I frowned as I tried to imagine what kind of parent would move out of the country and leave their child behind. The word bitch came to mind, but I bit my tongue so I wouldn't say it out loud.
"Do you talk to her much now?" I asked.
Amber snorted as she shook her head in the negative. "I haven't seen her since she moved a decade ago. She sends birthday and Christmas cards, and that's that. She invited me to visit her in Iceland twice while I was in high school but I never took her up on it. To be honest, I was relieved when she left. I loved living with Caroline and Gigi. For the first time in my life, I had real roots, security and a feeling of family. We lost Gigi last year, while Caroline was pregnant. Now more than ever it's important that the two of us stay together. Family is forever."
I nodded as I considered her words, happy to hear that she put such value on family. "It's part of the reason you've been working nights so that you can take care of your nephew. You're paying Caroline back."
"I'm paying it forward," she corrected. "If Gigi were still alive she'd be very proud of how we always have each other's backs."
She stopped talking when Meg arrived with our pancakes. My stomach growled when the scent of coconut, bananas and buttermilk wafted up to my nose.
"These smell delicious,” I said enthusiastically.
Amber grinned as she lifted the syrup container and poured it over her pancakes.
"Just wait until you taste them. If you're anything like me, the addiction will be instant."
As she set the syrup container back on the table, it dripped on her finger. She laughed as she lifted a finger to her mouth and licked it off. As she did, I was hit with a fantasy that involved her naked body, some warm maple syrup, and my tongue cleaning every last drop of the sticky substance off of her. I knew Amber would taste better than anything that had ever touched my lips before. I craved her cries of pleasure, ached for the sensation of her riding my cock while I watched her tits bounce up and down. Fuck, she'd feel so goddamn perfect.
"…you going to use any syrup?"
I blinked as the filthy daydream I'd been lost in faded away. I was glad for the table that kept her from seeing that my dick was as hard as an iron pole.
"Hmm?"
"I asked if you wanted syrup with your pancakes."
"Oh," I nodded, hoping to clear my head. "Yeah. Of course."
I watched as she passed it across the table to me, my fingers purposely brushing against hers as I took it from her. She made a little noise when we touched, just enough for me to know she was as affected as I was.
Fuck me; I needed her more than I needed air.
3
Amber
We spent two hours eating pancakes and getting to know one another. I'd found Jake fascinating before he'd ever spoken a word, but after we got talking I was even more enthralled. I'd never met a man so willing to open up. I liked it.
Our plates had been taken away, and the bill had come. Jake insisted on paying, shutting me down when I tried to pass money across the table to him. I rolled my eyes, thanked him profusely, and then left my money as a tip for Meg instead. She waved to us as we left the diner, Jake's hand against my back as he walked me to my car.
We spent I don't even know how long both leaned against my car facing each other as we kept right on talking. Our conversation would probably still be going if it hadn't been for the sound of Meg's laughter as she walked past us on the way to her car.
"My shift's over and you two crazy kids are still out here talking. Don't forget you gotta take care of a baby tomorrow, hon!"
I knew I was blushing as I giggled and waved to her. "I guess we really like talking to each other," I said to Jake.
His eyes held mine as he nodded. "I want to know everything about you," he said. "But right now you need to get home so you can get some sleep."
He was right, but I'd never been less tired in my life. I was invigorated in a way I'd never been before. I must've made quite a face because the next thing I knew he was running his finger under my lower lip.
"I don't want this night to end," he murmured, "but you have a baby to take care of in the morning, and that trumps all. I'll be waiting for you in the garage tomorrow night. Same time, same place."