Total pages in book: 129
Estimated words: 131459 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 657(@200wpm)___ 526(@250wpm)___ 438(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 131459 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 657(@200wpm)___ 526(@250wpm)___ 438(@300wpm)
There wasn’t time to cook, so she’d phoned her favorite Spanish tapas place and there were croquettes, fried baby squid, garlic shrimp, tortilla de patatas, stuffed mushrooms, olives chorizo, Manchego and tortillas covering the table. She also ordered a whole tarta de Santiago and an entire case of different riojas.
Though, they started their night with Spanish gin and tonics that had dried juniper berries and a spritz of lime.
The food was plentiful. They were well into their ninth bottle of wine. Everyone was loose on booze and food. It was getting loud, people talking to be heard over laughter or side conversations. And Mika went for it with the theme for the night, setting Vincente Amigo playing in the background.
Tom sat back in his chair, quiet, his wineglass in his hand, listening and watching.
Hale and Judge teasing Cadence, Chloe and Dru taking her back. Jamie and Nora talking about some restaurant they discovered that they both enjoyed. Cadence telling Dru she’d teach her how to play the drums. Chloe, Cadence, Dru and Nora talking about the wedding. Judge, Jamie and Hale discussing Trail Blazer and sharing it with Mika. Cadence being exuberant, thriving in this atmosphere, her home full of people, something she clearly enjoyed. Nora being droll and forever gaining an acolyte in Chloe.
They broached movies. And TV. And discussed at length a great book many of them had read.
It felt like family, even if some of them barely knew each other.
Mika’s fingers curled around his thigh, and he turned to her, seated at his side.
“You all right?” she asked quietly.
“I wish Matt and Sasha were here,” he answered.
Her face grew soft. “I do too.”
Tom had eventually texted his younger daughter, denying her his house as a crash pad.
Like her mother, she had not replied.
It concerned him.
But not tonight.
Nothing could hack through the thick coating of goodness that was surrounding him that night.
“We’ll have a big get-together when Matt’s out for spring break,” Mika said, regaining his attention. “I’m looking forward to meeting them.”
He nodded, and said, “And Genny.”
Her head ticked. “Sorry?”
“I wish Genny and Duncan were here.”
Her fingers curled tighter into his thigh.
He was disturbed by that reaction.
She knew how he and Genny wanted their family to remain close. It wasn’t starting out very well. Nevertheless, on Tom’s part, he wanted that back, with Mika and Cadence added to it.
“Does that concern you?” he asked.
Her brows came down over her eyes. “The fact that you’re emotionally mature enough to understand the importance of history and feelings you share with the woman you were married to for decades, and you wish to have her continue to be part of your life? No.”
So, he’d read her reaction wrong.
Tom smiled.
“She’ll get in touch,” Mika said quietly.
He did not hold out hope for that.
It could be years before she figured it out, whatever it was.
He knew that painfully well.
But now, it didn’t matter.
Nothing mattered.
Except what was happening at that table.
“This is the best night I’ve had in maybe five years,” he told her.
Her eyes rounded before the tenderness went into overdrive.
He moved toward her, kissed her cheek then slid his lips to her ear.
“You make me happy,” he whispered there. “This makes me happy.”
When he pulled away, her eyes were bright with unshed tears, and she leaned in and touched her mouth to his before moving infinitesimally away and saying, “Me too.”
They came out of their small huddle, and Chloe immediately said, “I’ll try not to gloat.”
“Gloat away, darling,” Nora drawled. “If you don’t remind them how fabulous you are, they might forget. I gloat all the time. For instance now—” she leaned forward and grabbed a shrimp, and before she popped it into her mouth, she finished, “since I’m the one who introduced Mika to this tapas bar.”
Everyone laughed.
Tom did too.
But he did it while he got up to open another bottle of wine.
* * *
Tom moved from having his mouth between Mika’s legs and he did it taking his time, with his mouth and hands, exploring her skin on the way up…
And in.
He loved the little gasp she gave when she took his cock.
He loved the taste of her, the feel of her, the noises she made, the dark shadow of her hair all over her pillow, the scent of her sex and her perfume and her skin mingled with his.
She made a move with her hips and Tom stopped slowly stroking and let her roll him to his back.
She didn’t rise up and ride him.
Her lips at his neck, his jaw, his mouth, his cheekbone, her hands roaming his ribs, his biceps, shoulders, her nails scratching through his chest hair, over his nipples, she glided up and down on his dick while pressed to him.
Until he’d had enough.
When he did, he sat up, and with the curtain of her hair all around them, their lips touching, their breath mingling, he dug the pads of his fingers into her hips, a silent order to go faster.