Page 61 of Reckless
Clearing my throat, I forge ahead. “When I’m freaking out, I try to make myself as useful as possible. I get busy. I clean. I organize. I get great at changing diapers.”
She slumps back in her seat. “Fuck. I’m sorry. I really am—”
“Winter, don’t finish that sentence. Instead, promise me when you meet my mom, you will tell her I’m annoyingly gentlemanly. That will make her proud.”
She snorts. “Fine. I will.”
“I don’t think I can hold her back much longer. She is feral to meet Vivi. Pictures aren’t cutting it,” I admit as we pull into the ranch.
Winter’s head tilts in my direction and her brows furrow. “Why are you holding her back?”
Her body jostles as I pull to a stop near the main house. All river rock and stained logs with a tin roof and spacious wrap-around deck.
“I don’t know. Just trying to give you and me a second to figure things out.”
“You and me.” She shakes her head, followed by a scoff.
That can’t stand, though, so I hop out and round the truck. Based on the way she’s digging through her purse in her lap, I have to assume she expects me to go for Vivi. But I rip her door open and step close enough that my knees butt up against the edge of the truck.
“What are you doing?” Her tone bleeds alarm as she jolts and faces me.
“What’s so funny about you and me?”
Her hands flip out in disbelief. “Seriously?”
“Seriously.”
“It’s...it’s...you...you don’t need to feel obligated to make this a thing when it’s not. You can want her in your life without pretending you want me too. Don’t feel obliged to act like you’re attracted to me just because I’m her mom.” Her eyes are so sparkly, her stubborn chin tipped up so high, her lips so fucking kissable. “Not when you have girls like Cindy.”
I interrupt her, leaning across to release her seatbelt and turning her to face me like that night in the bar. Our eyes collide, questions swirling in her blue depths.
With one hand propped above me on the roof of the truck, I lean in, my lips hovering over hers as I whisper, “That’s a fascinating assessment, Winter. But I’m not pretending a single fucking thing. Because for a year and a half all I’ve had to do isrememberyou and me that night to be stuck walking around all day like this.”
I cross a line.
My hand darts out and I grip her wrist, pulling her hand down to slide it over my rock-hard cock.
She doesn’t pull away. The only thing moving on her are her irises, tracing my face, her expression carefully blank.
But then her fingers flex over my dick.
She puffs out a breath and licks her lips as I groan and drop my head. The sliver of space between us crackles as one finger moves, running over the denim that divides us. Her touch is painfully, deliberately slow.
“Oh good! You’re here!” Summer’s chipper voice and footsteps bounding down the stairs have me lurching back away from Winter. Both of us panting, staring at each other.
“So happy you guys carpooled!” Summer pats my shoulder. “You are such a gentleman, Theo. Opening her door like that!”
Summer is oblivious.
But I don’t think Winter is anymore.
17
Winter
Summer:Everyone is good for dinner at the main house tonight?
Sloane:Yup! We just got back.
