Page 446 of One More Kiss

“Or an army,” she adds, which causes me to chuckle. There were several dinners missed as I worked until the sun came up. I completely engulfed myself with learning and becoming better at my craft. Work became nonstop, which is why Aunt Millie continues to randomly bring me food. She was never able to have kids of her own, so she’s always treated me like a son.

My mama and her both knew I was wasting away in this house. After I lost everything that ever meant a damn to me, what was I supposed to do? This was the home Alana and I shared and the last place we were together.

Though the smell of her has faded with the years, sometimes when I’m trying to fall asleep, I can hear her voice asking if everything is okay. Losing Alana broke me into a million different pieces that can never be put back together. Though years have passed, I’ll never be the man I used to be. Life didn’t prepare me for the day I lost my best friend, wife, and lover. Nothing could have. Where love once lived, there’s nothing but emptiness. That old saying, It’s better to have loved and lost than to not have loved at all, is total bullshit.

I’m lost in my thoughts, but Vada somehow pulls me from my mind fuck memories.

“Maybe you should give those who rent the cottage a box of mac ‘n cheese as a rental warming gift?” She laughs.

“Might need to send them all home with you, because I wouldn’t be surprised if you sit at your computer eating a jar of Nutella with your finger when you have a book due,” I say, trying to finish my burger, recalling her bad eating habits when she’s on deadline.

“Ha! That’s pretty accurate actually. One time I finished an entire jar of peanut butter in a week. Kept it by my laptop, and each time I took a break, I’d eat a few spoonfuls.”

“I didn’t realize you loved nuts so much. Should’ve though.” I chuckle, which earns me a playful, much deserved eyeroll.

After we’re finished with dinner, Vada places our plates in the sink. As I stand, she looks at me over her shoulder with a smile as if she knows I’m about to claim her as mine for the night.

“I really have to finish this one chapter.” She interrupts the dirty thoughts streaming through my head.

I run my tongue along my lower lip, and her eyes follow. She’s officially under my trance. “How long do you need?”

As she glances down at my hardness, I adjust myself. My dick wants more of what it had last night, and I’m not protesting. In fact, I’m fucking dying to be back inside her.

“An hour,” she says. “Then I think I’ll need a refill of inspiration.”

“You mean more of my cock?” I cross my arms over my chest and laugh when she squirms.

“Are you always so direct?” she asks, turning her body around to face me.

“What do you think?” I inch closer to her, my breath crawling over her skin, which causes her to shiver. Her mouth falls open when she feels my length against her leg.

“I can see the anaconda is back. Should probably get going before I get a snake bite.” She chuckles.

“Oh, Vada,” I drawl. “You’ve already been bitten, and there’s no antivenom that can save you from me now.” I hum against her ear, lightly brushing my fingers across the bare skin on her stomach.

“Holy shit…” she whispers, her eyes fluttering closed, and I can feel her melt against me.

I lean in, pinching the skin of her neck between my teeth then trace the shell of her ear with my mouth. “Go write your chapter.” I glance at my phone, then set a timer. “One hour.”

I know by the flush color of her cheeks and how her nipples stand at full attention, that she’s forcing herself to go write, which makes me smile. She may only be here for a few more days, but I’m going to try to make the most of it. I’ll give her an hour, but just one, then she’ll get exactly what she wants and needs to finish that damn book.

Once Vada rushes to the cottage, Wilma pounces down the stairs, and I place some wet food in her bowl. She stretches as if she’s playing hard to get with her food.

“Stop showing off,” I tell her and receive a sweet meow in response. Bending over, I pet her before she walks to her bowl because she can’t be bothered when she’s eating. I climb the stairs two at a time and head for the shower because I’m sweaty from working so hard at the studio today. As soon as the warm water hits my body, I allow myself to relax. I understand what Vada means when she talks about being wound up real tight. We’re more alike than she knows.

As I wash over my muscles, I think back to the conversation I had with Millie this morning.

“Didn’t think you allowed women to stay the night. It was one of your unspoken bachelor rules or something.” She pushed for confirmation as she pulled eggs and bacon from the fridge.

“Aunt Millie, please,” I begged, pulling a coffee cup out of the cabinet. It was weird talking about my sex life with my aunt, but she always liked to pry and keep up with me considering I haven’t settled down after Alana. Don’t plan on committing to anyone either and that drives her insane.

“You know why I’m here, hon. I wanted to make sure you’re doing okay.” She looked at me with concern written on her face.

“I’m fine, seriously.” Though I’m not, and she could see right through it.

I placemy hand against the shower wall and stand there until the water runs cold, which forces me to get out and dry off. So much can happen in a short amount of time, and when my life was turned upside down, then completely destroyed, I realized that. Most people say time makes it easier, but that couldn’t be more wrong. Usually, I try to stay busy, keep my head down, my heart guarded, and my mind somewhere else. This is why I planned a big live demo for this specific weekend at the studio because being around people helps keep my thoughts away from the darkness that tends to haunt me. Another reason why Vada is a Godsend. She’s the perfect distraction and might be the only thing keeping me from self-destructing.

I try to push the thoughts out of my head and think of something else because my mood is turning sour quickly. Looking down at my phone, I notice I have thirty minutes before I can forget everything that’s swirling through my head and focus purely on Vada. And in Vada.

---