“Gee, I don’t know. Maybe as an alternative to whining?”
Laughing, he caught her close for a kiss.
Robin laughed and blushed, too.
Seth was able to remove the old door without a lot of racket. He was tapping a shim in place while installing the new one when Dad stomped into the kitchen.
“Did you forget this is my house?” he demanded.
“Nope.” Seth tested the swing of the door and decided he could go ahead and replace the molding and install the new dead bolt. “What? You wanted me to put in a new pane of glass as an invitation to break in?”
His father glowered. “I keep my weapon close.”
Seth narrowed his eyes. “Sure, but normally in a gun safe. You need the house to be secure enough that you have time to dial the combination and get the damn gun out. And I’ve decided I’d had enough of this argument.”
With a snort that sounded like a bull about to charge, his dad stalked out.
“He’s mad at you,” Robin said after a minute.
Seth smiled. “Not really. It’s all bluster and fury.”
“Butting heads is more like it.”
* * *
ROBIN HEARD THE shower running in the master bedroom bath when she slipped out into the hall after tucking in Jacob. Michael must be getting ready for an early bedtime. He’d tried to hide how much he was hurting today, but she’d been able to tell. The physical therapist he’d seen yesterday wanted him doing a set of exercises twice a day. Robin tried to stay out of sight when he did them so he didn’t feel as if he had to stifle all the pained sounds. She’d noticed Seth doing the same.
Tonight, when she started downstairs, Seth was waiting for her at the foot. His eyes never left her. He might as well have been touching her, given the way her body activated in response.
“Thought Jacob would never go to sleep,” he mumbled, and kissed her.
That’s all it took for Robin to forget about her son upstairs, never mind Seth’s father. She flung her arms around Seth’s neck and rose on tiptoe so he didn’t have to bend over so far.
He solved that problem by lifting her until she could wrap her legs around his waist and ride his erection. Groaning, he carried her to the kitchen, where he lowered her to the granite top on the island. His hands were free to rove, and she could still clasp her ankles behind his back and rub against him.
Seth raised his head once and seemed to be listening before he dived back in with a kiss that was all raw need. Within seconds, Robin quit thinking. Here and now was good. Who needed to breathe?
She managed to squeeze a hand between them to unbutton his jeans and fumble for the zipper tab.
Seth wrenched his mouth away from hers and reached down to grab her hand. “Not here.” Dark color burnished his cheekbones. “Bathroom. We can lock the door.”
Robin was far enough gone to think that was a great idea. To heck with what his father would think if he came downstairs with perfect timing to see the two of them stepping out of the bathroom with wild hair, swollen lips and clothing not quite fastened right.
Seth carried her again. She squirmed against him until he was swearing under his breath. He had her pants off within about five seconds of them reaching the tiny half bath.
“Lock,” she mumbled.
“What?” The blue of his eyes was molten. “Oh. Yeah.”
He pushed the little button, picked her up and planted her butt on the edge of the vanity top. It didn’t even cross her mind that the edge of the sink didn’t make for comfortable seating. She was too busy easing down the zipper to free him.
He backed away long enough to sheath himself and then without any preamble drove inside her. When she cried out, Seth stifled the sound by covering her mouth with his. He moved fast and hard, giving her exactly what she seemed to need. Tender and slow was for another time.
Her body imploded. Seth followed, the throbbing almost setting her off again.
Finally, his head dropped forward to rest on her shoulder. He was shaking.
It took them a few minutes to get dressed, but once they had they went to the living room and cuddled on the sofa.
“Sorry,” he murmured. “It’s awkward sharing the house with a parent. I’ve been trying to keep my distance from you. I haven’t been doing so well with it, though.”