Her gaze darts to their path. “I have a feeling I’m going to love it.”
Not as much as I will.
***
“You cooked?”
I turn at the sound of Afton’s voice to find her wearing my T-shirt.
Fuck. I could get used to that.
She steps closer to where I’m standing behind her kitchen island. I tugged my boxer briefs and jeans on after I fucked her for a second time. That didn’t happen until after I ate her out twice.
I savored every second of all of it.
I still want more, but I want her to eat.
“I’m sorry I fell asleep.” She pads across the floor on bare feet.
“I’m not.”
She licks her bottom lip. “You should never wear an apron when you cook.”
I glance down at my bare chest. “The guys at the firehouse would have a problem with that.”
Plopping herself on one of the stools, she laughs. “I don’t.”
I turn my attention back to the stove and the vegetable stir-fry I’m working on. I cooked some wild rice and a chicken breast I found in the fridge before she appeared to distract me.
“You made all of this?”
I glance up to wink at her. “I told you I could cook.”
“I know, but this is a feast.” She rubs her stomach through the T-shirt. “I’m famished.”
I carve thin slices from the chicken breast. “You worked up an appetite.”
Bowing her head, she laughs. “That was one hell of a workout, Luke.”
I agree.
That was the best sex of my life.
I finish with the chicken breast before I divide it between two plates I found in a cupboard. Then I add some rice and vegetables to each before I hand one off to Afton.
She wiggles her fingers in the air. “I need a fork unless you want to feed me every bite.”
I’d do it. I’d do anything for her, but I spin around to the utensil drawer and yank out a couple of forks.
When I turn back to her, tears are welling in her eyes.
It hits me hard enough that I feel that same emotion charging through me, but I bite it back because I want to comfort her, not burden her with my overwrought emotions.
I drop the forks on the island before I round it to take the seat next to her. I gather her hands in mine. She’s shaking.
“Afton,” I say her name softly. “Tell me what you’re feeling. Tell me what I can do to help you.”
Her bottom lip trembles. “I’m fine. It’s nothing.”
That’s bullshit.
“It’s something,” I insist. “I want to know what’s going through your head right now.”
She nods with her gaze still cast down. “Today has been….Luke, it’s been more than I ever imagined a day could be.”
Resting a fingertip against the bottom of her chin, I coax her head up, so her gaze meets mine. “It’s been the best day of my life.”
A single tear falls from her eye unto her cheek, so I scoop it up with the pad of my thumb.
“It’s not over yet,” I remind her. “We’re going to eat dinner, have dessert, work on that fucking puzzle, and then I’m taking you back to bed.”
“Forget the puzzle. I’m close to throwing it out.”
I shake my head as I drag my plate closer to where I’m sitting. “I’m not a quitter. It’s a challenge I’m going to overcome.”
She smiles. “It’s a challenge we will overcome together.”
I fucking love the sound of that.
Chapter 34
Afton
“You, my dear sister-in-law, got laid last night.”
I step aside to give Joel room to enter my home. He comes bearing gifts in the form of coffee and a box from a bakery that makes the best cupcakes in the city.
“I’m going to ignore that,” I say, reaching for the coffee.
“No, no.” He holds the cup just out of my reach. “You get these morsels of delight after you spill the beans about how good the fireman is in the sack.”
I mime locking my lips shut and tossing the key over my shoulder.
He stomps his wing-tipped shoe on the floor of my foyer. “Alright, just nod in agreement, okay?”
I shrug.
“You barely slept.”
I nod.
He squints his eyes. “There was an orgasm or two involved.”
I jerk my thumb up.
“What?” His eyes widen. “Three?”
I jerk it up again.
“Four?” His voice rises to an almost screech. “You came four times last night?”
I spread all the fingers in my hand out and break my silence. “Five times, I think. I kind of lost count.”
“Marry him.”
Snatching the cup of coffee from his palm, I laugh. “I’m not marrying him. We’re having fun.”
“Is this still going on?” Joel glances over my shoulder. “Is he here looking for more? I can get the hell out, and you can fill me in on all the details later.”
I motion for him to step forward. “He left early this morning. He was called to work.”
I was jarred awake when Luke’s phone rang just after six this morning. He answered it immediately while he held me tightly against him.