The sun hasn't risen. I check by lazily peeking open one eye a smidge. Elliot rolls over and places a soft kiss on my lips."Shhh. Not yet, too tired." Babysitting wears a girl out and even though Josie and Anessa relieved us of our baby duties by seven p.m., I fell into bed by nine and slept like the dead. But the sun isn't up yet, which means I don't need to be either. I'm a bank forensic accountant, I keep banker hours.Elliot laughs. "So, you forgive me for you misunderstanding my words?"I roll my eyes unable to keep up with the way he changes the sentence, but knowing he's twisted it. We had a long talk last night while the kids are watching a movie, and for a few minutes it felt like that could be our life. We could stay home in the evening, eating dinner together, and watch a family movie. Until Emma made another mad dash to the bathroom and had half the roll of toilet paper in the bowl before I got there. Kid is obsessed with toilets."Don't press your luck," I say cur

I glance in that direction, but it appears so far away. "No time." Being here in his house together is a tremendous step in whatever this thing we're calling a relationship is. I'm not ready to christen his bed.My stomach clenches as he takes a nipple in his mouth while working to undo my pants. When we're both free, I raise one leg, wrapping it around his hip and leaving myself open for him. Elliot slips inside just as perfectly as every time we've been together. My back rests against the wall, keeping him leveraged as he pumps in and out, as his finger caresses the skin around my clit.My head hits his light gray wall as I stand on the tiptoes of my other foot. I waiver, my fingers digging into his shoulder as my core vibrates. His scent is everywhere, and it invades my senses. The orgasm grows fast and I press my back against the wall, wanting to get away but needing to be closer. It hovers between us, me not ready to finish yet.Elliot's forehead rests against mine and while

Her words get the first reaction from him, but only his forehead creases at the insult."You're only angry because you can't accept I'm not an asshole like you want."I take a step further away. "Okay, guys. I'm going now," I say taking two more steps to the back door. Neither of them turn or look at me. I slip back into the bakery, closing the door behind me leaving Katy to her own devices.The metal outside door closes behind me as I sneak through the door of the bakery. Tabitha's head pokes through the swinging metal doors as she holds them open with her hands nodding at me."Did you have a pleasant trip with Katy?""We gallivanted in the parking lot," I say pointing my thumb back to the lot as if she's forgotten where it is.Tabitha nods. "Katy is still on her I hate Pierce tour.""Hmmm. How long has that been happening?" I ask stepping to the kitchen when Tabitha returns to the counter.She leans over the workspace in the empty bakery when I take up a seat at the s

He stares lovingly out of the trees beyond the window as if he wants to open the door and frolic in them. The same feelings didn't permeate inside of me. Life as a forensic accountant means I don't have to go outside often. Or ever. I selected the most boring occupation for college. I wanted to get away from anything exciting or adventurous. Accounting, with people in their white shirts, a calculator sticking out of their pocket, and black suits seemed as far away from a motorcycle club as I could get.I like the indoors. Air conditioning. Plumbing. If God intended us to sleep in the woods, he wouldn't have allowed us to invent central heating.Elliot sighs and the sound vibrates in my soul.Fuck it.Sure, I enjoy clean bug-free air, but I also like Elliot. A lot. Small sacrifices, my mother always said. "You want to go for a walk?"His head whips back in my direction. "You hike?""No, I said a walk." I definitely used the word walk, right?His eyes fall to the pair of te

"Are you sure you'll be okay for the night?" Elliot leans over the back of his white couch to give me a quick kiss after his question, stopping to pat Rocky once on his head where he rests in my arms.I readjust on the couch getting comfortable. "Yes, Rocky will be fine. Just come back safe."The stark white minimalist decor of Elliot's home is in total contrast to the tiny warm cabin we left this morning. We spent one night there, but then Ridge called before the sun rose for the day. Elliot tensed and then perked up at whatever he heard on the phone. Then he spent the rest of the day fielding phone calls and going back to the office to figure out a game plan. Parts of said game plan he hadn't felt the need to share with me.Elliot leans over the back the couch again. "He hasn't left your side today."I snuggle Rocky harder, letting him rest on my chest so he can hear my heart beat. He's made me carry him around since we returned from the cabin. I'm sure he thinks of it as my