“You okay, Snap?” Lee asked, his eyes wandering from Sophie and then back to me. He’d obviously caught me looking.

I scooped some potatoes up onto my fork and nodded, before shovelling them in my mouth so that I wouldn’t have to speak. Unlike Trevor, who seemed to have decided we were buddies now, Liam and Stu continued to ignore me.

When everyone was finished eating, Lee went over and took a plate covered in tin foil out of the oven.

“Liam, go bring this down to Mrs Spencer, would you?” he said.

Liam nodded and got up, taking the plate from him and heading out. He’d set aside dinner for the old lady? My heart really didn’t know how to deal with that information, because it made him far more appealing than he had any business being.

I tried to help Lee wash up, but he told me to sit and relax. Next, dessert was served, which consisted of a delicious jelly trifle. I was stuffed by the time I was done, and Sophie invited me into the living room to sit with Jonathan and Billie while the boys cleaned up. Standing by the door, I felt unsure of myself, but then looked down and found Billie staring up at me, a doll in her hand.

“Do you want to play with Sally?” she asked, presenting the doll.

“Uh, sure,” I replied, taking it while she led me into the room.

I sat next to Sophie while Billie informed Jonathan they were going to play a game of tea party. I almost laughed when Jonathan screwed up his face in displeasure.

“Trevor said you want to foster her,” I said quietly.

Sophie let out a long sigh. “I suppose you’re going to tell me it’s a bad idea, that I’m too young.”

“Not at all. I think it’s a very honourable thing to do. In fact, I can send you some information if you’d like. It’d help you figure out where to get started.”

She glanced at me in surprise. “Really?”

“Sure.”

Her lip quivered slightly as she shot me a look of thanks and looked back to Billie. “She reminds me so much of myself when I was little, you know. I just hate the idea of her going through what I went through. If I can give her a safe place like Lee gave me a safe place, then I’ll do everything I can to make it happen.”

Lee gave her a safe place, and God, he was only a kid himself. The thought made my heart squeeze yet again. A silence passed between us before Sophie turned to me. “He’s a good person, deep down. We all are.”

Unsure of what to say, I took her hand and gave it a squeeze before finally replying, “I know you are.”

After a while, I excused myself to go use the bathroom. Once there, I splashed some water on my face to freshen up, still feeling kind of crappy after last night’s indulgence. When I returned, I found Lee had come in from the kitchen. He had Billie on his lap as he unravelled the French plait from her hair. I was struck speechless by the sight of him being so affectionate and caring with a child who wasn’t even related to him, and a feeling of warmth spread across my chest.

“There, all done,” he said before Billie turned and gave him a hug.

“Thanks, Lee. Sophie always plaits my hair way too tight,” she told him, rubbing her head.

“Hey! I heard that!” Sophie exclaimed, feigning annoyance.

Lee chuckled, his eyes finding mine, and he saw how I was hovering. “Come in, Snap.”

Stepping inside, I went to sit on the couch, but Lee grabbed my wrist and swung me around, pulling me down to sit next to him on the love seat. The heat of his body pressed all along the side of mine, and I felt a sudden bout of nervousness. It was doubled when Sophie gave Lee a knowing smile and announced she was taking Billie and Jonathan for a walk.

Lee picked up the remote, flicking through the stations. “You want to watch a movie?” he asked, his attention fixed to the screen. Peering at his profile, I took in the smooth sweep of his nose, the angular curve of his lips.

“Okay,” I replied, my voice unexpectedly soft.

It snagged Lee’s attention, and his gaze flicked to mine, catching me studying him. I looked away quickly, fighting a blush.

Without looking, I knew he was smirking. “You looked hot last night in your blue dress.”

“Thanks.”

“Pity I didn’t get to see it.”

“You saw a picture.”

He let out a slow breath. “Not the same thing.”

My attention returned to the screen as Lee selected a movie to watch. I settled into the seat, and he draped his arm along the back. I could feel his heat on my neck then, and there was something relaxing about it. He smelled of a fresh citrus cologne and fabric softener. I wanted to rest my head on his shoulder, but I wasn’t brave enough. The house seemed quiet, and I wondered if his brothers had gone out somewhere.

As the movie progressed, I found my eyes drifting shut. Somewhere along the way, Lee’s arm dropped down and was now tucked around me, holding me close. I felt warm and safe, so much so that I fell asleep. I only woke up when I felt Lee’s nose nuzzling into my temple. The closing credits were rolling down the screen.

“I should get going,” I said past a yawn.

Lee didn’t respond, but instead his mouth dropped slowly to my neck, where he pressed his lips against my skin. A quiet breath escaped me, and his arm pulled my body close. His lips continued to travel from my neck to my jaw, and then finally to the edge of my mouth. When he kissed me, I trembled. It was slow at first, just a gentle press of his mouth before his tongue sneaked out to taste me. There was something about the slowness of his movements that felt drugging. His hands circled my waist, then lifted me so I was straddling him. The kiss intensified as our bodies moved, seeking friction. We stayed like that for a while, and by the time we came up for air, we were both breathless.

“Stay with me tonight,” Lee murmured, his voice a sexy rumble.

I leaned back down to kiss him again, grinding myself off his erection, and his eyes flickered shut. His tongue dipped into my mouth while his hands roamed my bottom.

“Fuck,” he swore. “Let me take you upstairs — otherwise, I’m gonna embarrass myself.”

I felt a blush coming on again when I got his meaning, and allowed him to pull me up from the seat. Lee laced his fingers with mine and led me up two flights of stairs to the attic. His room must have been the biggest in the house. It had a king-sized bed, a flat-screen TV on the wall, a large wardrobe, and an en-suite bathroom. I let go of his hand and walked around, taking it all in. There were two windows, but instead of looking out, they looked up. The way I could see the stars was sort of romantic.

Lee approached me from behind, his arms sliding around my waist, pulling my arse flush with his cock. His mouth returned to my neck, and I swear my entire body turned to liquid.

“You can see the stars from here,” I whispered.

“I’ll make you see stars, Karla,” he promised before pulling me over to his bed. He was unexpectedly tender when he laid me down. It was at odds with the predatory look he gave me as he climbed onto the mattress, his hands going to the waist of my jeans and unbuttoning the fly.

“What are you doing?” I asked, breathless.

When he glanced up his eyes were dark, and I shuddered, recognizing his intention. Seconds later my jeans were gone, and I was left in my T-shirt and boy shorts.

“Hmm, these are sexy,” Lee said, humming. “But they need to go.”

He pulled them off with practiced hands. Nerves coiled in the pit of my stomach when I was bared to him, suddenly aware of the fact that he hadn’t even turned the lights off. This was so much different from being with him in the darkness of the nightclub. Here in his bedroom, he was going to be able to see everything. I clammed up, and he seemed to sense it.

“Don’t do that,” he whispered. “You’re beautiful.”

His eyes wandered between my legs, gently parting my thighs so he could see all of me. Letting out a low expletive, he rose long enough to rid himself of his clothes. I stared open-mouthed at his body, at the taut muscles and smooth skin. His cock was unmistakably hard, and when he fisted it, pumping up and down, a fire sparked within me. I was so wet for him I ached.