbed a fork from the sink and moved the charred roast around in the pan. He lifted what looked like burned paper. “I think you might’ve forgotten to take out the pad that’s packaged under the roast to absorb juices when you put the meat in the oven.”
“Oh my God.” I closed my eyes. “I’m such a dumbass. Why, oh why, did I think I could cook a meal for eight people?”