CHAPTER TWELVE
BRIDGETTE SPENT TUESDAY floating on cloud nine. Bodhi had come by the flower shop in the morning to tell her he’d gotten the tickets to the Yankees game, and seeing him for those few minutes had made her whole day brighter. She was a little nervous about meeting his mother, but he’d explained her love of baseball so matter-of-factly, she was trying not to read too much into it. She picked up Louie on time and mentioned the trip to him during dinner. After a full five minutes of jumping up and down and cheering, he’d called Bodhi on the walkie-talkie to thank him. Now it was early evening, and as she stood on the back porch with Dahlia, who had suddenly become very attached to her, she watched the two of them fixing the playset.
Bodhi had bought a child-size tool belt for Louie, along with a set of plastic tools, and Louie wore it proudly. He watched Bodhi intently, mimicking his actions. He grabbed his plastic hammer, holding it exactly as Bodhi held his. Bodhi said something and placed the plastic hammer back in Louie’s tool belt. Then he wrapped his big hand around Louie’s and curled them both around his real hammer. Louie’s eyes bloomed wide. Her little man turned a proud and excited gaze her way, and she warmed all over.
She watched them pound a nail. How could it be that neither her father nor Piper, who both worked with those tools on a daily basis, had ever shown Louie how to use a hammer? She knew it wasn’t a fair question, but it made her realize that while Louie helped her dig holes, plant seeds, and build forts, there were some things she might never get around to showing him. Guy things. Things a father might usually take care of. She needed to pay more attention to those things.
They finished hammering, and Bodhi helped Louie take off his tool belt. He hoisted Louie in the air and set him on the swing, giving him a gentle push. Louie kicked his little feet, beaming with joy as he swung with Bodhi standing watch behind him.
Bodhi waved, and then his focus fell on her boy again. He was so good with Louie, it was as if he had been around children all his life. They swung for a little while, then Bodhi hoisted Louie into his arms, carrying his tool belt in his other hand, and said something that made her son grin from ear to ear. Her heart took notice for the umpteenth time. If only it were as easy for her to keep him in the friends-with-benefits category as she’d led her sisters to believe. But everything he did was thoughtful, or ovary exploding, like the way he was tickling Louie’s belly as they stepped onto the porch. And the way Louie rested his head on Bodhi’s shoulder, like he belonged there.
“Hey, beautif—Bridgette.”
The regret in his eyes over the slip of his tongue was palpable. He set Louie’s tool belt on the table and petted Dahlia, who was busy sniffing Louie’s boots. It made Bridgette sad that they needed rules defining what was acceptable around her son, but she knew it was best for all of them.
“How’d it go?” she asked.
“We fixed it!” Louie exclaimed as Bodhi set him on the porch. “Bodhi is going to get his coin collection, and I’m going to get my baseball cards. Then we’re going to watch a movie. Can we watch Cars?”
“Sure.”
A boyish grin lifted Bodhi’s lips, as if Louie had worn off on him, giving him a whole new look she’d never seen, and boy did she like it.
Louie went inside, and Bodhi reached for her hand. “Is that okay? The movie?”
“Yes, of course. I’m glad you’re staying, but don’t feel pressure to spend your evening with him. It’s okay to say you’re busy. You just spent almost an hour fixing the playset.” She went up on her toes and kissed him.
His eyes shifted over her shoulder.
“I heard him go upstairs,” she assured him, loving that he thought to check.
His warm lips touched hers, as tender and light as a summer breeze.
“He’s the greatest boy, Bridge. He’s polite and funny, and he wants to know everything. ‘Why is the hammer so heavy? What happens if we miss the nail? Have you ever built a house?’” Bodhi said quietly, dishing out more torture for her overwhelmed emotions. “I’m sure you saw us talking, but the reason it took so long to fix the playset was that the first half hour was spent discussing our trip to New York. He’s really excited. I’m glad we’re going, and I’m happy to stay for the movie, unless you’d rather I didn’t.”
