Page 65 of Sunshine
You left me aching, wet, and alone.
Case:
We both needed cooling off. And why should I give you orgasms after I punished you? That would be rewarding naughty behavior, Sunshine.
Orgasms. The plural word swirls in my belly.
Tess:
To avoid my wrath…
Case:
Tessa…
I put my phone on do not disturb and smile wickedly. Playing with Case Callen is the most freeing thing I’ve ever done.
And that’s how it goes for the next several weeks. Me pushing all his buttons, waylaying his work just to be a pain in the ass, and him retaliating until we’re naked, panting and calling each other’s name for half the night.
And somehow through all of this, I’ve managed to outline, plot and write half the novel my publisher is threatening to sue me over.
This morning I’m deep into the sixteenth chapter of that book when I hear the whining of a table saw and banging of a hammer from across the field. I rise from my spot to grab the binoculars. There, swinging his hammer like Thor, God of thunder, is my sexy biker.
My sexy biker?First I adopt Jake asmy Jakieand now Case?
I shove the thought aside as Case pulls his shirt up to wipe his face. I hold my breath and eye his sculpted stomach. “All that work does a body good,” I mumble and then look at the clock on the wall. Eight thirty-five am. I smirk. Grabbing my phone, I search for the city number and click dial.
“Is this the Bylaw office?”
Not two hours later, Case is pounding on my door.
“Can I help you, Mr. Biker?”
“Open the door, Tessa,” he demands through clenched teeth, setting his hands on his narrow hips. “Open it so I can remind you how I deal with brats.”
His words send a jolt of needy heat through me. My mouth suddenly dry, I swallow. “I can hear you just fine through thescreen and I remember you, your spoon, hairbrush and belt quite vividly still, no need to remind me. Also, it’s,Tess,thank you very much.”
“Well Tessa,”he says emphasizing the A. “I have much more creative ideas for punishing you this time, because I was just given a completely illegal fine for a noise violation. Bylaw Officer Donald was kind enough to explain that it wouldn’t stand up in court but that he was willing to do whatever he could to make sure his wife got signed copies of her favorite author’s bestselling series because she’s pregnant with their fifth,and God help him, sixth, child after his vasectomy failed. Apparently your signed books will take away the sting of learning she’s carrying twins when she just got their last kid signed up for kindergarten.”
Poor, Jessica, I think, remembering the story Donald told me earlier when I’d called.
Case shoves a hand through his now newly grown red hair. “Are you aware of how much small-town people overshare? Apparently, Donald didn’t do the follow-up test to make sure the vasectomy was successful and has to grovel nightly while rubbing his wife’s feet and watching her eat sweet pickles and dairy milk bars.” He pulls a face. “I do not need to be privy to Donald’s vasectomy woes, Tessa Harlow.” He gives an exaggerated shiver.
I keep my smile back with pressed lips and he continues.
“Anyway, I don’t have time to take it to court and you and Daddy-To-Be-Times-Six, know it.”
“Sorry to hear that, Case.”I place my hand over my heart and give him a sympathetic frown.
“Seriously?” He sighs forcefully. “He said he’ll have me arrested if I don’t comply. And yes, it’s totally illegal but… again, it’s his fault for not doing the subsequent test after his vasectomy and the little wifey won’t let him forget it.” A groan comes out ofhis sexy-as-sin mouth before he adds, “Do you know how they test the success of a vasectomy?”
He growls and I shake my head.
“Well, I do! Thanks to Donnie sharing, in too much detail, how the magazines just weren’t right so he couldn’t…” Case throws up his hands another growl of frustration bursting free from his delectable full lips. “He left without doing the test.”
The grimace on his handsome face makes me giggle and he narrows his eyes on me.
“Do you have this whole damn town under your thumb?”
