“You didn’t have to treat me to dinner.” I take a sip of wine from the glass in front of me and admire the sharp outfit Dodge is wearing. He’s matched a simple, blue button-down with a solid brown sports coat and jeans. The way his shirt stretches across the muscles of his chest has me blushing at the thoughts coming to my mind. I have to focus on something else to keep my natural instincts to lubricate around him at bay.

Dodge gives me the sexy smile I’ve loved right from the start. “Getting to spend a quiet evening with you is more of a treat for me. Besides, I’ve been working a lot lately, so I wanted to spend more than a few seconds with you before we had to say goodnight.”

“I like the saying goodnight part too.” I waggle my eyebrows. And getting to stare at your gorgeous body. But I don’t verbalize the last part. “How is work? Still winning awards and knocking the pants off people?”

He chuckles as he tears a piece of bread and dips it in the olive oil mixture between us. “Not any awards that I know of... And the only person I want to knock the pants off is you.”

Warm heat flushes across my upper torso, so I grab the glass of water next to my wine glass and take a quick drink. “I’d say you’re doing a pretty good job.”

Dodge’s sexy smirk is even more of a turn-on when his eyes twinkle with it. “Hopefully I’ll be doing an even better job a little later.”

“I’d say that’s a good possibility.” My reply is just as flirty as his, and we both know another round of hot sex is due. But I don’t want to flood my basement right here in the restaurant, so I try to change the subject. “Any big projects?”

“Not really. Just a few buildings that I’m working to put in bids for. What about you? How are things going with your mom’s estate?”

I chew the bread in my mouth for a minute as I think through my response. “It’s tough. You know, on one hand, I’m looking through all these memories of my family’s life. It’s kinda fun to see pictures of when I was a kid…and happy. But some of it just makes me feel as though I’m sorting through stuff for strangers.”

“I know it must be hard, but I’m proud of you for sticking with it. Just be thankful Joseph hasn’t been poking around while you’re sorting through things.”

I nod and take a sip of my wine, agreeing wholeheartedly. “I think he’s still pissed about the will.”

Dodge rolls his eyes. “I don’t know what he expected. Every parent leaves their estate to their living children. That’s not unusual.”

I chuckle. “Well, he probably hoped he was the only living child. I’m sure me popping up at the last minute put a kink in his plans.”

“Probably, but that’s too damn bad.” Dodge leans back in his chair.

“I know. He’s already stolen too much of my life. He’ll just have to deal with this as I take what’s rightfully mine.”

“Good for you,” Dodge says, tilting his glass toward mine and toasting to my newfound bravery. “You deserve every bit of it. Fuck him.”

“Yeah.” I clink his glass with a grin. “Fuck him.”

Chit chat over dinner covers a world of topics, including several we’ve already discussed. But Dodge and I eat quickly, each ready to get back to his place for the dessert portion of our meal. By the time he’s paid the check and we’re both in his car, it’s not just the car’s engine that is revved up. My body is aching for Dodge’s touch, and based on the way he’s racing down the backroads to his house, I’m guessing he wants me just as badly.

The door to Dodge’s place is barely open before he sweeps me into his arms and begins to kiss me as we cross the threshold. His body is taut and pulsing with excitement as he drags me through the hallway and to the couch.

“No bed?” I ask between kisses.

“I can’t wait,” he replies as he uses his lips to kiss a trail of heat down my face and across my neck. He pulls my shirt off before peeling off his jacket and unbuttoning his shirt. When he reveals the smooth muscle underneath, my heart picks up a few beats. His pecs are firm, and his stomach is chiseled. He’s definitely my wet dream.

Dodge pops the button on his slacks and pushes them down, revealing a rock hard, thick shaft that’s begging for attention. When he stands in an attempt to bring me up so that he can pull my pants down, I take advantage of the moment and slide my lips over his shaft.

He growls as I lick up and down his cock, giving every inch of his circumference attention. Thick veins pulse as I suck forward and then cover his dick with spit on my way down. Using my left hand, I place it at the base of his shaft and work in tandem with my lips. Dodge shivers as I move faster, stroking and sucking on his cock.

I don’t think he was prepared for what I was doing because before either of us realize what’s happening, Dodge lets out an intense cry, and the first burst of come erupts from his cock and hits the back of my throat. Looking up and meeting his gaze, I release his cock but keep my mouth wrapped around the tip. Wave after wave of thick, creamy seed fills my mouth and dribbles from the edge before I swallow his load down.

When I pull fully away, I jut out my tongue, making sure to collect every drop Dodge gave. Taking care of Dodge is something I love doing, and I already want to do it again.

“Damn,” he says. “You’re fucking good at that.”

“I’m glad you think so.”

“Your turn.” Dodge tries to reach for my cock, but I push his hand away, which garners me a frown.

“Let’s wait.”

“For what?” Dodge looks disappointed as I deny him the chance to pleasure me. But he doesn’t know that I really want to try edging. And taking his load had me near the brink.

I shrug. “For a few hours...” When I’ll be ready to really blast a load.

“Okay, if that’s what you want.” His eyes seem to understand what I’m asking for. “I’m going to shower off. Care to join me?”

“Actually, I want to grab something from my mom’s that I think you’ll find interesting. It’s her journal from when I was a kid. You go hop in the shower, and I’ll be right back.”

“I’ll see you in a minute then.” Dodge leans in and kisses me hard on the mouth, tasting himself on my lips. He pulls back with a smile. “Salty.”

“Delicious,” I reply with a smirk.

As Dodge heads upstairs, I head outside and cross the street to the house that now technically belongs to me and my brother. Dusk is beginning to settle, making the old house seem mysterious and a bit creepy. After I unlock the door, I step into the front room and turn on a lamp. Everything is where I’ve left it, but for the life of me, I can’t remember where I put Mom’s journal.

I walk around the room, mentally retracing my steps. Her bedroom is the last place I remember having it before I left earlier, so I walk up the stairs and start looking around. The room is weird without her here, leaving me feeling cold and isolated. Making a path from the dresser to her closet, stacks of papers and small boxes of trinkets I’ve managed to sort through cover the area. But her journal doesn’t appear to be anywhere.

Her bed is made, so I know it’s not tucked into the covers, but perhaps it fell on the floor, and I wonder if I kicked it under by accident.

Dropping to my knees, I lift the rose printed bed skirt and glance around. It’s hard to see underneath, so I pull out my phone and use the flashlight app to illuminate the area. Her journal doesn’t appear underneath, but I see something else.

A red pill on one of the floor boards catches my eye. Damnit. Another loose pill that I’m sure my mother dropped when she was having to care for herself. The fact that Joseph pretended to help her but never really afforded her any true assistance makes me even more pissed off at him.

The red capsule is probably one of many my mom was taking. I look at the table at her bedside, wondering which of the ten bottles scattered across the top hold the same pills as the one I’m holding. I examine each bottle, looking at the shapes on the label, none of which appear to match the one I’m holding.

The pill is big and would need to be in a larger container, so I check the biggest bottle first. What I find inside are several small, round pills scored down the center. They look a lot like baby aspirin, which is odd since the medication inside should be for her cancer treatment. I shake a few pills into my hand when a sound behind me stops me instantly.

Turning slowly to look over my shoulder, I see Joseph standing in the entryway of our mother’s room. His eyes are bloodshot, which means he’s been drinking, and the scowl on his face confirms he’s pissed.