Every nerve in her body overheated at his statement. She swallowed hard and held on to the door handle.
“Vic, it’s late,” she said.
“I know,” he replied. He peered past her shoulder. “Your date drop you off?”
“Yes. He walked me to the door and then left.” She stiffened. What kind of question was this?
“I know.”
She blinked. How long had he been out there? And if he knew the answer to the question, then why ask?
“Are you okay?” The way he asked the question was quiet, and his tone was low, almost possessive.
“I’m good.” She nodded. “Thank you for all of the kind things you said about my work tonight. I truly appreciate it.”
“They weren’t compliments. It was the truth.” He stepped closer to her.
His gaze was intense and had her breaths coming in short pants. They barely stood a foot apart from each other. The air between them hummed with electricity.
“I was just about to go to bed,” she said softly.
His eyes darkened and were focused on her.
“Then let’s go to bed,” he murmured.
She exhaled sharply and pushed the door open thenmoved back. This was reckless. Dangerous. And she was not going to pretend she didn’t want it.
He stepped inside and shut the door behind him. He reached for her and brought her flush against his body. His hand rested on the back of her neck while his mouth claimed hers.
It was a slow, hungry kiss that stole every coherent breath from her. His other hand slid to her lower back and held her to him. She leaned into him and gripped the lapels of his jacket. He tasted of whisky and mint. She made a sound in the back of her throat, and he answered with a growl.
This was not the careful arrangement they had agreed upon.
This wasn’t schedules, or terms, or co-parenting logistics.
This was years of built-up tension that was begging to be free.
“Vic,” she breathed on his lips.
“What do you want? Tell me, Tachina.” His voice shook slightly.
The heat in his gaze was memorizing. She couldn’t turn away.
Instead, she kissed him again. This time it was deeper as they stumbled their way to the stairs. They made it halfway up, pausing for him to kiss her neck, her jaw, the hollow of her throat. She melted into him, pushing her handsunderneath the jacket and tugging it off his shoulders. It hit the carpet with a soft thud.
He kissed her lips once they arrived on the second level.
“Let’s check on Kian,” he murmured.
Her heart squeezed in that moment. Of course he wanted to check in on their son. She snagged his jacket from the floor while he entered Kian’s room. He had slipped inside and leaned over the bed. He brushed a gentle kiss to Kian’s forehead. Their child barely stirred, murmured something, then rolled over onto his side. Vic came back out into the hallway and closed the door quietly. There was a tenderness on his face that stole her breath away.
A man like this?
A father like this?
How had she ever convinced herself that they shouldn’t have pursued each other years ago?
“Come here.” Vic took her hand and entwined their fingers together. He led her into her bedroom and shut the door. The moment it latched shut, Vic pressed her to the door and took her lips in a heated, deep kiss. His hands smoothed down her torso and came to rest on her hips.