“Yes.”
A single response, breathy and needy. He had to know.
“Since our picnic, have you touched yourself like this?”
Her hips rocked faster.
He pulled back to take a look at her face.
Dark skin flushed with need.
“Baby?” Thumb on her clit, he continued the slow pump.
“Yes.”
He heaved a sharp breath. “God, I want to watch you do that.”
She grasped his wrist, grip hard and tight. “Phillip!”
“Tell me yes.”
He didn’t know why he was dragging this out, he wanted her to shatter for him, allowing him to feel it this time.
She put her gaze on him and swiped her tongue over her lower lip.
“Only if you let me watch you, too.” He jerked at her words, his fingers thrusting and pushing her over the edge.
Because of her words and how perfect her pussy felt rippling around his finger, he came in his breeches.
Hard.
* * * *
The warm pan of bread wobbled in her hand as the knock on her door startled her.
“Coming.” Setting it on the counter, she placed the towel over one shoulder and went to the door.
Her brother, Cara and the kids stood there. It had been a few days since they were there last and she’d not expected to see them until the party at Hawk’s Cove.
“Aunt Fyre!” The unanimous cry from her favorite trio in the world had her smiling.
She hugged them, then stepped back to let them all into her place.
“This is a surprise.” The grin the children had pulled from her faded as she faced her brother and his wife. Her brother had a hard time meeting her gaze. She waited.
“We need some money.”
Four words blurted out from her brother that were both a surprise and yet not.
“How much?”
Her response shocked them, and she knew this when they shared a “You are not going to ask why? Or how it happened?” look.
“I would assume it has to do with the fact you still spend money like you have three-quarters of my pay to use.” A pointed look. “You do not.” Fyre didn’t even try to hide her irritation.
“You owe us.” Cara’s tone rubbed her wrong and she didn’t even look back at her.
Elonne shushed his wife. “Things are tight.”
“Maybe Cara should get a job.”
He frowned. “I provide for my wife and family.”
Refusing to back down, Fyre crossed her arms. “Yet here you stand before your sister asking her for money.”
“We housed you.”
“Yes, Elonne, you did. Do not pretend it was all because you loved me. I had to work and hand over most of my money. Plus cook and clean as I took care of your children. I was a housekeeper who had to give my money away. Your money problems are just that, yours. They are not mine. This is a one-time thing.”
“Who do you think you are, talking to me like this?”
Tears burned her eyes. “Your sister. Not a servant and not a slave.”
“We took you in.” Cara’s voice grated against her hypersensitive feelings.
“And I paid for it.” She looked at her brother. “Tell me how much and to whom.”
The price he gave made her legs weak, and not in a good way like when Phillip did.
“Just give him the money.” Cara crossed her arms.
“No, because he would give it to you.”
“I am his wife.”
She ignored Cara. “Elonne, leave the amount and to whom by the door when you leave. I will not do this again.” Wiping her hands off on her towel, she sighed. “You can always pick up more work with Mr. Caulfield.”
His gaze sharpened. “What did you do?”
“I no longer work for him.”
Elonne growled and stepped closer. “I told you to work for him.”
“You also told me to stay away from him because he wanted me for something else.” An indignant sniff. “Just because you want me to marry him to help you makes no difference. I will not marry him.”
“I am the man of the family—”
“Then tend to your family and stop having to come to the disappointment of the family for help.”
“Aunt Fyre.”
Ashamed she had let her emotions get the better of her with the kids in earshot, she smiled and turned to Carlo.
“Yes?”
“Does this mean you will not be at Lord Edais’ party?”
“I will be there. My note came yesterday.” She made sure to give each child affectionate touches as she went back to her kitchen. “Have a great day and please close the door on your way out.”
She remained facing the oven as what had been her only family left. Refusing to let the tears fall, she got back to enjoying her day off.
After a light lunch the rain picked up once more. Settling down in her chair, she began to work on her sewing.
* * * *
There were no visits to see Phillip until the following week. Her disappointment was huge when he wasn’t there but out on his property, and she found it was a struggle to keep her emotions under control.