“I want you with us.” With me. On me. Inside me.
Down, girl.
He kissed her again, crushing her to him the way he always did, making her feel safe and wanted.
Louie’s feet hurried down the stairs, and they each took a step back.
“Slow down, honey,” she called into the house.
“I’d better go get the coin collection.” Bodhi blew her a kiss, and he and Dahlia headed back to his house.
Over the next hour, Louie and Bodhi bonded over baseball cards and coins, and Bridgette tried not to make too much out of how easy they were with each other. Bodhi had brought a book on coins that had been his father’s, and as Louie asked questions, Bodhi referred to the book, explaining the answers in relatable terms. He was patient and thoughtful, though in true Bodhi style, he nodded curtly, and his expression remained serious as they inspected and discussed each item.
“See the corners on these two cards?” Bodhi held up one card with a frayed edge and one with sharp corners, explaining how cards were judged and valued and the importance of keeping them in good shape.
By the time Louie put on his pajamas and they turned on the movie, her little man could barely keep his eyes open. He curled up between Bodhi and Bridgette with his head resting on Bodhi’s lap. While they watched the movie, Bodhi absently ran his hand along Louie’s back, as Bridgette usually did. Half an hour later, Louie was fast asleep.
“You wore him out,” Bridgette whispered, standing to carry Louie up to bed.
Bodhi’s hand remained on Louie’s back. “Would you mind if I carry him up?”
“I think he’d really like that.”
Upstairs, Bodhi placed Jeter beside Louie and tucked them both in. He brushed a kiss to Louie’s forehead and whispered, “Night, little dude.”
Bridgette’s knees weakened at the warmth and love he exuded. Aurelia was wrong. Bodhi had a warm and fuzzy side as big and present as his intimidating side, and she had a feeling she and Louie were two of the few people who were blessed with experiencing it. She pulled the door almost closed on the way out of Louie’s room and took Bodhi’s hand.
With her pulse racing, she led him down the hall to her bedroom, closing the door behind them.
UNEXPECTED AND HOT as sin didn’t begin to explain the thoughts racing through Bodhi’s mind as Bridgette slipped her finger into the waist of his jeans, and gazed up at him with desire and a hint of nervousness. He was right there with her.
Her sweet perfume filled his senses as he took her hands in his and pressed them to his lips. “You’re sure this is okay?”
A smile trembled over her lips. “As sure as I can be.”
“Bridgette.” Her name fell like a prayer as he lowered his mouth to hers, kissing her until that tremble disappeared and she went soft against him. “Do we need to hurry?”
She shook her head. “He never wakes up.”
“What’s our plan if he does? What if we’re in the middle of making love and he comes in?”
She smiled and touched her forehead to his chest. “Thanks for that visual.”
He tipped her chin up. “I promised never to hurt either of you. We need a plan, babe.”
“Let’s go with not freaking out, and hope for the best.”
He knew short of not making love, that was about the best plan they’d come up with, and he wasn’t about to walk away. He took off his shirt, needing to feel her hands on him, and kissed her as he unbuttoned her blouse. Her fingers were warm and soft against his skin as he kissed her breastbone, the warm cushion between her breasts, the center of her belly. He eased her top off her shoulders, kissing each one as the fabric fell to the floor.
She inhaled a shaky breath as he unhooked the center clasp of her bra and slid it off, baring her beautiful breasts. Wanting to remember everything about this night, he focused on the heat of her hands, the hunger in her eyes, and her shallow breathing as his mouth came down over hers. Her heart beat frantically against his chest as her body molded to the contour of his hard frame. His emotions burgeoned inside him, boring deeper as he worked the button and zipper of her shorts, and they puddled at her feet. He made quick work of toeing off his shoes and stripping down. He gathered her against him, her bare skin pressed against his arousal, sending heat pounding through him and knocking his brain into gear.
“Bridge, I wasn’t expecting this. I don’t have a condom.”
