His Paradise

“Come on. We’re already behind. Man the fort, Peter,” I call out and head toward the pantry in the kitchen.

This is the place where I keep all my extra inventory of preserves and jams. Sammy thought it would be a good idea to set up a stand at the farmer’s market this week. She’s selling her pastries and small cakes and I’ll sell my jams. I’m down to do anything that could make a little extra money. It slipped my mind last night.

I start lifting the boxes but suddenly they’re taken right out of my hands.

“I’ll get them,” Liam says, carrying the boxes out the backdoor for me and loading them into the truck.

“You know you don’t have to do this, right?” I tell him. “You can hang here until I get back. I mean, if you want to hang out later that is. Or if—”

“I want to spend the day with you,” he says, cutting me off. “Plus, I’m not letting you run around by yourself with that on.” I glance down at what I’m wearing. This is what I always wear.

“This is a beach town, you know that, right?” I laugh. Strangely, I like his jealousy, though I really shouldn’t. In fact, I should be getting pissed, but all it’s doing is making me wish we were back in bed. I don’t even care that I’m still a little tender between my thighs. The reminder makes my nipples tighten and heat floods my lower half.

“If you don’t get that look off your face we won’t be going anywhere today,” Liam’s deep voice rumbles, reminding me what I’m supposed to be doing. I shove another box at him and he smiles.

“You really staying for a while?” I hedge as I peek up at him.

“How could I leave right now?” He leans in, brushing his lips against mine.

“We should probably talk about last night. That we didn’t use any, um, protection.” I feel my face heat at the admission.

“We’ll worry about that later,” he says, before turning and taking another box out. I’m a little surprised. I thought he might freak out or something. I was sure he’d realize the magnitude of slip we made, but he doesn’t even seem surprised. As if he already knew.

Shaking my head, I move a few more boxes over for us to take and grab some loaves of fresh bread to bring along, too.

“Is that all of it?” Liam asks, picking up the last box.

“I think so.” I glance around to make sure I got everything.

“I got us shirts made!” Sammy says, tossing one at me, and I catch it midair.

It’s a bright pink shirt with Have A Taste written across the front.

“She’s not wearing that,” Liam says before I can.

“Of course she is. It’s her favorite color.” Sammy looks at Liam like he’s crazy and should know this.

“Let’s go, guys. We’re already late,” I remind them. I take the shirt with me but don’t put it on. I have a feeling the shirt is more to poke at the sheriff than anything.

Grabbing my purse, I check to make sure I have my cell. “I’ll drive,” Liam tells me. I toss the keys to my truck to him. He opens the passenger door for me, but not before taking the shirt from my hands. Once I’m situated he closes the door and heads around to the driver’s side.

I smile over at him. His hand goes to the back of my neck and he pulls me to him and gives me another one of those kisses that feel so natural. Like we’ve been doing it forever. It turns from sweet and soft to something more when his phone rings.

He curses and then pulls it out of his pocket as he starts the truck. He puts the phone to his ear and I point down the road. “Center of town,” I tell him so he knows where we’re going. He nods and takes off.

“No, I won’t be leaving today,” he says into the phone, making me wonder if that was his plan but now he’s changed it for me. “I haven’t even checked my emails, so I’m not worried about it right now,” he adds a moment later. “Of course I’m fine.” This time I can hear that it’s a female on the other end of the line. “That’s nobody’s fucking business. I’ll get to it when I get to it.” Then he ends the call.

When I steal a peek over at him he gives me a soft smile with a wink. He’s nothing like the man who was on the phone moments ago. I’m started to notice that. He can be hard and clipped with others but not me.

“Is there somewhere else you’re supposed to be? I don’t want you to get in trouble or something.”