Lauren licked at her fingers, removing the last of the sticky residue from the cotton candy she’d just finished shoving into her mouth. It had been years since she’d eaten the sweet treat, but today had made her feel like a kid again. Brayden’s—and Matt’s—joyful exuberance had caught on, banishing the last of her stress, for that day at least. They’d tried out every carnival game, ridden a few rides, checked out the livestock, and even gotten Brayden up on a horse. For a city kid, the experience had been nothing short of a huge adventure, and Lauren would live on the expression on his face for days. He was finally getting to experience life the way she wanted for him.

She sipped at her water bottle, her mouth watering at some of the crisp, fresh produce on display before her, despite her recent indulgence of dessert. After Brayden’s horse ride, Matt had taken him over to the pie-throwing stand, telling Lauren to take her time catching up if she wished. Although she would love to meet some of Matt’s friends, butterflies felt like they were swarming in her belly at the thought, too. She’d met Meg, a gorgeous lady with wild curls and nearly as much energy as Brayden, the day before. She’d stopped by with bags of clothes and toiletries for her and Brayden, telling her that Matt had organized for her to pick up whatever they needed. She ran a homeless shelter in town, Meg explained, and often had things on hand. “New underwear, of course!” she’d said with a laugh. Despite Lauren’s nerves, she’d been easy to get along with. The actual firefighters who had been there that day, though, who’d seen her unconscious and being loaded into the back of an ambulance? Meeting them was a whole other story.

Then again, perhaps they didn’t know about her, about their history. It was unlikely that Matt would have told anyone, given that he’d chosen to start all over again with a brand-new name. Still, then they’d probably just find that whole situation even weirder. Who stays in the hospital for days with a fire victim they barely know, and then lets them come stay at their house? Lauren was pretty sure the answer to that was no one sane. In the end, her nerves plus the suggestion of half an hour’s free time to browse the produce and craft stalls had won her over. She sighed. If her money—or the ashes that were left of it—wasn’t at the hotel, she could have pick up some things for dinner that evening. The idea of browsing through the stalls and then cooking with something that had been picked only that morning sounded like fun, and she was sure the taste would be amazing.

Everyone had been so friendly, too. Maybe she and Brayden could consider hanging around in town a little longer? She frowned. That is, if Matt still even wanted to see her again after she told him the truth. Maybe Brayden wouldn’t want to, either. Damn it. It was her job to protect him from anything that wanted to hurt him, and she’d failed, multiple times. He was going to be confused as hell when she told him the truth about who Matt was. The only bright spot in the whole thing was that Victor would finally lose his hold over them. If Brayden wasn’t his biological relative, she could only hope that Victor would lose interest in trying to pull him into the family business. If there was one thing she knew about Victor Mancini, it was that he hated outsiders. He’d barely tolerated Lauren, any facade of acceptance disappearing the instant James had died. He’d probably be as mad as hell at her, too, and find a way to make sure she knew about it. Her mouth firmed as she clenched her jaw. She could handle anything that bastard tried to throw at her once she knew Brayden was safe.

“Mom! I met all the firefighters, and I hit Mason in the face with a cream pie!”

Brayden came screeching around the corner of the aisle at his usual speed, his voice even louder than usual. Despite the melancholy thoughts that wouldn’t seem to leave her alone whenever she didn’t have distraction, Lauren grinned. The front of Brayden’s shirt was smeared with a line of white, his hair was messed up, and his fingertips were covered in smudges of dirt—exactly what a ten-year-old boy should look like on a fun day out. The smile turned into a snort when Matt rounded the corner soon after, looking much the same, followed by a tall man whose dark hair was slicked back, wet. A small blob of whatever was on Brayden’s shirt clung to his hair just above his ear, and he was wiping down his face with a damp hand towel.

The woman who was with him apparently found the sight as amusing as Lauren did. “You missed a spot,” she said, not even attempting to disguise her amusement.

Matt laughed, and the other guy balled up the towel and threw it at him. “Laugh all you want, Rivers. You’re up next.”

