Page 16 of A Father's Bliss

It’s been hell trying to ignore Renee and how she’s somehow snuck under my skin and embedded herself there. How our small conversations and that smile of hers have slowly become the highlight of my day. It’s been even harder to not pretend how she makes me feel. How tightly she could have me wrapped around her finger if she wanted.

I almost consider telling her this but stop short when those damn lips part just enough for her to slip the piece of fish inside.

She closes her mouth around it, allowing her lashes to flutter shut and a moan to erupt from her throat. “Mmm.”

The simple sound causes my entire body to flare to life. My heart pounds violently into my rib cage while my muscles pull taunt. It isn’t until the pain of my molars being smashed together radiates across my jaw that I finally find words.

“I’ll take that as you like it.”

She glides her lips from the fork, her lids lifting open slowly. My blood is nothing but molten lava, sludging through my veins and heating my skin uncomfortably as I watch her small pink tongue slip out and coast over her lips.

“It’s incredible.” Her voice is low, breathy, and for a moment I get lost in her gaze. Perhaps that’s why when she starts to lean back, something in me snaps. A small thread that’s been slowly weakening until it was holding on by the strength of a prayer. A prayer that now falls on deaf ears.

The fork drops from my fingers, clanking against the counter below as my hand shoots out, wrapping around her throat. With barely any force, I yank her towards me, and stop when her mouth is only an inch away from mine. Chest heaving, my eyes meet hers, waiting in what feels like tormented purgatory for her to tell me what to do. Waiting for her to say yes.

Yes, I can kiss her.

Yes, I can touch her.

Yes, I can finally have her.

I wait, and it’s only when I think the agony of it is enough to rip me apart that she blinks, her eyes creasing with a look of desperation that makes my soul sing.

“Please.” It’s a whimper, and I swallow it whole.

I smash my mouth against hers and completely devour her.

Within a second, she relaxes into me, opening with the smallest prod of my tongue. I dive inside, tasting the glaze still prominent in her mouth as I take control. Years of chasteglances, unspoken words, small brushes of skin, and pent up desire devolve in the kiss. I lose myself in her, giving her everything I had to stop myself from giving time and time again.

She moans, her hands fisting the front of my shirt as she tugs me closer across the island. Another piece of my sanity chips away, and I kiss her harder, desperate to earn more of these noises. My cock strains against my slacks as my fingers flex around her throat, allowing me to feel her pulse thumping against them. It’s fast, matching my own heart rate, and I realize we need to have that conversation before the safety net of the island is no longer between us.

I break from her mouth, but keep my face close, letting my eyes rove over her to gauge her reaction. Judging by her flushed skin, heaving chest, and swollen lips, I’d say she very much wants to continue, but I need her words. Luckily, Renee being who she is, doesn’t leave room for interpretation.

She groans, her fists tugging as she tries to pull me back to her. “Why would you stop?”

I smile. “We need to talk.”

“It can’t wait until later?”

Shaking my head, I drop my hands to where hers are clenched in my shirt. “It’s important, Renee. Believe me, I wouldn’t stop if it wasn’t.”

Her head falls back with a groan, and I’m not remotely surprised at how cute I find it. “Fine. I’ve only waited four years, what’s another five minutes?”

A brow arches. “Four years?”

She returns her gaze to me and crosses her arms over her chest. Instead of answering, she simply levels with me a daring expression, her eyes narrowing and her lips a hard line. Did I have an inkling Renee Porter had a similar interest in me as I did her? Perhaps. But I knew it wasn’t as profound, and that belief only grew tenfold when she began dating my son.

“It’s important we talk about what’s about to happen.”

“Why?” she asks, her lids widening. “Are you planning to do things to me I need to sign a waiver for?”

This gets a chuckle from me. “Well no, but I do want to discuss consent?—”

“Yes.” Renee spins in the chair before hopping down and walking around the counter. As much as I know I should back up, I can’t. My feet are seemingly cemented to the floor. “Yes, yes, and yes again.”

She stops less than a foot away from me, her head tilted back so she can gazes up at me. Unable to resist, I lift a hand and tuck some stray hairs behind her ear, allowing my fingers to play and curl around the ends. “How can you so easily agree when you don’t have a full understanding of what you’re agreeing to?”

“Because I’m saying yes to you, and I trust you.” Her soft words plant mustard seeds in my chest.

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