“Then I’ve done a really shitty job of showing you how much I love you. And I plan to never make that mistake again. You deserve to know how much I love you every single minute of every day. And I mean it, Hannah. I have no intention of keeping Kayla from them. It’s important for her to have that connection to her mother. But only if they follow through.”
“Thank you,” she whispered as the emotion clogging her throat stole voice. “JP, I love you too. So much.”
“We’ll figure everything out, and we’ll make it work. I’m not losing you, Hannah.”
This time, she kissed him, grabbing his shoulders and yanking him to her. If she had her way, they wouldn’t come up for air for the rest of the day. Maybe a few days.
A light smacking sound penetrated her lust-filled brain. What the…
She glanced over her shoulder to see Kayla staring at them and whacking her little palms together in an uncoordinated clap. She grinned her toothless smile and giggled.
“Oh, my God,” Hannah said. Heat rushed to her face. “I forgot she was there. I was about to…well, do things she shouldn’t see. How could I forget about her?”
JP laughed. “I have that effect.” He laughed again as Hannah slapped his shoulder. “Hey!”
She looked up into his heated gaze. “Yeah?”
“Come back with me tomorrow. Stay with me. With us. For good. Be my family.”
Hannah peeked at Kayla, who’d gone back to stacking books. Her entire life had changed since she got on a plane to Vermont. She’d changed inside. Finally allowing herself to break free of her parents’ chains had brought magic to her life. Nothing was guaranteed, and as everyone in her family knew, situations could turn on a dime. Never again would she let life pass her by because of fear, guilt, or anxiety. She would grab every experience with both hands and hang on tight.
She gave JP her full attention.
“There’s nowhere else I’d rather be than with you and Kayla.”
This time as they kissed, she swore she heard Mary Anne clapping right along with Kayla, and she sent thanks to her sister for bringing JP into her life.
EPILOGUE
HANNAH SMELLED LIKE sugar and vanilla. A mouthwatering combination JP couldn’t resist. Especially when he knew how it tasted on her skin.
“JP, quit it,” Hannah said, giggling as she swatted his forehead with her spatula.
“Mmm.” He nibbled up the side of her neck to her ear. “I can’t stop. You’re too delicious.” As expected, she shivered as soon as his teeth grazed her earlobe.
“Well, um, you, uh need to stop,” she said in a breathy tone that told him he was winning, and she’d be forgetting all about frosting the cake in a few seconds. “I have to finish—oh, screw it.”
She dropped the spatula on the counter with a clatter, then turned and threaded her arms around his neck. Her lips found his, and he dove into the sweetest treat of all.
“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” Ronnie grumbled from somewhere off to the side.
Hannah jerked in his arms then pulled away, face flushing. “Sorry, Ronnie. Blame him. He distracted me.” She spun back around and resumed frosting the cake she’d baked, then tossed, then re-baked no less than three times.
“Yes, Ronnie,” he said with a scowl for his annoying sister. “Blame me for distracting my girl who is currently freaking the fuck out about her parent’s first visit.”
His sister had the good grace to wince. “Shit, sorry, I forgot. I have an interview with a chef tomorrow that’s got me all up in my head.”
“You’re nervous about that?” Hannah asked, setting down her utensils. Well, if his mouth couldn’t distract her, at least something could. Her parents scheduled this visit a few weeks ago, and Hannah had been a ball of nerves ever since. In the six months since they’d left Colorado together, Hannah had only spoken to them a few times by phone. Her mother had ended up checking herself into an intensive inpatient therapy program while her father began outpatient visits.
According to both their psychologists, they’d made marked improvements, had a stable medication regimen, and were ready to visit.
They would arrive tomorrow morning. Hence Hannah’s baking, mad cleaning fits, a shopping spree for Kayla, and nerves. For his part, he’d done his best to de-stress her with as many orgasms as possible. Soon as he could pry her away from this damn cake, he’d be getting back to that strategy.
“The guy seems like a dick,” Ronnie said with a roll of her eyes. She leaned against the counter and accepted a cupcake that didn’t make the grade from Hannah. “Thanks. I know he’s supposed to be this cultured, fancy, world-class chef, but is it a requirement for him to be an arrogant ass? I mean, we haven’t even done the interview, and the guy thinks he runs my kitchen already.”