We hadn’t ever eaten breakfast together. I knew he had probably done all this to try and make our relationship credible, and his thoughtfulness made me want to kiss him.
Everything he did made me want to kiss him.
I finished putting the food on the plates, then set them out as I sat myself next to Beau.
“So what’s the plan for today?” asked Judy. “Can we go down to that bookshop—what was it called?”
“Bower’s Books,” I supplied, digging into my eggs.
“Yeah, that’s the one. Let’s go down there today.”
“Nope. I don’t know if you’re aware, but Beau and I have full-time jobs. You’re on your own during the day.” I chewed a piece of bacon, swallowed, and warned, “Anddo notbug Beau just because he works from home. I’ll be checking in with him, and if he tells me you bothered him even once, you’re out.”
It sounded harsh, but Judy needed boundaries set, and I wasn’t gonna have her getting in the way of Beau’s work. Nope.
“Ugh, fine, I’ll go on my own. Maybe we could go out tonight?” She was relentless.
“Maybe,” I said. “Depends.”
“On what?”
“On Beau. It’s up to him. We don’t usually go out on weeknights.” I glanced sidelong at Beau, who was quietly eating his food with his left arm resting on his lap. Even his manners were sexy.
An overwhelming sense of tenderness for him spread rapidly through my chest, and before I could stop myself, I palmed the nape of his neck and kissed him right above his left ear. Maybe lingered a few seconds longer than necessary.
Oh, but it was worth it just to hear him gasp.
He glanced at me in disbelief.
“Sorry,” I whispered, just for his ears. “I couldn’t help it, you just looked so cute.”
His cheeks darkened to a deep crimson and all I wanted to do was press my own cheek against his and let it burn me.
When I looked down, he shifted his arm almost imperceptibly, but I could still see the bulge.
Fuck.
Heat cascaded down my spine, a deep desire pooling in my gut.
God, this was a nightmare. I didn’t know why my feelings for Beau were starting to get so complicated. It was just attraction, right? That and the fact that I hadn’t slept with anyone in weeks. Or was it months now? That was probably my problem. And I wasn’t gonna be able to do that this week—no, didn’t evenwantto—if I wanted to keep up this ridiculous charade.
I was starting to think I wanted to keep it up for reasons that had nothing to do with my family.
14
BEAU
Istared at my reflection in the bathroom mirror as the room filled with steam from the hot shower.
I wasn’t sure I was hiding anything very well anymore—or if I ever had in the first place.
It was inevitable that, maybe even hours from now, Lea would know just how attracted to him I was. Maybe he already did.
Actually, after this morning, how could he not?
I didn’t know how he hadn’t woken up when I’d practically screamed at finding myself wrapped around him. It was the throbbing ache in my groin that had pulled me from a deep, restful sleep. And when I’d cracked my eyes open and smelled Lea’s floral, sugary sweet scent, that ache had only deepened.
All I’d wanted to do was tuck my face into his hair and hold him tighter.