Her cheeks flushed. “You can thank Willow for convincing me to go on birth control last year just in case.”
Relief washed over him as he lifted her into his arms, drew her pretty pink covers back, and laid her on the bed. She reached for him, and he laced their hands together, placing a series of light, teasing kisses over her mouth and tasting his way down her body. She arched as he kissed and fondled her breast, slicking his tongue over the peak.
“Bodhi,” she said heatedly. “You know that drives me crazy.”
He grinned as he teased and taunted and sucked hard enough to bring her legs around his waist. Jesus, he wanted to drive into her in one swift motion, but that would have to wait. He intended to drive her out of her ever-loving mind first. She hadn’t been made love to in years, and he’d never made love to a woman. He’d taken, he’d fucked, but he’d never loved. He didn’t know if his raging emotions qualified as love, because he had nothing to compare them to, but he knew they were immensely bigger and more consuming than anything he’d ever felt before. Making love to Bridgette was not something he was going to race through.
Running his hands over every inch of her, he kissed and caressed, tasted and groped her ribs, her hips, her thighs. He adored her thighs, and took extra time loving them, making her quiver and plead. When his mouth finally hovered over her sex, his hot breath caused her to visibly tense up. He ran his tongue along her wetness, earning a sexy gasp. He spread his hands on her inner thighs, pressing her legs open and baring her most sensitive nerves for him to taunt and claim. He teased her with his tongue. She clutched at his hands and held on tight as he licked and tasted, slicked and sucked, making her tremble and pant, on the verge of release.
“Bodhi, please,” she begged.
He kissed her inner thighs, slowly and teasingly, loving her with his mouth as he made his way up her body again. “I want you needy, baby, so when we finally make love, you can barely hold it together.”
He took her hands in his, pressing them into the mattress, and nudged her legs open wider with his knees, aligning their bodies. The head of his cock pressed against her center, pulsing slowly, until it was slick and throbbing.
“I haven’t done this in so long,” she said softly. “I hope I don’t disappoint you.”
He touched his lips to hers, so full of her he could barely force words from his lungs. “Beautiful girl, you’ve already made me feel more than I ever have. There’s no disappointing going on.”
“What if I suck?” The tease in her eyes made him smile.
“You sucked impeccably well last night.” That earned a sweet laugh. “I’m nervous, too. I’ve never done this with someone I cared so much about.”
“Bodhi,” she whispered, her gaze serious.
He read her silent warning—we can’t fall for each other—and did what he knew best. He tucked that knowledge down deep where he didn’t have to think about it, right beside the desire to know her hopes and dreams for her future. It was better if he didn’t know. Then he couldn’t try to make them come true.
“I know, beautiful,” he said in answer to her silent warning. “But you need to understand that nothing could ever compare to what I feel for you right now.”
“Show me, Bodhi,” she whispered. “Don’t tell me. Show me.”
He gazed into her eyes as he sank into her tight heat, slowly filling her so completely, she held her breath.
“Breathe, baby,” he whispered over her lips.
“You feel so good,” rushed from her lungs.
We’re made for each other.
He tucked that away, too, and wrapped her in his arms, kissing her as they found their rhythm. Every thrust sent waves of heat crashing over him. Never had he felt so connected and whole. His hands skimmed down Bridgette’s sides, savoring the feel of her moving with him. He clutched her hips and drove in deeper, harder, consumed by their passion. She gasped. Whimpered. Her nails clawed at his back.
“Jesus, baby. You’re . . . We’re . . .”
“Perfect,” she panted out.
He wanted to learn all her pleasure points, master them with his hands, his mouth, his cock. He wanted to be the man she called for when she was lonely or happy, when she needed help or just wanted to share her day. He wanted to love her into the morning and wake up with her safely tucked against him.
Holy hell. She’d completely shattered his defenses.
Every last one of them.
“There,” she cried out. “Oh God.”
He angled his hips with the need to possess her, quickened his pace, stroking over the spot that made her toes curl under and her gasps become fast and stilted.