Matt didn’t pause, rolling up the towel and snapping it at the guy’s waist. The woman yelped and jumped out of the way, still laughing. She made her way over to Lauren. “Thought I’d come over and introduce myself while the toddlers calm down.” She smiled at Lauren and held out her hand in greeting, and Lauren shook it. “Sloane Maxwell. That idiot over there is my fiancé, Mason Rawlings. He’s the captain of the ragtag crew called Engine 81.”

Lauren looked over in the boys’ direction, joining in with Sloane’s chuckles at the sight before her. Mason had finally managed to rid himself of the last of Brayden’s cream pie assault and was currently chasing Matt across the grass field where the vendors were set up. Despite their zipping down an aisle, none of the stallholders seemed the least bit irritated. In fact, most of them were chuckling along with them. “Those two are well-known with the locals,” Sloane said. “They’ve been as thick as thieves from the day Matt arrived in town.”

“You grew up here?” Lauren asked.

A shadow passed over Sloane’s face, so fast that Lauren nearly missed it. God, had she managed to stick her foot in it only minutes after finally meeting some of Matt’s workmates? “I’m sorry. You don’t have to answer that. I’m just being nosy. My name’s Lauren, and that there is my son, Brayden.”

Sloane waved a hand in the air. “Don’t worry about it,” she said. “There’s just some history there, but who doesn’t have a few skeletons in their closet?” Lauren’s heart stopped in her chest and then jump started, beating double time, but Sloane continued on like she hadn’t noticed a thing. “I moved back to Monroe nearly a year ago, fell in love with Mason all over again—now there’s a story—and here we are.”

Before Lauren could say anything in return, the boys must have finally run out of energy, because they were jogging up to meet them. Mason introduced himself and then slung an arm around Sloane’s shoulders, pulling her close. Lauren’s smile at the sweet gesture turned into her eyes widening in surprise when Matt followed suit and laid an arm across her shoulder before dropping a kiss on the top of her head. He was really announcing their relationship—if that’s what this even was—to the whole world? Sloane seemed surprised, too, but happy. Mason just had a knowing look on his face. Lauren’s eyes narrowed. Just what did he know? She couldn’t have word getting out that she and Brayden were there, nor did she want to lead a trail from Philadelphia right to Matt, if what she was thinking was true.

“How about Mason and I take Brayden for a bit?” Sloane said. “Give you and Matt time to explore all the boring adult stuff on your own.” She grinned at Brayden. “Want to go ride the dodgem cars, if it’s alright with your mom?”

Unlike the two slightly bigger boys, Brayden hadn’t seemed to have slowed down any since they’d found her. He was still racing around just over from where they were standing, chasing bubbles coming from a bubble maker a stand owner had set up, with a bunch of other kids. Lauren hesitated. He seemed to be adjusting to everything that had changed in the last week without a single problem, but it had only been a couple of days since she’d gotten out of the hospital. Maybe too much change at once wasn’t a good thing.

“We’ll be right here at the fair,” Sloane said. “And the guys have each other’s cell number, so we can get in touch any time.”

Lauren looked back longingly at the food stalls she’d been eyeing before their arrival. Since Matt was there, maybe they could choose something for dinner together. “Okay,” she said, smiling. “That would be great.”

“Sounds like a plan, then.” Mason said. “We’ll meet you in an hour back at the pie stall. Matt thought he was going to weasel out of his shift. Don’t worry, Buddy,” he said, patting Matt on the arm, “I’ll make sure the whole town is there for your turn.”

“Gee, thanks,” Matt said, his voice dry as he rolled his eyes.

The couple turned and Sloane stepped over to Brayden, explaining the plan to him. Mason turned back. “Don’t miss it, or you’ll be washing the entire engine by yourself next shift.”

Lauren chuckled as they walked away. Like Meg, Sloane and Mason had turned out to be every bit as warm and nice as Matt had described. If the rest of the squad was like that, maybe she could handle meeting them after all.

