Even in times of stress, she wanted him. Wanted to be close to him, touch him, and taste him.
“You are not allowed to apologize for someone else’s words or actions, okay?” He rubbed his hand over Kayla’s head as he spoke. The baby lay on her back in the space his crisscrossed legs made. Her eyes drooped with the heaviness of a child on the brink of sleep. Whenever his hand stroked her little head, she let out a small, contented coo that had Hannah smiling.
Why couldn’t her parents see what she did? How kind he was? And generous? And what a fantastic father he was turning out to be?
All they saw were tattoos, a father in prison, and a relative with a public past. Nothing but imperfections. Full stop. As though they themselves were faultless.
Far from it.
Still, she felt responsible for subjecting JP to their vitriol, and leaving the guilt behind would be a mountain of a task. With a sigh, she said, “But I—”
“Nuh-uh.” He held a finger in front of her face. “All I want to hear is ‘Yes, JP. I will not apologize for other people’s words and actions,’” he said as he tapped her lips.
A small laugh escaped as she rolled her eyes. “Yes, JP. I will try to stop apologizing for other people’s words and actions.”
“Try, huh? Pretty sure I didn’t say it like that, but close enough.” He gathered up a snoozing Kayla and settled her in the crook of his arm. “Well, well, someone found all this drama too boring to stay awake.” As he spoke, he crossed the room toward the door. “I’m gonna lay her down. Don’t go anywhere.” With a wink, he was off to place Kayla in the small den where Hannah had set up a portable crib.
She used the few seconds of solitude to take a break and try to shake off the phone call. Time with JP was precious, and she wouldn’t waste any of it stressing over something out of her control.
Or at least she’d work to stop stressing.
In less than twenty seconds, he was back and lingering in the doorway with his hands propped on the frame above his head. The move hiked the hem of his T-shirt, baring a strip of perfect abs.
“I was going to suggest we go grab a late breakfast, but it seems like Kayla had other plans.” His lips curled into a wicked grin. “Whatever should we do to pass the time until she wakes?”
“Hmmm,” Hannah said, rubbing her chin as she grinned. “You know I haven’t scrubbed the toilets recently. You could help me with that.”
“Ooo, yeah, that sounds like a blast.” He stalked forward, keeping his hot gaze burning into her skin.
That was all it took for her to want him—one fiery look. Wetness seeped into her panties, preparing her for whatever he had in mind. He licked his lips, and her sex clenched. Whatever he was about to do, it had better include him inside her. And soon.
“Or, we could, you know, fuck ourselves stupid, then get lunch instead of breakfast, then put Kayla down for her afternoon nap, and fuck all over again.” He reached her and bent to press his mouth next to her ear. “Then after she goes to sleep tonight, I’ll spread you out on my bed and eat you for dessert. All. Night. Long.”
Her mouth opened and closed. Sign me up. The man was lethal. “Um, yeah, okay. Let’s do that. Your plan. It sounds, uh, good.”
Chuckling, he captured her earlobe between his teeth. Immediately goose bumps popped up all over, and she shivered as her skin felt more charged than a minefield.
“Just good, huh? I was hoping it’d be orgasmic.” Warm breath tickled her ear, making her sigh in pleasure.
God, she loved this man. He made everything fun and focused on the positive. Didn’t dwell in anger and negativity. Yes, she loved him for sure.
Oh crap.
“Uh, yeah,” she said, clearing away the thickness in her throat as her insides went haywire. Love? What was she supposed to do with love? It hadn’t been part of the plan. In fact, it was the opposite of the plan. Yet there she was. Smitten and head over heels in love with the father of her sister’s baby. “Or—uh, orgasmic for sure.”
“That’s my girl,” he said a blink before he descended on her mouth. Hannah kissed him back with everything she had. If she couldn’t voice her love for him, she’d do her damn best to show him with her body.
His kisses were delicious. Deep, drugging, all-consuming sweeps of his skillful tongue that traveled all the way to her soul.
“JP,” she whispered, as he kissed a path to her collar bone. Her head dropped back, allowing him full access to anything he wanted.
“Lie back,” he whispered between kisses.