“Bod—”
He smothered his name with his lips as her body pulsed hot and perfect around him. Heat raced down his spine, up his legs, exploding in a firestorm of shuddering ecstasy.
They lay tangled together as their bodies came down from the clouds. Bodhi held her tight as she dozed off. Minutes passed like hours, hours like days, while a war raged in Bodhi’s mind. He lay listening for Louie’s footsteps, for the creak of the floor, anything to indicate he’d overstayed his welcome. He needed to leave, but he’d give anything to stay right there and fall asleep holding Bridgette. Nothing could top waking up with her in his arms. Except knowing he’d be there for her the next time she needed him—and that was a promise he couldn’t make.
She made a contented sound in her sleep, and Bodhi kissed her temple, reluctantly giving in to his responsibility. “Bridge? Babe?”
“Hm?” She snuggled in deeper.
“I have to go before Louie gets up.”
Her eyes opened, and a pout formed on her lips. “One more second?”
Snuggle. Snuggle.
Torture. Torture.
“Babe, if Louie gets up, I’ll never forgive myself for waiting so long.”
“Me either.” She clung to his arms, keeping them securely around her. “Get out of here. Geez, you’re great at doling out orgasms, but you suck at leaving.”
She flashed a cheesy smile, and they both laughed.
He kissed her shoulder, wanting desperately to stay, and whispered, “Louie,” as a reminder to them both.
“Fine.” She released him, then quickly grabbed his arms again. “Same time tomorrow night?”
He swept her beneath him and rubbed his nose over her cheek. “What am I, your booty call?”
“Hey, a booty call. That’s a great idea.”
“I can’t leave when you’re so unbelievably cute. Can’t you be bitchy or something?”
She wiggled her hips. “I can be or something.”
“Christ, Bridge. That’s not helpful.” He sat up on the edge of the bed, elbows on knees, trying to calm down his revved-up body and wrap his mind around the powerful emotions telling him to make love to her again. “For the record, I frigging hate leaving you.” He reluctantly pushed to his feet and pulled on his briefs.
“I know. Hand me your shirt?”
“My shirt?” He tossed it to her.
She pulled it over her head and slid off the bed. His shirt tumbled down her thighs. “Perfect.”
He drew her into his arms and went for her neck, making her squirm and giggle and making him want to stay even more. “Wearing my shirt is very girlfriendish.”
“Don’t fool yourself,” she said with another sweet laugh. “I’ve totally got this friends-with-benefits thing down.”
“Me, too.” It was a flat-out lie. He needed chains and a padlock to even come close to reining in his emotions. He stepped into his jeans and ran a hand through his hair, trying to trick himself into believing he wasn’t aware of every breath Bridgette took as she wrapped her arms around her middle, one knee bent, her hair falling sexily over one eye as she watched him dress.
“Get over here.” He hauled her against him again, his chest constricting for the millionth time. “I’ll get out of here so you can get some sleep.”
“Thanks for the big O.” She kissed the center of his chin. “See? No emotions. All sex and booty-call talk.”
Her feigned casual-sex talk couldn’t hide the longing in her eyes. “Bridgette,” he said in the most serious voice he could muster. “Kidding aside, can I see you tomorrow night?”
She nodded.
“And the night after?” He should stop there, but there was no way he was going to. “And every damn night until I go back to the city at the end of next week?”
Sadness rose in her eyes. “At the end of next week?” she said in a small voice. “How did the time go so fast?”
“I have training a week from Sunday.” Several painful silent seconds ticked by. “Bridge, we still have time. It’s only Tuesday.” He pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Tell me you’ll spend every evening with me until I leave. Please give us that time.”
“I will. But let’s not talk about you leaving. I want to enjoy our time, so when you do eventually leave, we have nothing but happy memories.” She hugged him and rested her cheek against his chest. “And then I’m going to pretend you’ll live happily ever after under the lights of the Big Apple, and never risk your life again.”