Total pages in book: 72
Estimated words: 66134 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 331(@200wpm)___ 265(@250wpm)___ 220(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66134 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 331(@200wpm)___ 265(@250wpm)___ 220(@300wpm)
I dropped a palm to her knee, sliding it upward, and she made a soft, mewling sound of need as her hands stroked down my chest, along my stomach, and reached the waistband of my sweatpants.
In the back of my mind, an odd noise in the foyer barely registered through the lust fogging my brain…until I heard the sound of running feet. Confused, I jerked back, ending the kiss with Stevie as I tried to make sense of what was happening while watching Owen zoom past the other side of the kitchen island, heading toward the hallway with his backpack slung over his shoulder.
“Hey, Dad!” he said, raising a hand up in a quick wave.
Owen didn’t stop, didn’t even glance my way, his focus on getting to his bedroom so he could play on his Xbox, which was how every drop-off went. A six-year-old whose only care in the world was immersing himself in his favorite video game that Alyssa didn’t allow him to play when he was with her.
Normally, I would have called out to Owen to not run in the house, or even ordered him to come back and give me a hug after being gone for the week, but today I let him go, grateful that he’d remain oblivious to the awkward situation I’d found myself in with Stevie.
“Seriously, Caleb,” Alyssa said, her tone dripping with disgust as she walked into the kitchen and stopped on the other side of the island. “You openly fuck a woman in your kitchen on the day that your son is expected back home? I guess Cece was right about seeing you with a two-bit whore in the lobby last night,” she said of one of her friends who also lived in the building.
I flinched at her crass words and heard Stevie suck in a quick breath. Fury was right on the heels of that vulgar remark. I couldn’t even deal with or acknowledge my ex right now, though I had plenty to say in response. My only concern was for Stevie, who was still sitting on the counter in front of me in a very compromising position. I looked down at her, her eyes wide with distress as I watched the play of emotions flit across her face.
Her initial shock gave way to panic and mortification as she stared up at me. “I…uh, should leave you two to…talk.”
“Yes, you should,” Alyssa said in a haughty tone. “Caleb and I clearly have a lot to discuss.”
I wanted to tell Alyssa to shut the fuck up, that I didn’t need her unsolicited comments, but I wasn’t going to engage with her in front of Stevie. That was the last thing I wanted her to witness when I knew how vicious Alyssa could be. The best thing to do was to put Stevie in a safe place until I dealt with my ex.
I helped Stevie off of the counter, hating how tense her entire body was, along with that flush on her cheeks that had nothing to do with desire and everything to do with embarrassment.
I glanced at Alyssa, the smug look on her face pissing me off even more. “I’ll be back,” I said tersely.
She flashed me an almost triumphant smile. “I’ll be waiting.”
“Come on,” I said to Stevie, and with a hand at her back, I guided her down the hall until we were in my bedroom.
Once we were there, I turned her around to face me and curved my hands around the side of her neck. She wouldn’t look at me, so I used my thumbs to tip her chin back, forcing her gaze to meet mine. The vulnerability I saw there felt like a kick to my stomach because I knew how strong and resilient Stevie was. This situation had clearly rattled her.
“I’m so damn sorry,” I said, my voice gruff with frustration. “I had no idea she was dropping Owen off early. I never would have knowingly put you in that position.”
“I know it’s not your fault, and it’s fine. I’m fine,” she lied, giving me a tremulous smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “I should go…but my dress, bra, and shoes are still in the living room from last night.”
Shit. More ammunition for Alyssa. “No, I want you to stay,” I insisted, because the last thing I wanted was Stevie leaving with my ex’s offensive remark swirling in her head and ruining our night together, which told me just how much I already cared about her. “Let me handle this situation with Alyssa first, and then we can talk. Please.”
Her lips pursed, and I could see her internal debate, but much to my relief, she finally relented with a soft, “Okay.”
Satisfied with that, I grabbed a T-shirt and shrugged it on, then stopped by Owen’s bedroom and yeah, he was already on his Xbox, immersed in the world of Minecraft. He was still blissfully oblivious to the tension between adults, and for once I was grateful for the game’s distraction.