thank you?”
Her head dropped. “I forgot.” She flashed her dimples his way. “Thank you. I likes pop way better than juice or water.” Her scrunched up face showed exactly what she thought of the latter.
“No problem, kiddo.”
“Can I take a mint with me?”
“Sure.”
“Come on, Chloe. Time to go.” Andie pointed toward the door. “We’ll talk when you get home.”
There was a no-nonsense tone to his neighbor’s voice which Chloe obviously heard as well. Without further argument she took a deep pull from her drink and set it on the table. “All right.”
“Wait in your room for me. I’ll be right there.”
They both watched the youngster leave, this time through the garage entry. “I’m sorry. I don’t know how she got through the front door.”
“She didn’t. Apparently we have a loose board on the fence in the back yard.”
“Depend on Chloe to find it.”
Gray nodded. “I’ll fix it. We wouldn’t want her wandering too far afield.” He nodded to the can of soda. “She can have that.”
“And spark a revolution among the rest of them?” Andie shuddered theatrically. “No thank you.”
Her hair was pulled back in some metal thingey, then trailed down her back. Her skin bore a light sheen from the heat of the day. Gray knew he’d like to see her glow for another reason. One of his making.
As he stepped closer a hint of something tropical, maybe coconut, wafted up to him from her hair.
“It wouldn’t really cause a big problem, would it?” His gaze locked with hers, he lowered his head, his lips fluttering against hers, tasting. The tart sweetness of lemonade tickled his tongue. He loved lemonade he realized as he took her mouth.
He tilted his head for a better angle, then ran his tongue along the seam of her lips, looking for entry. He had to taste her and discover for himself what she was made of. Earth mother or sexy siren? Solid citizen or temptress who could erode his peace of mind?
Looking for an answer he swept her mouth, savoring her taste. He angled his head, seeking the perfect angle and complete immersion. He felt like a man at an oasis after a long time in the desert. And Andie Bowen was the source of his delight.
He wrapped one arm around her, splaying his fingers across her back. Mercy. The top she wore was backless, held together by a couple of scraps of material knotted in the middle of her spine – in the middle of an expanse of smooth, sleek skin. Gray’d never considered a woman’s back to be her best asset, but the silkiness of Andie’s skin nearly undid him. After a day of working with rough, unfinished lumber her skin was a balm to his starved senses.
Her hands fluttered at his waist, then slid around and up his back. The softness of her breasts against him had the same effect on his body as dropping a match into dry grass. He went up in flames.
Savoring the taste and feel of her, he slid his hand between her shoulder blades and up to her neck. Groping with the other for the table, he put his beer down and brought that hand to her waist.
She jumped and pulled back. “Uhm, your hand’s cold.”
He lifted the offender away from her skin. “Sorry.” Then he leaned forward to claim her mouth again.
“I don’t think we should be doing this.”
“No?” he asked straightening slightly. “Why not?”
Andie pulled away from him and ducked beneath his arm. “It’s probably not a good idea.”
“Felt awfully good to me.”
She watched him carefully for a moment, then crossed to the door. “Me too,” he thought he heard her whisper as she disappeared into the garage.
Giving his head a shake, he grabbed his beer and headed to his bedroom. He’d intended to enjoy a cold shower when he got home. Now he needed one.
***
Andie took her glass of lemonade out to the deck and settled into the lounger. Evenings usually cooled off in Calgary, probably because they were so close to the Rockies, but tonight seemed to be the exception to the rule
Her head dropped. “I forgot.” She flashed her dimples his way. “Thank you. I likes pop way better than juice or water.” Her scrunched up face showed exactly what she thought of the latter.
“No problem, kiddo.”
“Can I take a mint with me?”
“Sure.”
“Come on, Chloe. Time to go.” Andie pointed toward the door. “We’ll talk when you get home.”
There was a no-nonsense tone to his neighbor’s voice which Chloe obviously heard as well. Without further argument she took a deep pull from her drink and set it on the table. “All right.”
“Wait in your room for me. I’ll be right there.”
They both watched the youngster leave, this time through the garage entry. “I’m sorry. I don’t know how she got through the front door.”
“She didn’t. Apparently we have a loose board on the fence in the back yard.”
“Depend on Chloe to find it.”
Gray nodded. “I’ll fix it. We wouldn’t want her wandering too far afield.” He nodded to the can of soda. “She can have that.”
“And spark a revolution among the rest of them?” Andie shuddered theatrically. “No thank you.”
Her hair was pulled back in some metal thingey, then trailed down her back. Her skin bore a light sheen from the heat of the day. Gray knew he’d like to see her glow for another reason. One of his making.
As he stepped closer a hint of something tropical, maybe coconut, wafted up to him from her hair.
“It wouldn’t really cause a big problem, would it?” His gaze locked with hers, he lowered his head, his lips fluttering against hers, tasting. The tart sweetness of lemonade tickled his tongue. He loved lemonade he realized as he took her mouth.
He tilted his head for a better angle, then ran his tongue along the seam of her lips, looking for entry. He had to taste her and discover for himself what she was made of. Earth mother or sexy siren? Solid citizen or temptress who could erode his peace of mind?
Looking for an answer he swept her mouth, savoring her taste. He angled his head, seeking the perfect angle and complete immersion. He felt like a man at an oasis after a long time in the desert. And Andie Bowen was the source of his delight.
He wrapped one arm around her, splaying his fingers across her back. Mercy. The top she wore was backless, held together by a couple of scraps of material knotted in the middle of her spine – in the middle of an expanse of smooth, sleek skin. Gray’d never considered a woman’s back to be her best asset, but the silkiness of Andie’s skin nearly undid him. After a day of working with rough, unfinished lumber her skin was a balm to his starved senses.
Her hands fluttered at his waist, then slid around and up his back. The softness of her breasts against him had the same effect on his body as dropping a match into dry grass. He went up in flames.
Savoring the taste and feel of her, he slid his hand between her shoulder blades and up to her neck. Groping with the other for the table, he put his beer down and brought that hand to her waist.
She jumped and pulled back. “Uhm, your hand’s cold.”
He lifted the offender away from her skin. “Sorry.” Then he leaned forward to claim her mouth again.
“I don’t think we should be doing this.”
“No?” he asked straightening slightly. “Why not?”
Andie pulled away from him and ducked beneath his arm. “It’s probably not a good idea.”
“Felt awfully good to me.”
She watched him carefully for a moment, then crossed to the door. “Me too,” he thought he heard her whisper as she disappeared into the garage.
Giving his head a shake, he grabbed his beer and headed to his bedroom. He’d intended to enjoy a cold shower when he got home. Now he needed one.
***
Andie took her glass of lemonade out to the deck and settled into the lounger. Evenings usually cooled off in Calgary, probably because they were so close to the Rockies, but tonight seemed to be the exception to the rule
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