“Damn, I was hoping I could get you to tell me about your outrageous celebrating habits,” I teased.
She tilted her head, her cheeks heating with a lovely shade of red. “We aren’t there yet. You have to work harder for that information.”
God, I loved our banter. “Careful, Tess. I’ll take you up on it. Work so hard for it that you’ll have no choice but to...”
“What?”
“Give in.”
She licked her lips, probably enjoying the lingering sweetness that was still there, then twiddled her thumbs. It was all I could do to prevent myself from pulling her into my arms. “Liam...I don’t like mixing things up.”
“By the looks of it, you’re kicking us to the curb, so that won’t be a problem.”
I was grasping at straws, but I wasn’t giving up; I needed to kiss her too badly. She wrinkled her nose, drawing in a deep breath. I just had to ask, “Tess...are you seeing someone?”
“What? Why would you ask that?” Her response was almost defensive.
“Because I want to kiss you so damn bad, and I don’t like to share.”
“No, I’m not seeing anyone.”
I leaned into her the next second, pressing my mouth against hers. The moment she parted her lips, an urge to claim her slammed into me.
I wanted to kiss this woman until she didn’t see anything other than me, until she wanted no one but me.
I savored her lips before deepening the kiss, needing to explore her in all the ways possible. She whimpered deliciously, and I couldn’t hold back any longer. I wrapped one hand in her hair, keeping her as close as possible as I inhaled her response. I skimmed my other hand down the side of her body, lingering on her waist. She rolled her hips, pressing herself against my already stiffening cock, and I groaned, tightening my grip on her waist. I wanted to touch more of her, all of her, and taste her everywhere too.
The sound of someone clearing their throat broke the moment. I stepped back, drawing in a deep breath. Tess pressed her lips together. Her cheeks were red.
The server was looking between us. “I have your bill ready.”
Tess reached out for it, but I caught her wrist midair, pinning her with my gaze.
“I’ve got it. This morning is on me, Tess. All of it.”
Chapter Nine
Tess
“Oooh, you brought me goodies. Gimme, gimme. Wait, is that fruit? No, no. You can keep that. I want the scones,” Skye exclaimed. I’d gone to her house in the suburbs after the meeting with the supplier, buying snacks along the way.
I laughed. We’d had the same conversation since Skye was a kid. I’d never been successful in convincing my sister to choose fruit over treats, but that didn’t keep me from trying. Her eyes were a bit swollen, but other than that, she looked like her usual self. Jonas was okay; he’d just had colic and kept her up. Her brown hair was wild around her head, and she was smiling broadly.
“Can I cuddle him?” I pointed to my nephew.
“He just fell asleep. I’m afraid he’ll wake up if I move him.” Jonas was soundly asleep in a small mobile crib next to the couch where she was sitting.
I pouted but didn’t insist. I’d fallen hook, line, and sinker for him from the first moment I held him. He was tiny and cute, and that newborn smell still hadn’t changed. Whenever I visited Skye, I was glued to him. I really wanted a small bundle of joy for myself. At thirty-five, my biological clock was ticking.
“How was the meeting with Liam? You didn’t text me.”
“No, I thought it best to just tell you everything in person.”
I sat next to her on the couch, opening the bag of scones and putting it between us.
“Oh no. The meeting didn’t go well,” Skye murmured suddenly.
“How can you tell?”