Better With You (Better Love 2)

Shit, that’s right. He took them off me. I huff.

I do a quick scan of the room but don’t see my red cotton panties, and when Alex’s big body rustles on the bed, I abandon my search and put my jeans on commando. Once dressed, I tiptoe to the door and take one last glance at the big, beautiful man on the bed. I feel a small twinge of something, a teeny tiny ache, and then I turn and walk out.

I slip on my Docs when I hit the bottom of the stairs, but before I can walk out the front door, I remember the cupcakes. My stomach rumbles at the thought. Damn it. I glance up the stairs and listen closely, but there’s no sign of movement, so I make my way into the kitchen on light feet.

The funfetti cupcakes have been placed on a cooling rack on the counter, and the bowl of icing has been covered with a plastic lid. To say I’m impressed at the tidiness is an understatement.

I open random drawers until I find the one with silverware and take out a butterknife. Then I snag one of the cupcakes, pop open the bowl of icing and scoop some out onto the cupcake. I spread the icing on the top, then lick the excess off the butterknife. The fudge and cherries burst on my tongue, and I release a tiny hum of appreciation. I put the knife on the counter and peel back the cupcake wrapper, taking a giant bite and savoring it.

Damn, that’s good.

“Now who’s the thief?”

I jump at the rumbling voice behind me, and whirl to find Alex leaning on the wall, arms crossed, and wearing only a pair of joggers. His eyebrow is raised and he’s smirking at me, and if I weren’t so startled, I might gawk at how hot he looks.

“I helped make these,” I say, and lick some icing off my finger. “Technically, I should be entitled to half of them.” I take another bite and delight in how his eyes are drawn to my mouth. He watches as I chew and swallow, and when I peek my tongue out to lick my lips, he pushes off the wall and walks toward me.

“You dippin’ out?” he asks, and I nod, placing my half-eaten cupcake on the counter beside me.

“Classes tomorrow.”

He stops in front of me, eyes still fixed on my mouth.

“You’ve got icing,” he murmurs, and when he reaches up and rubs my lower lip with his thumb, I can’t stop the thundering of my heart.

He brings his thumb up to his own mouth and sucks on it, and I can’t fight the tremble that runs through my body. His eyes are full of heat, my head filled with flashes of what we did in his bedroom just a few hours earlier, and I have to take a slow, steadying breath.

“I think cherries might be my new favorite, too,” he whispers.

I give him a small smile, commit his brown eyes to memory, then step around him slowly and make my way down the hall and out the front door.

When I reach Baby, Alex calls to me from the small front porch.

“I still didn’t get your name.”

I pause and cock my head to the side. “You did a pretty good job sleuthing out the last mystery, Butch,” I say, and a grin spreads over his face. I swing my leg over my bike and ready my helmet. “Let’s see if you can go two for two, yeah?”

He lets out a laugh, and then I drive away.