Chapter 28 #2
“Well, if I don’t, I’m sure you’ll do the right thing and help me,” she teased.
“That’s true. I’m a gentleman.”
“And you never miss a chance to fondle me.”
“That too.”
I got rid of the condom, and after I made sure the water temperature was just right, I put her down under the warm spray. It was all I could do not to maul her against the tiles too.
Tess grinned, pointing at my mouth. “Wait, I know that look. Are you thinking about having your wicked way with me again?”
“Of course I am, but I don’t want you to be sore tomorrow.”
“I don’t mind.”
“Woman, don’t tempt me.”
Wiggling her eyebrows, she poured shower gel in her palms, rubbing it all over her body. I stood back, just enjoying the sight. Until she put her soaped-up hands on me. I instantly turned hard, and Tess smirked. I caught her wrists the next second, pinning them above her head against the tile.
“Don’t, Tess. I mean it. I can’t resist you, and I don’t want you to be sore. I was an animal back there.”
She smiled saucily. “I loved every second of it.”
“If I let go of your hands, will you behave?”
“Hell no.”
I laughed before kissing her, slow and lazy, until there was so much steam in the shower that we could barely breathe.
“Come on, sassy girl. Let’s get out of here before we suffocate.”
“You’re going to have to let go of my hands if you want us to move,” she teased.
I did let go, and she kept her hands off me…right until we dried off and stepped out of the bathroom. Then she wrapped her arms around me from behind, resting her palms on my pelvic bones.
“Tess…”
“You didn’t specify until when I couldn’t touch you. And these”—she ran her fingers up and down the V-line pointing to my hard-on—“happen to be some of your finest assets.”
“What are some of the others?” I prompted, realizing what I’d done only when she moved her hand even lower, covering my erection. I couldn’t help but groan. “Fuck, my mistake.”
“I’ll forgive it.”
I turned around, kissing the tip of her nose.
“You sassy girl. You’re not sleepy at all, are you?”
“Nope. You’d think two Thanksgiving dinners would put me to sleep, but I’m wide awake. I wonder why.” She pressed her mouth in a thin line, narrowing her eyes as if thinking hard. “I know. The hot guy taking me right over the kitchen counter might have chased the sleep away.”
I growled. “Don’t speak about me in third person.”
“Jealous again?”
“Yes. I can’t explain it.”
She squealed, lacing her arms around my neck and glancing at my bed. “And I love it. I have a dangerous proposition. Let’s not go to bed at all. It’s three o’clock, and I need to wake up at six.”
“Why?”
“Tomorrow’s Black Friday, remember?”
“Actually, no. Friday after Thanksgiving is always a lazy day for me.”
“Not for those looking for sales. Or those offering sales.”
“You’re going to be exhausted if you don’t sleep.”
“I know. But going to bed for three hours will be even worse. I’ll have a headache the whole day.”
“Okay. I’m on board.”
“So how do you plan to keep me up until morning?”
I pinched her ass. “I thought you were keeping me up.”
“I have a few ideas. But you have to promise not to veto them.”
“Can’t do that now, can I? I have to take care of you, even when you don’t seem to want it.” I gave us both robes, tying hers around the middle tightly. She jumped in my arms, and I carried her to the living room.
“Oooh, back to the kitchen island. I like where this is going,” she teased.
“No, it’s the couch.”
I sat down with Tess in my lap, pushing her damp hair out of her face. She yawned in a cute way.
“You sure you don’t want to sleep?”
“No, sir. Why waste time sleeping when I have you to feast on? Let’s call these exploration hours.”
“Because you’re tired.”
“I’ll go to bed early tomorrow. I’ll have some long weeks ahead with the opening and Christmas approaching.”
They planned to officially open the store on the fifth of December.
“I’ll take good care of you.” I started to massage her feet to prove my point, moving up on her ankles.
“You’re amazing to have around.” She sighed, closing her eyes and enjoying my hands on her. When she opened them again, she looked a little wary.
“You want to talk about what’s got you worried? I told you I’m good at reading clues.”
“And I told you that today is Thanksgiving.”
“Not anymore. It’s past midnight,” Tess said.
“We’re not wasting these exploration hours, as you called them, by talking about anything unpleasant,” I replied.
“Fine, but I’m only giving in because I actually am getting a bit tired, and I want to make the most of our time together.”
In fact, I didn’t plan to waste any time with Tess talking about Albert.
He was my mess to clean up, and she had so much on her plate that I didn’t want to add any more.
I was going to protect her from that imbecile, and that was that.
One thing I learned from my grandfather was that problems were meant to be dealt with without burdening the ones you loved with them.
She was mine, and that didn’t just mean giving her massages or orgasms or making her laugh. She was mine to protect.
“I think I know of a way to keep you up all the way until morning,” I whispered in her ear.
Tess grinned. “That’s your best pickup line?”
“You’re saying I need one?”
She shrugged a shoulder. “I like it when you seduce me.”