Chapter Seven Temptation
Haven
“T he Lord is testing me,” I say quietly to myself as I stand in the hallway of Chris’ giant house, waiting for him to finish cleaning up.
I have to admit, when I first got here with Oliver, I was stunned by how big the place was, and how nice. Of course, I’m familiar with the two-story farmhouse and the large acreage it sits on, but it’s sat empty for quite some time because few people in the area can afford its upkeep.
Chris must be really smart with money to afford this place, though his salary from the oil company is probably pretty good. Even Garrett makes good money from the rigs. Still, would it be good enough to maintain this place? Especially since he only has his income to work with?
I shake my head, banishing the thoughts away. His finances are none of my business. If he can somehow afford this place, then good for him. It’s a beautiful house, and the acreage seems like it’d be a great place for a kid. There’s so much room to run and play outside.
More than the house and land is Chris himself.
Why am I so tempted by him?
First, he comes home covered in oil and sweat, hair swept back like he stepped out of some blue collar magazine… and shirtless to add! He has to be messing with me.That isn’t normal, is it? To be shirtless like that walking into your home when you know you have a sitter watching your kid.
The weight of the situation sits heavily on me. He’s gorgeous, and sweet—at least as far as I’ve seen. Yet, I can’t tell if that’s just who he is or if he’s tempting me.
Maybe I’m just overthinking things. It wouldn’t be the first time.
As I leave Oliver’s room and make my way down the hallway, Chris’ bedroom door is cracked open a bit. As much as I should continue downstairs, I can’t help the curiosity that fills me. Coming to a stop outside his door, I glance around, half expecting someone to jump out of a shadowed corner to catch me.
Obviously, there’s no one there, at least not since I watched the woman who was cleaning when I arrived here leave, but that was hours ago. Taking a deep breath, I slowly peer into his bedroom. The sound of running water turns my attention to a partial cracked door on the far side of the room. It doesn’t take a genius to realize it’s the bathroom, and while every part of me says I should turn around and leave, I can’t.
My mouth goes dry. This seems a little too careless of him. Did he forget that I was here? Or… is he offering some sort of invitation?
No! I need to shut that train of thought down now. I can’t cross that line with one of my student’s parents. Yet, here I am like a fucking weirdo standing in his bedroom while he’s in the shower.
What the hell am I doing?
Damn my attraction to roughnecks and any guy who works hard. He looked so good . Not to mention, I bet he’s good in bed. Confident, dominant, and attentive… he probably knows just what to do to get a woman to go crazy.
Stop it .
But It's been a long time. Years. God, how many years now? I don’t even want to count. It’s not like I’ve intentionally been celibate—I was busy with graduate school and the daycare, plus I live in the same town as my older brother who is massively protective…
The shower suddenly turns off, and I’m jolted back to reality.
Shit! How long have I been standing here?
I totally spaced out thinking about Chris and his potential skills in bed that I left myself completely open to being caught in his room. The sound of him getting out of the shower causes my heart to race. I beeline for the door and scramble down the hallway. I need to get downstairs before he catches me lingering around like a creep.
I manage to get to the living room and sit on the couch before I hear him on the stairs. Trying my best to appear nonchalant, I lean back against the couch cushions and turn my head to give him a casual smile, but I freeze when I see that he’s wearing gray sweatpants… and no shirt. My jaw drops at the sight of his chiseled torso and six-pack.
Holy shit.
I realize I’m blatantly staring at him and jerk my gaze away, but my cheeks are on fire. When I hear him release a soft chuckle, I jump to my feet. Humiliation thrumming through me.
“I… I’m sorry,” I stammer. “I should get going. Have a good night.”
I start in the direction of the front door, but Chris steps in my path.
“Wait, hold on,” he says with a grin. “You don’t have to go.”
Forcing my gaze up to his, I reply, “It’s late and you’re probably exhausted…”
He takes a step closer to me and my breath leaves me in a rush.
“You seem nervous.” He chuckles. “Do I make you nervous?”
“No… no,” I insist, though the squeak in my voice instantly gives me away. “You don’t make me nervous.”
“Are you sure?” He moves a fraction of a step closer and I move back. “You seem nervous.”
“Why would you say that?”
Another step forward for him, another step back for me. When I find myself pressed against a wall, my heart races and he keeps coming closer until there’s barely any room separating us.
He raises one hand and rests it on the wall next to my head.
“Because,” he says in a low, rumbling voice, “you’re blushing, and I’m pretty sure you were lingering around my bedroom while I was showering.”
I blink and shake my head trying to push away the thoughts of him naked in the shower like some immature high school girl who's never seen a good looking man before.
“No… no, I wasn’t. I simply put Oliver to bed… that’s all.”
He laughs, my heart dropping into my stomach as my face continues to flush. “You weren’t as quick as you thought you were. I caught you running down the hall just as you reached the stairs.”
Of course you did. That figurative hole in the ground can swallow me at any time.
