Page 36 of Wicked Games

“A little. Violet doesn’t need me.”

“Yeah, she does, just like you need her.” I pause. “Did you want to do dinner?”

“I was hoping. What did you have in mind?”

“Pizza? We could get it delivered and watch a movie?” That kind of evening sounds normal, something I need and something I need that’s not by myself, and he agrees, lifting a corner of his mouth.

“That sounds good. You know where we can order from?”

“Yeah, but I haven’t before so don’t blame me for what we get.”

“We’ll see. I’ll get rid of the dog, you go inside and order. Beer’s in the fridge or you can open a bottle of wine.”

I slide off the loveseat and kneel by his lounger. Winnie doesn’t move as I lean in and press my lips to his. He didn’t shave this morning and his whiskers are a delicious rasp against my skin. Holding his hand to the back of my head, he traps me in the kiss, pushing his tongue into my mouth.

It’s one of those languid kisses he likes giving me, taking his time, and getting used to them, I revel in the feel of his lips, the smooth glide of his tongue, his hard chest.

I have no idea how many minutes go by, and I lift my head, needing to breathe.

“I’m going to want more of those later,” he says, his fingers still tangled in my hair.

I blush. It’s been so long since I’ve felt wanted just for me. “I’ll hold you to it. What do you like on your pizza?”

“Meat’s fine. Whatever. Not an anchovy or pineapple fan.”

“I can work with that.” I carry my pen and notebook into the house and leave them on the coffee table near his laptop. I glance behind me, and Seth’s nudging Winnie awake so he can get up.

Beer’s fine, I like to drink it too, and I take two bottles out of the fridge and set them on the island. On my phone, I bring up the number of a bar and grill a few streets over from the diner and order a large all-meat with extra cheese, but I tell them not to deliver it for an hour and a half. I have my credit card information stored in my phone and I pay the thirty bucks.

I twist the cap off one of the bottles of beer and sip.

“You should have told me to pay,” Seth says, stepping into the living room.

“It’s okay. The steaks we ate last night were worth at least that much. They can’t deliver for over an hour though,” I lie, watching him walk toward me.

His eyes darken. “I know what we can do for an hour.”

“Start the movie?” I ask innocently. My heart skitters to a stop. I’m flirting. I’m actually flirting, and a breathy laugh escapes me.

“No.” He stops in front of me, and without giving me a hint of warning, grabs my ass and lifts me up.

I gasp, startled, and wrap my legs around his waist and my arms around his neck. That he can just pick me up thrills me more than it should. How downtrodden had I become married to Darren?

“Stop thinking about him,” he says, carrying me up the stairs.

“How did you know?”

“Because you look sad when you do.” He walks into his bedroom and lowers me on the comforter, covering my body with his. “Are you sad because you miss him?” he mumbles against my neck.

“No. I’m sad because I lost who I was when I was married and I shouldn’t have let it happen.”

He leans away and brushes some of my hair away from my face. The look in his eyes is so kind, so understanding, and tears blur my vision. How did he keep his heart after all that’s happened to him?

“He buried you. He shouldn’t have let it happen.”

“Seth,” I say, touched.

“Shh,” he whispers, “I want to taste you, Avery. Let me.”