Page 109 of Ozzie

“Does our age difference bother you?” He’s watching my reaction.

“No. It doesn’t. Does it bother you?”

He shakes his head. “Not even a little.”

He’s around my cousin’s age, but I actually don’t know how old he really is. I can have fun with that. “So what if we’re sixteen years apart?” I say.

His eyes widen. “Wait, what?”

I keep a straight face as I watch several emotions pass over his face.

“You’re twenty-two. I was there when Reed brought out a birthday cake at the office.”

I smile. “Yes, I’m twenty-two.”

He breathes a sigh of relief. But then what I said hits him. “Wait, you think I’m thirty-eight?”

I shrug as I take a sip of water.

“Well, I’m glad it doesn’t bother you. I’m actually turning forty next month.”

I spit out the water. “Forty?” I stare at this man. Could he really be forty?

He finishes his eggs while staring at me. Finally, he laughs. “Got you. Nice try, though.”

He stands up and takes my hand, pulling me up into his chest. His lips move to my neck, and I grip his shoulders. That’s all it takes, and I want to rip this man’s clothes off.

“For the record, my birthday is next month, and I’ll be thirty-five.” He kisses his way to my ear.

I walk us backward toward my bedroom. “Damn, you’re old.”

He grins. “Not too old.” His smile drops as we are halfway down the hallway. He steps back away from me. “I just said we need to be careful. Durango could walk in that door at any time.”

I grab his shirt, pulling him farther down the hallway. “Good thing I have a lock on my door.”

He growls. “Okay, but this is the last time we do this here.”

I don’t agree because I know it won’t be. Once we are in my room, I lock the door and then pull off his shirt. My hands trace the ridges of his stomach. I could stare at him all day. He kisses me again, and it’s like we combust. Our clothes fly off, and he’s backing me up to the bed.

The front door opens and closes. We still. My mind goes to John.

“Did you lock the door?” I ask him.

“I did.” He grabs his pants.

“Piper? You here?”

I relax. It’s Durango. “Just a minute!” I grab my robe that’s hanging over my desk chair and slip it on.

“What are you doing?” Ozzie whispers. “You can’t go out there like that! He’ll see that and see me and draw conclusions.”

I laugh. “What does he think we’re going to do in my bedroom with the door closed? Play cards?”

The look of terror on Ozzie’s face almost has me laughing. I unlock the door and head out to find my cousin. He’s standing right outside the door.

“Ozzie’s in there, isn’t he?”

I swallow. “He is.”

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