Calamity Jena (Invertary 4)

Strong arms wound around her waist, giving her a start. Grunt lifted her, sat in her armchair and settled her in his lap. His grin was still in place.

“Okay, I gotta know. What do you call your—” She smacked a hand over his mouth before he could finish that sentence.

Claire swallowed a grin as his shoulders shook with laughter. “I call it ‘down there’,” she said in the most prim voice she could affect.

His laughter deepened. With a roll of her eyes, she removed her hand.

“Guess we should all be grateful you don’t call it down under. That way if you ever have a problem, the doc won’t think you mean in Australia.” He nuzzled the spot behind her ear that made her stomach do flips. “Babe, if you can’t use the words, how will you tell me what you want me to do to you?”

“Oh, but I can say the words. I can say lots of words. I just like winding my sister up.”

His eyes glittered with mischief. “What kind of words are we talking about here? You got to tell me some, or I won’t believe you.”

Claire straightened her shoulders. “Willy, dick, club of the gods, joystick, Mr Winky, the one-eyed monster, the mighty—”

Grunt smacked a hand over her mouth as he laughed. She waggled her eyebrows at him.

“Enough,” he said. “I take it back. Someone who looks like an angel shouldn’t have a potty mouth.”

“Potty mouth? Big, bad Grunt says potty mouth? Does Joe know you say stuff like this? I’m not sure that even your manliness can handle saying potty mouth. You’ve just lost at least ten points on the macho scale.”

“You need to shut up now.” His sparkling eyes ruined the threat.

Claire leaned into him, until their lips were almost touching. “Oh yeah, why don’t you make me.”

“With pleasure.” The low rumble swept through her body.

His fingers grasped the back of her head. He paused, barely an inch between them, and inhaled as though breathing her in. Her eyes fluttered shut as his warm lips met hers. They were soft, teasing in their touch, and mind-numbingly delicious. He coaxed her lips, easing her mouth open until he was able to take his time tasting her. Her fingers curled into the fabric of his shirt. His woodland scent engulfed her. It was the most perfect kiss she’d ever had. Slowly, with tiny nips to her bottom lip, he moved away from her.

Claire felt more than a little stunned. She wanted to stay right where she was forever. Wrapped in his strong arms, engulfed in his scent, able to taste and feel him whenever she chose. It was bliss.

He flashed that wicked smile of his. “I need to hit the road. Don’t want you missing church in the morning and getting a bad rep ’causa me. But save the afternoon for me. I need my Claire time.”

Claire smiled at him as her heart stuttered. It took a moment for his words to really register, a delay that amused him.

“I have a family dinner in the afternoon, then we’re going to visit my dad.”

“What time will I pick you up?”

Her brain stalled. He couldn’t mean…? She blinked at him. “You can’t come to our family dinner.” She cringed. That sounded really rude.

“Baby,” he said slowly. “Your family’s got to get to know me.”

“Do they have to do it tomorrow, though?”

“Yeah.” His grin said he thought she was cute. “Sooner we get this outta the way, the sooner we can focus on us.”

Damn, why did that sound reasonable and terrifyingly stupid at the same time?

“What time am I picking you up?” His tone was low and teasing, and his eyes sparkled with mirth.

“One.” She gave in with a sigh.

He leaned forward and tucked his nose in her neck below her ear. She heard him let out a long breath. “Good,” he whispered.

He chuckled at her mewls of complaint as he led her to the front door.

“Lock up after me,” he ordered.