* * *

Twenty minutes and it seemed like at least as many samples later, Lauren was stuffed full. They strolled the aisle of a local photography exhibit, and Matt reached for her hand, grasping it softly in his. Lauren blushed and then looked around. By that point, the entire town had probably seen him touching her. “Are you sure this is a good idea, Matt?”

He looked at her, confused. “What?”

“This.” She held up their entwined hands. “I’ve been in town barely three days. Aren’t people going to wonder?”

“Don’t care,” he said. “If anyone asks, I’ll just say we’re long-lost loves.” He grinned at her and used her hand as leverage to pull her closer to him. “Everyone’s already used to that thanks to Sloane and Mason.”

“But . . .”

Matt stopped walking and stepped so that they were facing each other, his grinning face turning serious. “Lauren, do you want this?” He gestured between them. “Do you want to see where it goes? Because from my point of view, I can’t wait to have you in my bed again.” The light blush still lingering deepened impossibly, staining her cheeks bright red, probably permanently. Matt spoke again, his voice surprisingly husky. “That was the best night of my life since I last saw you all those years ago,” he said. “Now that we’ve found each other again, if you think I’m letting you go without telling you exactly how I feel . . .”

“It was for me, too,” she said. Lauren raised her hands, resting them on Matt’s chest. Even through his shirt, the heat coming from his body sparked something inside her. Over the years, she’d chalked up the heat between them back then simply as the hormones racing between two horny teenagers. But now, they were nearly thirty, and nothing had changed. Even a look from him sent her pulse racing and wetness slicking her thighs. It was like she was falling in love with him all over again for the first time. In a way, she supposed she was.

To hell with it. She’d lost far too many years in a relationship of convenience because she thought it was better for Brayden, and look at what a disaster that had turned out to be. She wasn’t going to waste a single moment more on worry of what anyone else thought of her. Whatever was budding between her and Matt—whatever had never left—it was worth it. She leaned forward, surprising even herself, and pressed her lips to his, kissing him with all the emotion and arousal flooding her body.

Matt’s arms came around her, pulling her flush against his body. His cock sat heavy between them, his erection pressing into her belly. She shifted, rubbing a little against him. Matt let out a low growl and walked backward, ducking behind a row of permanent buildings at the end of the aisle of tents and tables. Walking faster, he grabbed Lauren’s hand, and she jogged along behind him. “Where are we going?”

He didn’t answer but stopped in front of a wooden door on one of the buildings and fished around in his pocket. Pulling out his keys, he slid one into the lock. The door swung open to reveal a large, nearly empty room. “Storage room for the local sports clubs,” he said. “No one’s playing anything today, and I have a key.”

The door had barely closed behind them before Matt had moved her up against it and attacked her lips, kissing her with all the strength he had. His hands came up to either side of her head, caging her between his hard body and the door, before capturing her wrists in one of his large hands. He continued to kiss the living daylights out of her as his free hand snaked along her body, first caressing a breast and then dipping down beneath the waistband of her skirt. “Can’t fucking wait any longer,” he murmured between kisses. “I need to taste you. Right now.”

If it wasn’t so busy being kissed, Lauren’s mouth would have dropped open in shock when she realized what he was saying. Matt released her hands, only to maneuver her palms to rest flush against the door, her arms flat against it and outstretched. “Don’t you move,” he said, before dropping to his knees.

A gasp escaped her and Lauren’s knees shook as Matt ducked his head under her skirt, and then ran his fingers along the edge of her panties. A fresh round of wetness soaked her, and he inhaled deeply. “Already so ready for me, aren’t you, Gorgeous?” He teased her through the thin fabric of her panties and then ran his hands down her legs, tracing over the sensitive flesh on the inside of her thighs, all the way down to her ankles and back. He paused when he reached the brand-new wedges Meg had given her. “These stay on.”

