Page 76 of The Refiner

I swear Astor’s eyes flash quickly with something like anger, but it’s gone before I can be sure. Was it because I mentioned leaving?

“Got it,” Astor states dryly. “The bigger the bows, the better.”

“The motto all women should have,” I agree with a grin, totally taking this discussion to the gutter, and hoping to return some lightness to our conversation.

Surely Astor understands that no matter how much I love him and Tatum, I have a life back in Fairfield—a career that I’ve worked years to achieve. I can’t be another love-struck woman and throw all of that away just because I fell in love. I will never be solely dependent on a man. Not that I couldn’t learn to trust one—especially Astor—but I want to work, and right now, that work is in Fairfield, three hours from Astor and Tatum.

But we have time.

We’ll figure something out.

We have to because I’m not sure that I can live without them.

Shaking his head, Astor places his hand on my lower back and guides me into the store, effectively ending our conversation.

Once inside, Astor grabs a cart and starts pushing it alongside me. “Did you bring a list?” he asks.

I stare at him and blink slowly. “When did you allow time for a list?”

The man kept me in bed until it was time to pick up Tatum, and then we stayed and chatted with Halle and Vance a while before coming to the store.

He at least looks sheepish for forgetting the list. “We’ll just go down every aisle and whatever we miss, we can order.”

“Do you know how to order groceries?”

He grins. “I’ll learn.” Those bright, unnaturally blue eyes hold mine. “I can take notes when I’m studying the grocery store dress code for future visits.”

I jostle Tatum, laughing so hard. “Stop. You’re gonna wake her up,” I scold, but I’m still giggling.

“Looks like she’s happy right where she is.”

We both look down at the little girl sleeping peacefully against my chest.

My little niece.

The only family I have now.

“Don’t worry,” I clear my throat, forcing back the emotion. “You’ll grow boobs in no time. I heard children always pack the pounds on you.”

Astor flashes me a look that clearly relays that he’s not concerned in the least about packing on any future pounds. Which he should be, he can’t stay this hot forever. Eventually his prime will end, and he’ll be like all of us regular people.

“Okay,” I try shifting his focus onto something else, “what aisle do we start with?”

He tips his chin to the bread aisle and starts walking.

I must say, it might look like this man is about to walk a runway in his expensive suit pants and button-down shirt, but those forearms with the sleeves rolled up as he steers a grocery cart to my favorite food—bread—relay something totally different. Those forearms say they held me up by the ass while he fucked me hard against the wall last night.

Oh my gosh.

I cannot get wet in the grocery store.

But muscled forearms with prominent veins just bring out the horny ho in me.

“You alright over there?”

I didn’t realize I’ve been staring hard at his arms—like crazy person hard.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” I rip my gaze away. “Are you fine?”

---