Page 73 of Secrets in Love
“Maybe not now, Evie, but trust me, this”—he pointed to his cock—“will be in that”—he pointed to my lady bits—“before the end of the day.”
“Lovely.” I rolled my eyes and grabbed and slipped on a fresh pair of basic, ugly, comfy pajama bottoms that no one would find sexy, took my equally unflattering robe off the hook beside my door, turned my back on the sexy, arrogant doofus and stepped from my room.
“Good morning, Bubba.” Iris spun to face me, her little face screwed in annoyance. “Evie, Uncle Nate won’t answer the door, and I wanna cuddle him.”
“I’m sure he wants to cuddle you too, but he had a big trip and is probably sleepy. Big-baby, man-child types like him and your daddy don’t cope with jet lag as well as you and I do,” I replied loud enough to ensure I was heard. “Why don’t you let him rest? You have the whole day for cuddles.”
“Okay. Let’s make him bwekfast then.” Iris grabbed my hand and led me away from danger.
Evie
Iris stood on my feet, her arms wrapped around my waist, and was rambling on about her friend and Scarlett’s son, Benny, as we shuffled together into the kitchen. Ben and Iris had no idea their parents were dating. The two cuties attended the same school that sat between the two houses and were thick as thieves within days of meeting. It was all part of the twisted web of fate that brought Scarlett and Finn together. She would have a fit when she learned about it all. Perhaps she’d have a new family too.
It was the first time I’d had that thought. If Scarlett and Finn worked out whatever happened at dinner and stayed together, Iris may end up with a stepmom…and stepbrother too. Where would that leave me?
I gripped Iris tighter, holding onto her as much as she did me. Her affection was grounding, and Ineededre-grounding. My mind was catastrophizing our collective unknown future while my spirit and libido were off, flying high and horny above Greenwich village and heading for the clouds.
Nate’s hypnotic, chaotic sexuality had made me lose myself, and the little one clinging to my body—that, for all intents and purposes, saw me as her mom—needed me, stepmom, or no stepmom. I could NOT fall for a guy who would only be here for a few months. After kissing him and drowning in the crazy, raw, mind-blowing energy between us, I knew if I went through with my plan of letting him take my virginity, he would likely be taking my heart along with it.
Was it—he—worth the risk?
Ten minutes later, he—who should probablynotbe shagged—swaggered into the room, the smell of sausage and bacon and my homemade pancakes a seemingly irresistible lure. My heart leapt into my throat as he brushed behind me, running his little finger along my bum and delivering a discreet slap as I stood at the stove, plating up our food. Leaning on the counter beside me, he annoyingly kicked my foot with his as his eyes burned through the fluffy cotton of my robe.
“Good morning, ladies. How did we sleep?” he asked while popping fresh blueberries into his mouth one at a time.
“Fine, thanks,” I replied coolly while Iris ran up to cuddle him, then sat back at the table and began telling him about last Thursday’s dance class. Nate watched her, laughing as she spoke, so I seized the opportunity and allowed my eyes to roam his body.
Fuck, he was hot, fresh from the shower, smelling of coconut, some kind of fresh fruit and the briny scent of the ocean. The man was a walking, talking, goddamn tropical island. His wet, slightly-curly-on-the-ends hair fell into his deep, dark-brown eyes, but my own settled on his full, now purplish-stained lips as I recalled the feel of them pressing into my sex. Not only was he drop-dead gorgeous, but he was kind, considerate, loving, and thoughtful. He knew I was a virgin and didn’t judge me.
Again, I asked myself the question…is Nate worth it?
Yes, he fucking is.
The cheeky bastard caught my gaze, edged closer, winked, and blew me a tiny kiss.
I surprised myself by not gagging, rolling my eyes, or looking away when Nate whispered, “You always smell so nice.” Instead, I actively participated in some serious, egg-flipping, blueberry-bingeing, silent eye sex that ended when Jocelyn joined us in the kitchen. Nate and I jumped apart. He and Jocie shared an odd exchange as they met, then simultaneously sat at the table.
“Nathaniel,” she said with a suspicious smirk.
“Jocelyn,” Nate replied, calling her bluff with an equally distrustful furrowing of the brow.
“How was your night?” they asked with perfect synchronicity.
“Excellent,” they again replied in unison before sitting, staring, and sizing each other up while pulling ridiculously dramatic faces like two characters onTheBoldandtheBeautiful.
“Please tell me you two aren’t suffering strokes simultaneously.” I snorted for real instead of saying it, breaking their odd game.
“What was all that fuss with you two and Finn this morning?” Jocie quizzed. I suspected she’d heard everything because she couldn’t stop smiling.Shit, I hope that’s all she heard.
“Nothing!” Nate and I said in chorus.
“It certainly didn’t sound like nothing. It sounded rather a lot like something. An argument over the organization and control of pens, perhaps?” I shrugged nonchalantly. “You know he cares an awful lot about his…” She paused and looked at Iris, then me. “…his pens, and their well-being. I heard him take off, and now he won’t answer my calls. Do you know where he went?” Her eyes popped from her head as she popped the end of a thick pork sausage into her mouth and tore the end off like a wild dog.
“Nope.” I sighed. “He had his knickers in a twist about this and that, lost his shit, and left.”
Nodding in agreement, Nate gazed goofily at me across the table while loading up his and Iris’s plates without looking.
“Evie,” Iris said, thankfully redirecting everyone’s attention, “did you, Daddy, and Nate have a fight last night too? Is that why you wewe cwying?”