His hand moved back to her head, caressing her and then tucking a few stray locks of hair behind her ear. His forehead pressed against hers, and her tongue darted out to wet her lips. A soft groan escaped Matt, but he didn’t kiss her again. Instead, his hand cupped her face before trailing down her body, cupping and massaging her breast through the V-neck of her shirt, his thumb grazing across her nipple. Her head fell back against the door with a quiet thunk, and Matt took advantage of the way the position pushed her chest forward. Buttons were undone, her shirt and bra pushed aside, and suddenly his lips were on her breast. He sucked it deeply into his mouth, tonguing her nipple into a hard nub, before turning to the other and giving it equal attention. Lauren opened her eyes and saw his dark head moving across her skin as his hand moved farther down her body. She gasped, her eyes fluttering shut again as his hand slipped to the edge of her panties, cupping her.

Before she could catch her breath, he’d moved again, his lips seeking hers as his hands continued to play with her breasts. She unconsciously shifted her hips forward, wanting more of the intense sensation flooding through her. It had never been like that before. No—it had been, but only with Matt. It was as if they were made for each other, each part fitting together seamlessly despite all the years apart. The man had her panting after five minutes of standing against a door. It didn’t seem to matter where or when they were together, only that they were.

Matt’s fingers traced down her body again, and this time her panties disappeared, dragged over her knees. His body bumped against hers as he removed her panties entirely, and she could feel his erection, harder than she’d thought possible and pushing against his jeans. It seemed that even brief moments together aroused Matt just as much as they did her. The thought caused another slick of wetness against her thighs. With her last moment of rational thought, Lauren wondered if it should bother her to be pretty much completely naked, hidden away as she was but still surrounded by people at the local fair. Any further thought disappeared entirely at the touch of Matt’s tongue at her thigh.

His hand reached between her legs, pushing them farther apart. She spread her stance and was rewarded by his fingers moving directly to her core, rubbing firmly at her clit. Then as quickly as it came, his hand fell away. Matt dropped to his knees in front of her, kissing across her stomach while reaching up to palm her breast. In bed, or up against a damn door, it appeared that Matt was now a guy who took his time with everything. She whimpered, shifting back and forth, and fortunately, he got the message. His hand moved back to her pussy, stroking languidly up and down her lips. Lauren groaned, followed by a sharp intake of breath as his movements became faster, his lips still never leaving her skin. She cried out, “Matt, please!”

Just when she thought she was going to combust from unfulfilled desire, Matt nudged her legs farther apart again and then thrust a finger deep inside her. She bit her lip, forcing her cry to stay inside as he slid one finger deep inside her, then two. But she couldn’t hold back the moans as he moved, pulling nearly all the way out before thrusting deeply again. Her breath came in hard pants as he brought her to the tip of ecstasy, only for his fingers to slip out of her body.

Lauren cried out in frustration, but it turned into a loud moan when Matt’s fingers were replaced by his tongue. He licked up her pussy lips, then took her clit in his mouth, sucking hard. She tensed as pleasure flooded through her. His tongue circled her clit, flicking it, and then thrust inside her sex, before returning to lick her clit again. Back and forth, back and forth, until she no longer cared who heard her gasps and moans.

Matt replaced his tongue inside her with his fingers, sliding two inside and thrusting smoothly and quickly, while he sucked her clit. “God, Lauren, you taste incredible.” He flicked at her sensitive nub. “I want to make you come like this every day.”

He had no objections from her. She circled her hips instinctively, thrusting forward against his mouth. She longed to touch her hands to his head and hold him against where she needed him most, but she didn’t dare move her hands from the door. She’d never done anything like that before, but being placed in position and told not to move had done something to her—igniting something more inside and making every sensation more intense.

Matt’s fingers withdrew before he added a third, moving them deeply inside her as his tongue continued to lick and suck at her clit. He brushed against a spot inside her that sent the embers burning inside her rushing into flames. One more stroke, two, and she was done. Lauren cried out her release, bucking against his hand. Matt pushed into her and against her, sucking her hard until finally the waves of ecstasy faded away. Lauren’s legs buckled underneath her, and Matt picked her up, smoothly guiding her down to sit across his lap on the floor. His lips met hers in a deep kiss, his tongue circling with hers. She could taste herself on his lips, and her hands tightened on his biceps.

“What about you?” she murmured when they finally broke apart.

Matt smiled and kissed her again. “Darling, that was for me.”