Page 38 of Mother Pucker

Her legs tighten around me, and she squirms in her seat. “Are you sure I can’t get a demonstration of this grand performance you’re promising tonight?”

I laugh, placing another kiss on her lips. “Soon. But I have a few conditions of my own.”

She lifts her brow. “Oh, yeah?”

I trail my nose across her jaw. “First, you won’t use your toys unless you’re with me.”

A sound between a groan and a gasp escapes her mouth. “That’s not fair. I won’t be able to see you every day, and Jensen gets lonely without me.”

“Fuck Jensen!” I growl, pulling her closer and biting her neck gently.

“Well, that’s precisely what I’m trying to do, Mr. Parker!”

“Shay, I swear to God–”

She giggles, burying her fingers in my hair. “Okay, okay, big guy. No toys unless you’re there.”

“Good.”

“Anything else?”

I gnaw on my bottom lip as unwanted memories flood my vision, and my lighthearted mood wavers. Shadows and scars of my past burn inside my chest as I recall my humiliation and heartbreak, once plastered all over the news.

They’re memories I wish I could shirk away but come unbidden when least expected.

“Hey.” Shayla’s hand skims down the back of my neck. “Where’d you go?”

I shake my head but make sure she sees the severity of my next condition in my expression. “I’m not sharing you with anyone, Shay. This has to be exclusive. Just you and me.”

Just the thought of someone else touching her, holding her, kissing her, ignites a fire within me. And though I’ve dealt with the situation before–with some other asshole having the audacity to touch someone I thought was mine, with my girlfriend of three years having the audacity to tell me she allowed him to–this thing between Shayla and me feels different.

Her hands span my jaw before she leans in to drop a soft kiss on my lips. Maybe she can tell I need reassurance. “No one else. Just you and me.”

“There’s one more thing.” I swallow, knowing this will be the make or break question. The one I’ve left for last because not only am I terrified of asking it, I’m terrified of her reaction. “It’s about Kai.”

Shay straightens in my arms like I expected. “What about Kai?”

“I want to teach him to skate.”

My eyes fly to the entrance for what feels like the hundredth time in the last five minutes before I look back down at my phone to make sure she hasn’t texted me.

She hasn’t, but there is a text from one of the other two women in my life–my sister, Piper. I’ve programmed my phone so her name is what I called her when we were toddlers.

Pepper

T-1 day until I see my baby brother. Any chance I can convince you to bring me a slice of that Boston cream pie from Oscar’s? Wish they’d be willing to ship, but they won’t.

I type back a response as I skate around the rink.

Me

Ah, so that’s the only reason you want to see me, huh? For your favorite pie.

Pepper

Pretty much. See you soon, baby bro. Miss you.

I put my phone away, smiling. We’re only ten months apart–Irish twins–and I’m a good foot taller than her, but my sister still refers to me as her baby brother.

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