Page 116 of Riding the Pine

He wipes his lower lip, catching some excess droplets of water. “Yeah.” He holds a hand out in my direction. “I’ve been holding onto that for far too long.”

I snake my arms around his neck, pulling him to me for a kiss. “That was super-hot, Gizmo.”

He grins at me. “Yeah?”

I place a chaste kiss on the tip of his nose. “Superhot.” There’s a flicker of desire in me that I haven’t felt since before my attack. I’m not ready to act on it, but something about my man standing up for my family against my cabrón father has me all fluttery inside.

It’s a reminder that I haven’t come in weeks. I haven’t wanted to come in weeks. But also, a reminder that I’m not dead inside. They didn’t take that away from me, they didn’t win?—

“Bright Eyes?” Scottie stops stroking my face and withdraws his hand, there must be something on my face that makes him think I’m uncomfortable with his touch.

“No, no. It’s okay.” I put his hand back on my face. “I just zoned out for a second.”

He’s cautious when he resumes touching me, like he suspects I might have simply said yes to appease him.

“I’m sorry,” I breathe. “I was just…” I’ve never been one to shy away from the subject of sex, or desire, but right now, thewords I’m about to say make my body heat. If this is going to work between us, I need to be honest. “I had a flicker of… want, I guess. Something I haven’t felt since before my attack. It was unexpected.”

His face doesn’t change, and if I didn’t already know how amazing he was, the fact his features don’t show hope, or excitement at my admission, just concern about me cements it.

I don’t need to tell him I’m not ready, but I want to be clear. “I’m not ready.” I hold his eyes. “Not yet. I just… It’s nice to know they didn’t break me altogether. That’s all.”

He cups my face with both hands, his beautiful blue eyes piercing right into my soul. “Athena, if you were never ready to have sex again for the rest of our lives, we’d figure it out together.”

My heart swells like the goddamn Grinch. “You’re sure?”

He nods. “If you decide you’re ready to get back to sex but you’re not ready for penetration, then we’ll figure that out too.”

Does he mean…? “Do you mean…?”

He nods. “As long as I get to watch.”

CHAPTER 50

Scott

APRIL 30TH

Some days, it’s all about the simple pleasures.

Waking up before your alarm.

A perfectly temperate shower.

And the best made hot chocolate in the entire world.

Fine. I haven’t tried every hot chocolate in the world, but I’m pretty sure this one’s hard to beat.

I take another sip.

Am I waiting for someone to join me here in Bitches Brew? Absolutely. Do I give a shit that I came early enough that I’ll have to order a second drink?

Oh no… whatever will I dooooo?

This month’s book for Justin’s book club is a Sci-Fi romance read. I can’t say I’ve ever heard of the author—though that tends to be just how it rolls with Justin’s book club—and I have to say, the deeper I get into the book, the more emasculated I feel. What I wouldn’t give to have a few extra appendages to please my girl, you know?

I shake my head, placing the paperback onto the table. It’s just as well I’m all in favor of additional support in the bedroom. But now I kind of want to buy a book club inspired toy.

Completely at a loss what to search for, I start with tentacles. It’s not quite Sci-Fi, but I’m pretty sure I heard one of the guys saying their girl has a tentacle dildo, and at the time it sounded a little intimidating.

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