“I wasn’t peeping or anything,” I insist, clearing my throat as I try to play dumb. But by the amused expression on his face, he isn’t buying what I’m trying to sell.
“I didn’t say you were.”
Releasing a short breath, I grumble, “Then what are we doing right now? What is this?”
He appears thoughtful, a heavy breath escaping him as he stares at me with his dangerously blue eyes. “Honestly? I’m not entirely sure, but… I don’t think I want to stop.”
Reaching up, he gently takes hold of my chin and tilts my head up. Every part of me is screaming that this is wrong. That I shouldn’t be acting this way with this man. I barely know him, and I can’t get myself involved with a parent or anyone else for that matter.
But the other part of me… wants this.
“Chris…” I whisper, letting my tongue swipe across my bottom lip as I try to collect my thoughts. “Maybe we should take a moment…”
He doesn’t say a word as he leans down and presses his lips against mine. I gasp, my lips parting at the contact as he slips his tongue into my mouth and slowly licks at mine.
Heat sizzles through my body and I press my thighs together trying to stifle the excitement currently coursing through me.
I’ve never felt this kind of immediate desire for someone before, and my first instinct is to give in and let myself melt into him. However, that small annoying voice in the back of my head reminds me that I shouldn’t be doing this with him.
And yet… I can’t seem to push him away.
“Chris,” I whisper, pulling my lips from his and turning my head. “This is a bad idea.”
“It is,” he agrees, and then leans down to kiss my throat, sucking a small mark right at the base. I moan, my knees going weak, as he presses me up against the wall, kissing and sucking down the skin of my neck.
Letting my head fall back, my eyes flutter closed. While my hands, with a mind of their own, slide up across the soft skin of his torso, feeling every ridge of hard muscle he has concealed behind the clothes he wears every day when I see him.
As much as I shouldn’t, I want this.
I want him to do every sinful thing to me I’ve imagined since I met him.
His hand slides over my hips and down my belly, moving closer and closer to the waistband of my pants. I can’t help but let out a gasp of excitement. I know what his intentions are, and fuck, I want every bit of it.
“Daddy? Daddy! Thirsty!”
Chris and I both freeze. My eyes widen as Oliver’s voice washes over me like a cold bucket of water.
What the hell am I doing? What the hell are we doing?
Chris doesn’t move and let me go, but I can see his jaw clenching as he swallows.
“Be up in a little bit, buddy,” he calls, his eyes locked on me.
Biting my lip, I stare back at him, uncertain what I should do.
“I should get up there,” he murmurs, clearly reluctant to leave.
Slowly, I nod. “Yeah… you should. You wouldn’t want him coming down here.”
Releasing a long sigh, he pushes away from the wall and steps back. Allowing me a moment to breathe.
“Don’t leave,” he says, softly. “Please.”
I don’t respond as he makes his way into the kitchen. When he comes back out with a glass of water, I’m still standing up against the wall. His gaze bores into mine as he passes me by.
“I’ll be right back,” he says, his tone rough and demanding.
He climbs the stairs to the second floor, and the sound of him moving down the hall snaps me out of my daze.
What am I doing? I can’t stay here. What just happened between us was a momentary lapse in judgment, but it can’t continue. I know when he comes back downstairs, he’s going to want to continue where we left off. A part of me really wants to as well, really, really badly.
Which means I need to get out of here. Now!
Moving away from the wall, I grab my purse and hurry to the front door. Carefully opening it so I don’t tip him off that I’m sneaking out, I slip outside and close it shut behind me.
I rush to my car and climb inside. I need to keep moving so I don’t change my mind and go back inside and enjoy a hot night with a man who needs to stay off-limits.
God, Marie is going to kill me for leaving.
Driving away from his house, my mind races with thoughts about the kiss we just shared. It was so intense… easily the most intense kiss I’ve ever had. I can’t explain it, but there’s something about Chris that brings out this deep, primal need within me. It’s kind of scary how overwhelming my desire for him became. Even now, it simmers beneath the surface, as if just waiting for our next encounter to blaze back to life.
Squeezing my steering wheel tighter, I try to push the thoughts of him and I from my head. It can’t happen again. No matter what.
No matter how amazing that kiss was, it’s a one and done thing. Maybe someday, after Oliver has left my care…
My phone suddenly buzzes and I glance down at it, not at all surprised to see Chris’ name flashing across the screen. Guilt twists my belly, but I shove the feeling away as best I can. Instead of answering, I let it go to voicemail. Hearing his voice right now would be too great of a temptation.
It’ll be okay. I’m just worked up right now, but tomorrow, I’ll be calmer and more rational. Chris and I will talk about what happened, and I’ll explain why it simply can’t happen again. Everything will be fine… just fine.
I’m an adult woman who can control her urges… even when they’re tempted by the sexiest man I’ve ever met in my life.
Shaking my head, I banish thoughts of Chris away and focus on the road ahead… both literally and figuratively.
In the morning, everything will be easier to deal with… including my burning need for the hot new dad at my center.