“Not at all. Please work in many ‘beautifuls’ and ‘funnys’ with it too,” I instruct.
“I was going to start with that.” He laughs and lowers me on the couch. I immediately move over to one side, making space for him. Lying next to me, he says, “Then I would’ve added that you’re smart and the warmest person I’ve ever met.”
“Are your complimenting services available for hire?”
“They’re free for you.”
I poke his chest, smirking. “Nothing is free.”
“You can pay me with sex.” A devilish smile inches its way across his face.
I offer him a peek of my boob. “Is this payment enough?”
He purses his lips, as if seriously considering his words. “I might need to see the other one to make up my mind. And possibly that sweet ass of yours too.”
“Did you just compliment my ass? You’re cheeky.”
“Hey, I call it like I see it. And you have a perfect ass.”
“I do?” I ask coyly, suddenly ridiculously pleased with myself. God, this man knows how to make me smile. “Is that why you’re staring at it every chance you get?”
“I do,” he admits, and we both burst out laughing.
“I should buy clothes that put it more on display to see if it has the same effect on everyone else.”
He pulls me in to a hug and climbs over me. “You will do no such thing.”
“Can we negotiate?” I tease.
He traces my jaw with his fingers, spreading my legs with his knees. “You are mine, Pippa. There’s nothing negotiable about it.”
He kisses me deeply, cupping my face with one hand. I revel in the warmth of his body and the power of his lips, all the while trying to forget there is an expiration date to this.
Chapter Sixteen
Eric
“Dad,” Julie says on Saturday morning, “we need to talk about something important.”
I blink, placing my cup of coffee back on the table. The scrambled egg I ate for breakfast feels like a stone in my stomach. Nothing good ever comes from the words ‘we need to talk.’
“I’m listening,” I say.
Julie places her elbows on the table, frowning at me. Her own plate of scrambled eggs is still half-full, and she’s seemed lost in thought all morning.
“Do you think I will ever have a brother or sister?”
I jerk my head back. “What?”
My daughter sighs, placing her head in her hands, looking troubled. “I always wanted a sister. Or a brother. I have two girls in my design class who are sisters, and they do everything together. I mean, I know I couldn’t do everything with a sister, if I had one right now, because she’d be tiny, but I could do things for her. Like buy her clothes and read her stories. Then when she grows up, I can look out for her. She probably wouldn’t want me to hang out with her, because when she’ll be twelve like I am now, I’ll be twenty-four, which is ancient.”
Julie is now talking to herself more than to me, which is just as good, because I am utterly speechless. My gut clenches. She would have had at least one sibling if it weren’t for the accident.
“So, what do you think? Any chances of me having a sister or brother?” she presses.
“I didn’t know you wanted one until two minutes ago.”
Julie crosses her arms over her chest. “Do you want more kids?”