Single Dads Collection. Lynne Marshall
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of her “kids” for a slumber party where they would have movies and popcorn and games. Apparently Emma’s sitter did this quite often and the kids absolutely loved it. So did the parents.
Noah hadn’t told Lucy about this. He wanted to surprise her by coming alone. She’d said she was going to let Emma decide the cuisine for the night once they arrived. But Noah had already stopped at the diner on the edge of town and bought Lucy’s favorite dish. He only knew it was her favorite because he asked Kate. He figured that was crossing some line, but he didn’t care. He wanted to show Lucy how much she’d come to mean to him and he wanted her to know she didn’t always have to do everything for others. She needed to be pampered, too.
Noah pulled around to the back of her house. He always kept his truck out of sight from anyone passing on the road. Not that he was ashamed or embarrassed, but they had agreed to keep things between them and he wanted to be respectful to her.
He grabbed the sacks from the front seat and as he stepped from the truck, Lucy came out onto the back porch. This evening she wore a simple navy dress with long sleeves and a pair of cowgirl boots. The boots she’d often paired with her jeans when she’d been in the barn, but he hadn’t seen her in a dress before. And he liked it.
As he headed up the stone path toward the steps, Lucy glanced back to the truck. “Where’s Emma?”
“It’s just us tonight.” He held up the sacks. “With some beef and noodles, potatoes, and rolls. I decided you needed a break.”
Her bright eyes widened. “Is that so? Then I guess now is a good time to tell you that I already made dessert.”
Noah leaned in and slid his mouth over hers. He never tired of her touch, her taste, and he wondered if he ever would.
“Maybe I already had plans for dessert,” he murmured against her lips.
She trembled against him then eased back. “Did you come here to seduce me, Officer?”
Noah’s body stirred at her sultry question. “Darlin’, you’ve been seducing me since I stepped foot into your meeting over a month ago.”
She took the bags from his hands and headed into the kitchen. The sway of her hips beneath that dress had him fantasizing all sorts of delicious scenarios…none that had anything to do with the takeout he’d just brought.
Noah followed her inside and the second she set the bags on the counter, he took hold of her shoulders and spun her around. He swallowed her gasp of surprise as his mouth descended onto hers. Her fingers curled over his shoulders. He hadn’t even bothered taking off his jacket. He’d taken one look at her and knew he couldn’t wait to have her. It had been too long since he’d been able to touch her the way he’d wanted, the way he desired. They’d been playing it safe for the sake of Emma, and not to confuse her, but he was done being safe for the night.
“Dinner can wait,” he declared as he lifted her against him.
Wrapping his arms tight around her waist, he headed for the hall.
“The spare room.”
Now was not the time to question her reasoning for deterring him to the guest room once again. He wanted her now and from the way she was panting against his ear and kissing his jawline, she was just as eager. Later he would ask his questions. Right now, he had more pressing issues.
“You’re so damn sexy with this dress and these boots.”
Lucy’s fingers threaded through his hair. “I wanted to look pretty for you.”
Easing back so he could look her in the eyes, he said, “You’re always pretty, Lucy. You don’t even have to try.”
He covered her lips once again as he tugged up the hem of her dress. Noah filled his hands with her backside and lifted her off the floor, aligning their hips.
Lucy’s boots clattered to the floor as Noah trailed his lips across her jaw and down her neck. Her head tipped back giving him better access. She was all-consuming. The need to touch her everywhere all at once absolutely controlled him.
Noah lay her down on the bed, never taking his eyes off of her as he stripped his clothes. Her dress, bunched around her waist, gave him a tantalizing view of her simple white panties. Once he was bare, Noah gripped the edge of her underwear and pulled them down her legs, tossing the unwanted garment to the side.
When she started to sit up to take her dress off, Noah reached for her hands and secured her wrists in his grip. He held her arms up above her head.
“I need you now,” he told her as he settled between her legs. “I’ll undress you later.”
Her eyes flared with desire as he joined their bodies. With Lucy wrapped all around him, Noah knew he wasn’t going anywhere tonight. He wanted to stay in her bed; he wanted to be here with her in the morning. He wanted to make love to her again and again.
“Noah, I—”
Caught up in the moment, he captured her mouth with his, not ready to hear the words that she was about to say. He wasn’t positive, but he thought he’d seen something more than desire in her eyes. He’d seen so much of her heart when she looked up at him. And he wasn’t prepared for it, not now when his body was surging toward an earth-shattering climax.
As he surged into her again, he felt her body tighten beneath his as she arched against him. Her lips tore away from his and she cried out a throaty moan as she came. Noah held her tight as his own release hit. He kept his hold on her hips as the trembling consumed him. Lucy whispered something, but he couldn’t make it out.
Once his body calmed, he pulled her close and kissed the top of her head. He wanted some answers from her. If she wanted to move forward, then he deserved some of that honesty. He deserved some of that openness she always wanted from him.
“I’m getting hungry.” Lucy slid her fingertips over Noah’s bare chest and down to his taut abs. “We might have to heat up dinner.”
“Or we could eat it cold in bed,” Noah said as he pulled her closer to his side.
“That would be fine, too.” Pressing her palm to his chest, she rose up and looked down at him. “Why don’t I go get it and you wait here?”
He looked at her as if he wanted to say something, but finally nodded. “Sounds good.”
Lucy came to her feet and smoothed her dress down. She stepped over her underwear and boots, bypassed his clothes and headed to the kitchen, where the bags had been forgotten for a time. Her entire body still hummed. That thought was so ridiculous, but it was an accurate statement.
She pulled the boxes from the bag and sat them all out on her kitchen island. Even though everything was no doubt cold, the scents were amazing. She figured she’d just take the boxes and some plastic forks and napkins. No need to waste plates. She had some bottles of water she’d bring in, too. A bed picnic sounded so sexy and it was something she’d never done before.
Lucy pulled a tray off the top of her fridge and stacked up all the things on there. She’d get the dessert later…probably much later.
Humming, she headed down the hall, but when she turned the corner to the spare room, Noah wasn’t in there. Perhaps he went to the bathroom. She set the tray on the rumpled bed, smiling at the memories they’d created there.
She’d been so afraid at first. Afraid of her feelings, afraid of moving ahead with those emotions she didn’t want. But now that she was with Noah, she’d fallen for him. She’d fallen for Emma, too, and she’d be lying if she didn’t admit that she wanted that family. She wanted it here on her little ranch. She wanted more than she ever thought she’d dream of again.
For the first time in two years she had hope and she was ready to take this risk and admit her feelings to Noah. She’d started to when they were in bed together, which