Chapter 15 Foster #2
“It’s January. Quincy doesn’t exactly have a booming housing market, especially in the winter.”
I sighed. My asshole of a realtor should have told me about the condition of the gym. Or I should have asked for a virtual walk-through. Maybe if he’d known I was bringing my daughter to live here, he would have warned me against it. Damn, I should have bought a house.
“You guys should come stay at my place,” Talia said.
“Huh?” I blinked. Had I heard that right? “Seriously?”
“You can stay at the hotel if you want, but you’ll need a kitchen. I happen to have a kitchen and two guest bedrooms. I’ll also give my realtor a call, see if she has anything on the market.”
I was still stuck on the invitation. “You’d really let us stay?”
“If you want.” She shrugged. “But if you’d rather stay here, then—”
“Ten minutes.” I held up a hand, already moving toward the bedroom. “Just give me ten minutes to pack some stuff.”
“How about you let her sleep?” Talia dug her keys from her coat pocket. “Come over when she wakes up. I’ll stop at the store and grab some soup for dinner.”
Was this a dream? “ ’Kay.”
“See you in a bit.” She waved and headed out, leaving me stuck in place. Then I glanced around, really looking at the apartment. It was a far cry better than what it had been. It was clean and tidy. But there was no life here. This was fit for a bachelor, not a little girl.
And if Talia was willing to let me be closer, I’d jump at the chance. For me and for Kadence.
While Kadence slept, I moved around the apartment, packing quietly.
Vivienne called and checked in, and after we talked for a few minutes, I made sure the space heaters were plugged in and close to the sinks, with one in the bathroom, so hopefully the pipes wouldn’t freeze.
There was no other choice but to leave them running, even if I wasn’t here.
But if the building burned down, well . . . I wouldn’t be heartbroken.
It was nearly dark outside by the time Kadence stirred from her nap. I had her suitcase and my own packed and loaded into the truck, so all I had to do was carry her outside and buckle her into her seat.
“Where are we going?” She yawned, cuddling her favorite green blankie.
“We’re going to stay with Talia for a little bit. Until we get the heat working at the gym.”
“Okay.” She yawned again, not voicing a single word of protest. Not that I’d expected one. She hadn’t complained about the gym but she hadn’t complimented it either.
The lights of Talia’s house were a welcome sight when we parked on the street. So was the woman standing on the porch, ready to wave us inside.
I took Kaddie in first, leaving her with Talia, while I hurried to bring in our bags. Then I closed the door behind me, toeing off my boots, before following the sound of voices into the kitchen.
A bar separated the kitchen from a dining nook. Kadence was sitting on a stool, her attention on Talia as she moved around the room, ladling soup from a pot on the stove into a small bowl.
Maybe it should have been awkward, the first night as a guest in her home, but as Talia served our dinner, the three of us ate chicken noodle soup and it felt like something we’d done a hundred times.
But that was Talia. That was us. Even when she was angry or frustrated with me, it hadn’t been awkward. We were too in tune with each other. We flowed, always had.
After dinner, Kadence took a warm bath before settling into the guest bedroom.
Talia checked her temperature and gave her another dose of Tylenol.
And when my daughter was dressed in her favorite pink dinosaur pajamas, I brushed out her damp hair and curled beside her in bed, waiting until she was asleep before easing out of the room.
Talia was in the kitchen, the dishwasher running and the leftovers stowed away. The wind had picked up after dinner, whipping snow against the house. “Is she asleep?”
“She’s exhausted.” I yawned, rubbing the back of my neck. The kink I’d gotten from too many nights on the couch felt permanent. “I hope she can rest.”
“Me too. Your room is next to hers. I’ll be upstairs if you need anything. Just make yourself at home.”
I nodded. “Appreciated.”
“See you in the morning.” That scent of coconut and lime filled my nose as she walked by, heading for the staircase.
I drew in a long breath, holding it in my nose, forcing my feet to stay exactly where they were.
She hadn’t invited me here tonight for anything but a decent place to stay.
And as much as I wanted to follow her upstairs, to find out what color sheets she had on her bed, I stood at the counter, gripping the edge tight.
It wasn’t until I heard the sound of a door closing upstairs that I wandered down the hallway to the bedroom next to Kaddie’s.
The bed was plush and warm as I slid beneath the covers. Given how many restless nights I’d had lately, I should have conked right out. Instead, I listened to the wind howl and stared at the ceiling. What was Talia dreaming about tonight?
A light turned on, casting a glow toward my open door. I shoved out of bed, wearing only a pair of boxer briefs, and padded toward the kitchen. Talia stood at the sink, filling a glass of water.
The sight of her made my mouth go dry.
She was wearing an oversized T-shirt that had once been dark green, but after countless washings, the color had faded over time.
Her back was to me, but she didn’t need to turn.
I already knew what was on the front of that tee.
It barely fell past the curve of her ass.
Her toned legs were bare. Her hair was pulled up in a messy knot, a few strands escaping down the long column of her neck.
Fuck, but she was perfect. There would never be another woman, only Talia, wearing one of my old T-shirts.
Maybe she’d deleted my phone number. But she hadn’t tossed that tee.
“Couldn’t sleep?” I asked.
She startled, turning to face me and pressing a hand to her heart.
“Sorry.” I stepped into the room, loving the flare of lust in her eyes when she took in my naked chest. “I wondered where that shirt went.”
Her gaze dropped, taking in the distressed white shamrock on the front. “Your lucky tee.”
“My lucky tee.” I walked right into her space, not giving her a chance to object as I framed her face with my hands. “Thief.”
“You abandoned it in my drawer.”
“Then I guess I’ll have to steal it back.” I crushed my mouth to hers, wrapping my arms around her.
Talia rose up on her toes, her tongue tangling with mine as I swept into her mouth, savoring her sweet taste with a hint of mint toothpaste.
God, this woman. She tasted good. Felt good. I held her tighter, one arm over her shoulder while the other came around her ribs. Pinned.
She did the same, holding me so tight it was like she didn’t ever want to let go. There was no space between us as I hefted her up, setting her ass on the counter. Then I kissed her deeper, leaving no corner of her mouth untouched.
Fire spread through my veins. She lifted her legs, wrapping them around my hips to haul me closer.
My cock throbbed as it pressed into her core, wanting so badly to sink inside. The only thing between us were her panties and my boxers. I groaned down her throat. I swallowed her whimper. Every stroke of her tongue, every nip of our lips, I fought the urge to bury myself in that wet heat.
Talia clung to me, her fingertips leaving crescent indents in my back as she swirled her tongue against my own.
She’d always loved to dig her nails into my back. I’d always wanted to have those marks tattooed on permanently. Maybe now I would.
Another night, I’d worship her body for hours. Another night, when my daughter wasn’t sick and asleep down the hallway.
Tearing my mouth away, I dropped my forehead to hers as we both panted for breath. “Talia.”
“Don’t let go.” Her arms cinched tighter.
“Never,” I whispered, holding her with my face buried in the crook of her neck, until finally she relaxed her arms, and I helped her off the counter.
Her lips were swollen. Her face was flushed and her hair was coming loose from its tie. Wearing my lucky tee, she was perfect.
“Why’d you really invite us to stay?” I asked, pushing a lock of hair off her forehead.
She touched my beard, lightly, like she was trying to decide if she liked it or not. “I don’t know.”
“Do you regret it?”
“No.” She ran her thumb over my bottom lip, then slipped past me, glancing back when she was on the opposite side of the room. A safe distance, out of my reach before I changed my mind and hauled her to bed. Smart woman. “Good night, Foster.”
“Good night, Tally.”