The next kiss I gave her was longer, wetter, and hotter.
“I could leave the check in the mailbox,” she breathed. Over her shoulder I saw a shadow pass the window in a front room.
“C-company,” I said, stroking my fingers down her neck and along her shoulder. Her father or Tony had seen us, and I liked that one of them knew and was telling the other.
A look over her shoulder, then she huffed. “May as well go in now. But you don’t have to. You shouldn’t.”
I tightened my grip on her hand, letting my touch say what I didn’t. I’m not going anywhere. Not for a while.
Her small smile of acceptance was enough for me.
“Tony used to come to my dad for investing advice when we were together,” she said, voice low as she checked out the window. Whoever had been standing there wasn’t any longer. “Maybe that’s why he’s here.” Worry bisected her brow as she chewed on the corner of her lip.
She didn’t have to worry with me around. I pulled her close, wrapping her in my arms. She felt good there. I felt better with her there. Her eyes turned up to mine, making her look innocent and sweet. Like a girl who wouldn’t dream of letting a tatted street racer in her pants.
“What are you smiling about?” she asked.
No way was I telling her. I gave her a quick kiss.
“I missed you,” she said when I backed away.
My heart thudded. I’d missed her too. Our next kiss went on longer than I’d planned when she clutched my shirt and held me to her. Time stopped as we made out for long minutes, our tongues stroking, hands gripping the PG parts of each other’s bodies.
“We shouldn’t do this here,” she said, breathless. I liked that I’d taken her breath. She’d taken mine.
“Later, then,” I said with a grin, moving my hands away from her body and wanting her with an intensity I hadn’t felt in…maybe ever.
Hand in hand again, we walked inside, Tasha tensing as we crossed the threshold.
“I saw Tony earlier today,” she said, her voice low once we were inside. “I wasn’t very nice.”
I chuffed a dry laugh, amused by her concern that she “wasn’t very nice” to a guy who was the epitome of “not very nice.”
After a false start on the word “nice,” I gave up and nodded. Maybe I’d keep my mouth shut and try to look intimidating instead. The real reason I wanted to see Tony wasn’t to confront him but to show him Tasha had moved on. She was with me, and a guy like me didn’t adhere to frat-boy laws. Hell, I hadn’t adhered to a few actual laws in the past.
We crossed the foyer, and that’s when I spotted Morton Montgomery stepping from his office. A glass of liquor in hand, he frowned at me. I liked that I’d pissed him off. He didn’t like that I was with Tasha—that she’d chosen me. I liked that as well. I hadn’t been chosen in a long, long, long time.
Her hand squeezed mine and my chest eased as I took a deep breath. Though it sounded sappy in my head, I thought that together, Tasha and I could do anything.
Tony rose from a guest chair in the office and stood behind Morton. I returned Tony’s glare, then fixed my focus on Tasha’s father. I refused to be intimidated.
I wrapped my arm around Tasha’s waist, pulling her flush against my side, sending a silent message. Mine. But Tony was a rich, privileged kid. I should’ve known he wouldn’t have the sense to back down. He leaned in the doorway next to Mort and crossed his arms over his dorky shirt.
“What the hell is he doing here?” her father asked.
Here we go.
She didn’t balk. “I brought your check.” She walked the envelope over to her dad and he took it. I watched Tony, who watched her, eyes narrowed. I worked my jaw, but there was no reason to act out. Especially when Tasha returned to my side and tucked her arm through mine.
I gave Tony a smug smile. It was involuntary.
“So. You two are a thing,” Tony snarled. “She’s quite the talker. How’s that work for you? Do you endure her chattering or occupy her mouth in other ways?”
Both Tasha and I looked to her dad, who should have been yanking Tony by his stupid collar and throwing him out on his ass. When he didn’t, I took a big step forward, because someone should stand up for her. Tony ducked behind Tasha’s dad at the same time she wrapped her hands around my arm.
“Caden, behave,” Morton told me. “Don’t get yourself into trouble.”
“Really?” I said, anger shaking my arms. “T-taking his side?”