Hard Fall (St. Louis Mavericks 1)

I sat up, the covers forgotten. “You are not an asshole. But what are you saying? Is this only about the house, or is it about the kids, too?”

“It’s the house. I love the kids. It was the right choice to move in here right after they died, and maybe the time isn’t right yet, but…”

“You want to sell the house,” I finished.

“Yeah. We’re using their dishes and bath towels, and…I think a new house might be the best thing for all of us. We can stay in the school district Ben and Lauren wanted the kids in, but buy something that’s ours instead of theirs.”

His gaze wandered to my breasts as I said, “You mean, you’d buy it? Because I’m in no position to pay for half.”

He waved a hand. “Money isn’t an issue for us. I’ve got plenty, and we’ll also have what we make from selling this house. But I wanted to ask you if you think it’s the right move for the kids.”

I considered the pros and cons, as well as the permanency of buying a house. “It’s hard to say. I think there are going to be things that are tough for all of us, no matter when we do them. But I hear you on how you feel about living here.”

“Does it feel that way for you at all?”

I shook my head. “It’s kind of the opposite for me. When I’m using Lauren’s hand mixer and writing things on her calendar, it reminds me of her. But I get you, Wes. It’s a little morbid that we live here with all their stuff. I’d much rather have my own office than work in Ben’s study forever.”

His gaze was back on my breasts. “You look fucking spectacular in that bra, babe.”

“Thanks.”

He reached up and brushed his thumb over the soft satin covering one of my nipples, sending a shiver from the tip of my spine to the base.

“We don’t need to do anything right away on the house,” he said. “But this boner you gave me by wearing that bra is fucking urgent.”

My body heated in response to his hungry look as he stood and stripped off his dress shirt and the plain T-shirt beneath it. I hadn’t just been angling for sex with Wes when he got home tonight, I’d been dying for it. It had taken more than an hour of bedtime stories to get Annalise to fall asleep in her bed tonight. I could now recite each word of the Chicka Chicka Boom Boom book verbatim.

Worth it, I thought as Wes dropped his pants and boxer briefs, his erection jutting out in front of him. He truly had a flawless body, all long lines and defined muscles.

He pulled the covers away from my body and took in the lingerie in its entirety. He laughed softly, raking his gaze up and down my body.

“Damn, baby. Ready to spread those legs?”

I smiled. “I am if you got your STD results back. Mine came in and I’m clean as a whistle.”

“Yeah, I got mine, too—all good. I had the team doctor give me a note to prove it.”

Laughing, I said, “You don’t need to do that, Wes. I trust you.”

Since I was on the pill, this meant no more condoms for us. I’d never say it out loud, but god was I looking forward to Wes coming inside me.

As he stroked himself, Wes looked at me and said, “I’ve been fantasizing about you constantly, babe.”

“Really? Tell me more.”

“I think about the way you look and sound when you come.” He put a knee on the bed and moved closer, his hand sliding from my calf up to my thigh. “The way you look in a T-shirt that doesn’t cover your whole ass—I fucking love seeing those curved ass cheeks. And I’ve been imagining what you’d look like on your knees with my cock in your gorgeous mouth.”

The arousal swirling in my belly became mixed with worry and it must have shown on my face.

“What?” Wes asked.

“What?” I echoed.

“You just got a look on your face. If you don’t like giving oral, it’s okay. There are plenty of other things I like.”

I licked my lips, nervous as I tried to decide how to respond.

“It’s not that I don’t like it…it’s that I’m not good at it.”

Wes arched his brows. “Not good at it?”

“So I’ve been told.”

My cheeks burned with embarrassment. I’d been hoping he’d be balls deep in me by now, not asking for more details on my inadequate oral skills.

“Sounds like you’ve been with some whiny bitches, then,” he said.

“I mean, I have, but…”

“Come here,” he said, getting up from the bed.

I followed him, and when we were both standing, he put his hands on my waist and kissed me. It was soft and sensual, pulling me into the moment and taking me out of my head.