Craving Kara (The Aces' Sons 7)

“I’m sittin’ right here,” I said gruffly.

“He’s been dead for a hundred years,” Kara replied, patting my chest. “Don’t be jealous.”

“The actor who played him isn’t,” I muttered.

“The actor who played him now plays Santa Claus,” Charlie said.

“No shit?” I looked at her in surprise.

“No shit,” she confirmed. “We’ll watch that one when it’s not hot as balls.”

“You need blankets and hot cocoa with those movies,” Kara agreed.

Charlie smiled and looked back and forth between us. “I like this,” she announced, gesturing. “This is good.”

I chuckled.

We didn’t talk much for the rest of the movie, all of us finally relaxing after the shit day we’d had. It was only the afternoon, but I found myself nodding off. Some time later, I woke up to both of them leaning against me, completely passed out. It reminded me of when we were kids, and I would’ve stayed like that until they woke up, but it was too fucking hot. Everywhere they pressed against me was sweaty.

Gingerly, I pressed Charlie toward the arm of the couch. She grumbled a little in her sleep but didn’t wake up as she settled back in.

Kara woke up instantly as I lifted her.

“Whoa,” she said, instantly wrapping her arms around my shoulders.

“Figured we could sleep in a bed,” I replied softly.

“If we take a nap, we’ll be up all night,” she said with a sigh, resting her head on my shoulder.

“You got some place to be tomorrow?” I asked.

“Not unless these fires magically disappear.”

“Then who cares if we’re up all night?” I replied setting her on her feet next to the bed. “I can think of some shit to keep us occupied.”

“I bet you can,” she replied with a smile.

I watched as she stripped out of her shorts and then reached for the bedding.

“It’s too hot,” I groaned.

“I just want the sheet,” she replied, letting the quilt fall to the floor. “I like having something covering me.”

“Too hot for a sheet,” I said, but I didn’t complain as I pulled my shirt off.

The bed at her apartment was nearly twice the size of the one at her parents’ house, so we at least had a little more room and my feet weren’t hanging off the edge. It wasn’t as big as mine was, though, and I was looking forward to being able to sprawl out a little with her tucked into my side.

“I don’t know why I’m so tired,” she said, her head on my chest.

“It’s been a long coupla days,” I replied with a sigh.

I stared at the ceiling, rubbing her back. Now that I was awake, I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to fall back asleep again. I swept my hand down her back and on the next move upward, slid my hand under the back of her tank top.

Her skin was so smooth. She shivered as I tickled the tips of my fingers up her spine.

“That feels good,” she whispered, arching into me a little.

“You feel good,” I whispered back.

When she tipped her head back to look at me, I took the opportunity to kiss her. It was slow and leisurely, unlike the last time we’d been in bed together. Yesterday, we’d been almost frantic, using all the tools in our toolbox to keep the other person right there with us. This time, though, we both knew that it was happening. I was pretty sure it would take an act of God to get either of us out of that bed, especially when she climbed on top of me, her knees tucked into my sides.

“You’re fuckin’ beautiful,” I said, in awe of her as she brushed her hair back from her face.

“I’m already a sure thing,” she joked.

“Take the compliment,” I replied, running my thumb down her jaw.

“You’re beautiful, too,” she said, her eyes crinkling at the corners. “Usually.”

I laughed, making her bounce on my stomach. “It’s the eye, huh?” I asked. It was still swollen mostly shut and my face was mottled with bruises.

“And all of these,” she said, running her hands all over my chest and belly, tracing the bruises there. “The neighbors probably thought you were trying to kill each other.”

“Callie and Grease have sons and grandsons,” I replied, enjoying the touch. “Probably wasn’t the first fight they’d seen.”

“They should’ve stopped you guys,” she said, meeting my gaze. “They shouldn’t have let it get this far.”

“Took a minute for anyone to realize we were still outside,” I admitted. “They broke it up pretty quick.”

“I don’t like seeing you hurt.”

“Ditto,” I replied.

She leaned down, her hair forming a curtain around our faces, and kissed me gently, her tongue running lightly over the scab on my lip.

“Sorry,” I said hoarsely.

“They’re still your lips,” she said easily against my mouth. “I’m not worried about a little blood.”

I gripped her ass as she continued to kiss me, learning her new shape. It wasn’t better or worse than before, just different. Looking at her for the last nine months and not being able to touch her, I’d wondered if she’d feel fragile when I eventually got to hold her the way I wanted to. She was so slender now. But, as I ran my hands over her, I didn’t get the impression of fragility at all. Her body was firm with muscle.