“I thought I should clean you off,” I say with a sassy smile as I lie back on the bed and open my legs, then crook my finger at him, inviting him to join me.

“You surprise the shit out of me,” he says as he kisses my belly, and then each of my breasts, teasing the nipples with his nose and tongue. The change in pace is fun, going from wild and urgent to lazy and playful.

He slips back inside me and covers me once more, his arms braced on either side of my head, hands in my hair, mouth just inches from my own.

“Every time I slip inside you is like the first time,” he murmurs. “It’s so fucking amazing.”

“Mmm,” I agree and close my eyes as he moves in long, slow strokes. “You fit me perfectly.”

He kisses me softly. “I can taste you on your lips.”

I grin.

“It’s damn sexy.”

“That was fun. I’ve never done that before.”

His eyes flair. “I want you to have lots of firsts with me, baby.”

“There have already been quite a few.”

My hands trail down his back to his ass. God, I love his ass. I pull him even closer to me and we both gasp. “You have a great ass.”

“Ass girl, are you?”

“I’m pretty much a fan of every part of your body.”

He pauses and kisses the corner of my mouth. “I can’t get enough of you.”

“I’m right here.” I clench down on him and watch his eyes dilate. “Like that, do you?”

“God, you’re going to kill me.”

“I’m going to take that as a compliment.”

“I’m concerned that you can string sentences together,” he says matter-of-factly. “I think that means that I’m not doing my job.”

“Oh, you’re doing it.” I catch my breath and bite my lip when he slips a hand between us and presses his thumb to my clit. “Oh yeah, definitely doing it.”

He nibbles down my jaw to my neck while still pressing to my clit, moving just a little faster in and out of me, and now I can’t even remember my name.

God, he makes me come undone.

Every. Time.

“Lost your words?”

“Fuck.”

“That’s a good one.” He chuckles and grinds into me, pushing his pubis against his thumb and that’s all it takes. I fall right over into oblivion.

He follows me over, then collapses on the bed next to me, breath heaving, sweating.

Sexy as ever.

“Why is this so easy with you?” I ask, staring at the ceiling, waiting for my heart to return to normal.

“Maybe I just know what I’m doing?” he replies sarcastically.

“Well, you do, yes.” I chuckle and turn on my side, facing him. “But I’m comfortable with you. It’s amazing, but it’s also just…easy.”

“Because we trust each other,” he replies and gently runs his fingertip down the bridge of my nose. “I feel like I’ve known you a long time. This might sound silly, but I feel like your heart and my heart are very old friends.”

I blink at him as my heart swoons. But he’s exactly right. I trust him. I feel like I’ve known him forever.

This feels like…home.

Chapter Eleven

~Gabby~

“Mom! Mom!” Sam jumps out of my mom’s car and runs right for me, smiling and happy to be home. His face is a little darker from all the sunshine he’s been soaking up in Florida.

And nothing ever looked so good in my life.

“Hey, sweet boy.” I swoop him up in a big hug, holding him extra close, kissing his head and breathing him in. “Oh my goodness, I missed you.”

“I was only gone for eight days,” he says with a giggle, but he doesn’t pull away quite yet.

“It was a long eight days. Entirely too quiet. And you’re my baby. I missed you.”

“I’m not a baby,” he whispers. “But if it makes you feel better to hug me a really long time, I guess it’s okay.”

“Thank you so much,” I say sarcastically, then pull back and take a look at him. “You had fun?”

He nods enthusiastically. “It was a lot of fun! But I think Nannan is ready for me to be home.” He leans in and whispers in my ear. “I’m a handful.”

I kiss his cheek, laughing, as I stand and smile at my mom. “Yes, you are. Hi, Mama.”

“Hello, dawlin’.” I pull Sam’s suitcase out of the trunk and hug my petite mother. “Sam is the apple of my eye, and I couldn’t love him more.”

“But I’m a handful,” Sam announces proudly. He’s leaning against my side, his arm around my waist. He’ll be extra clingy tonight at bedtime, and this is one time that I don’t mind in the least.

“That you are, sweetheart,” I reply. “Was he okay?”

“Oh, he’s an angel,” she says and I scoff. “He really is very good. Those kids just have so much energy! I need a nap.” She hugs Sam and then me. “You look beautiful, sweet girl.”

“Thank you, Mama.”

“Thank you for taking me, Nannan,” Sam says with a smile.

“You’re welcome, child. I need to rest up for next year.” She waves and drives away.

“I have something for you,” I tell Sam as we walk up the steps of the front porch.

“You do? Where?” He starts searching my pockets, but I hold his hands away, laughing.

“Not on me. Here.” I pass the bag that Neil left for him and watch him dig in, then look up at me with wide eyes.

“Wow! All this stuff is signed!”

“Yep. Neil came down to visit Rhys, and he left this stuff for you.”

“Oh, man! I miss all the good stuff!” His shoulders slump and he pouts for just a moment, but then he pulls the jersey over his head and grins. It hangs down to his knees, but he doesn’t care in the least.

“Lookin’ good.”

“Where’s Rhys?”

“Right here.” The man in question walks up the porch stairs and pats Sam’s back as my son hugs Rhys around the waist. “Hey, buddy.”

“I’m so happy that you’re still here!”

Suddenly, my phone rings in my pocket. The caller ID says Unknown Number, but I answer anyway. “Hello?”

Nothing.

“Hello?” I say again with a frown, but the line clicks and the call ends. Huh. Must have been a wrong number.

“No one there?” Rhys asks.

“Nope. Probably a telemarketer.” I shrug and pocket the phone.

“Mom, can I go play catch with Mr. Rhys?”

“Why don’t you join us?” Rhys adds with a grin.

“Moms don’t play catch,” Sam says with a frown. “She’s a girl.”

“Hey, now.” I prop my hands on my hips and narrow my eyes on my son. “Girls can definitely play catch. I do it with you all the time.”

Sam grins. “Prove it.”

“And the gauntlet has been thrown!” Rhys claps his hands. “Do you have another mitt, Sam?”

“Sure!” He runs inside to gather the mitts and balls.

“He loves you so much,” Rhys says, surprising me.

“I love him back,” I reply.

“I know.”

“I found them!” Sam comes running back outside, down the steps, and into the front yard. “Come on!”

We each put a mitt on, and Sam starts by tossing the ball to Rhys, who then throws the ball to me. I easily catch it.

“Wow, Mom, good catch!” Sam laughs and spins in a circle.

“Pay attention. It’s coming for you.” I throw the ball to Sam, and he catches it.

“Nice arm,” Rhys says.

“Don’t sound so surprised. I had three older brothers, you know.”

Sam throws the ball back to me.

“Show me what you’ve got,” Rhys says and backs farther away from me, then holds his hand up, ready to catch what I throw him.

So I do.

I throw it just like Beau showed me when I was kid, and the ball lands in Rhys’s glove. I hold my glove up. “Don’t be easy on me.”

“I will hurt you, sugar. I’ve been clocked at one hundred miles an hour.”

“Don’t throw me a fast ball,” I reply with a roll of my eyes. “I’m not Neil. But I’m not a wimp.”

I punch my fist into my mitt and spread my legs, ready for whatever he throws at me.

He watches me for a minute, his eyes full of humor, and not a little bit of lust, and finally he smiles at me in that way that makes my stomach clench. He winds up, as if he’s at the mound, and throws the ball right into my mitt.