Finally, after staring at the shadows on the ceiling, wasting away precious hours of rest I could be getting while Lexi is sleeping, I start to drift off. It’s also in this exact moment that Kinley decides to roll over. And by roll over, I don’t mean just to face me. No, she rolls over and pushes her tight little body next to mine. On instinct, I wrap my arm around her and pull her close.
Suddenly, I’m once again wide-awake.
I tell myself I’m just going to hold her. That I’m going to enjoy having her this close to me. That gets shot all to hell when I run my hand through her silky hair. It’s so damn soft, not to mention the simple movement causes Kinley to burrow further into me. Stroking her hair leads to my fingers trailing ever so softly up and down her back. My heart is pounding in my chest just from this simple act. That shows me right there how much she affects me. Never before has this happened.
Only McKinley.
There are a million reasons why what I’m doing is wrong. There is only one that tells me it’s right, and that’s the way my heart is racing. I block out all the questions running through my mind, all of them but one. How soft is her skin? Without further thought, I slide my hand up underneath her t-shirt—my t-shirt. I run my bare hands up and down her back until my hand connects with silk.
Silk fucking panties.
That’s it.
Silk panties and my shirt are all that cover this gorgeous girl.
Fuck me!
Chapter 26
McKinley
I wake to the feeling of warm hands softly caressing my back. Keeping my eyes closed, I focus on even breathing. I don’t want to give him a reason to stop touching me. I know when I wake up, this will all be over.
I’m not ready for it to be over.
My wish is short-lived when Evan’s hand suddenly stills on the small of my back. He doesn’t move and neither do I, at least not until he moves his hand.
“Don’t stop,” I whisper into the darkness.
I hold my breath while I wait to see what he’ll do. Is he going to stop? Push me away? It only takes about thirty seconds for me to get my answer when I feel the heat of his hand connect once again with my skin.
I exhale at his touch. My hand, which rests on his rock-hard abs, begins its own journey. Evan Chamberlin is a work of art. His body looks as though it has been chiseled to perfection. His is not your average six pack. He has actual peaks and valleys that my fingers slowly trail over. He pulls me closer, if that’s even possible. The fact that he wants me next to him has me placing a featherlight kiss on his chest. As soon as my lips make contact, I hear him suck in a breath.
“McKinley.” My name falls from his lips.
Lifting my head, I peer up at him. His hand still under my shirt, it slides up and circles the back of my neck. His chest rapidly rises and falls, its rhythm matching my own. Lifting myself further, with the guidance of his hand, our lips meet. He kisses me, soft and leisurely at first; that is until I trace his bottom lip with my tongue. Evan growls deep in his throat and pulls me so I’m lying on top of him. Reaching up, I run my fingers through his hair, grabbing a hold as he deepens the kiss.
This kiss is different than any of the others we’ve shared over the past few weeks. This one holds more fire, more passion, as my tongue meets his stroke for stroke. Resting my legs on either side of his waist, I’m now straddling him. We both moan the minute our bodies connect. He’s hard and I’m soaked, nothing but his boxer briefs and my silk panties separating us.
I rotate my hips against him just as there is a loud cry, which comes through the baby monitor. We both freeze, waiting to see what happens next. Seconds later, Lexi is screaming into the night. I rest my forehead against Evan’s, not ready to move.
“She’s probably hungry. She’s slept for four hours straight,” he whispers.
“I’ll get her. You get some rest,” I say, preparing to dismount him. I feel embarrassment wash over me.
“Hey.” Evan once again slides his hand around the back of my neck and guides me closer to him. “Don’t second-guess this.”
I nod, not able to find my voice, and he releases me. “I can get her,” he says, sitting up.
“No, it’s fine. I’m rested. You get some sleep. I’ll take care of your girl.” I offer him a shy smile before racing out of the room to tend to a hungry Lexi.
“Hey, sweet girl,” I coo to her. She’s still crying, but the sound softens a little at my voice. I remember how she responded to my singing to her earlier, so I begin to sing “Just a Kiss” by Lady Antebellum. It’s fitting and not only calms her, but me as well.
It only takes a few seconds of me singing for her to quiet down. I continue to softly sing the lyrics that speak so much of what I’m feeling inside. Once her diaper is changed, I lift her from the changing table and her cries stop all together.
“You’re so good with her,” Evan says from behind me.
I take a deep breath before turning to face him. “So are you. You’re still nervous, but Miss Lexi is the first baby you’ve ever been around. I have years of babysitting under my belt.”
“It’s more than that,” he says, handing me a bottle.
I take it from him and settle into the rocking chair so I can feed her. I watch as her little eyes close and she starts to eat. “Maybe,” I say into the quiet room. “Aren’t you supposed to be sleeping?” I ask, never taking my eyes of Lexi.
“I’m where I want to be,” he says as he takes a seat on the floor, resting his back against the wall. He’s still wearing nothing but his boxer briefs, his rock-hard body on display. The same rock-hard body I’d trailed my fingers over just minutes ago.
I don’t argue with him. He should be getting some rest, that’s why I’m here, but after our little tryst in his bedroom, I wouldn’t be able to sleep either. Realizing its time to burp, I carefully pull the bottle from her mouth and lift her to my shoulder. She’s not impressed and starts to cry. I begin to sing “Just a Kiss” again, and as soon as I do, I realize my mistake. Evan’s hearing every word. Lexi instantly calms, so I continue to sing until she finally burps and I’m able to continue feeding her.
Nothing like just throwing it out there.
Evan and I are quiet as we both watch his precious little girl eat. She finishes quickly and her little body sighs with satisfaction this time when I remove the bottle from her mouth. Placing her on my shoulder, I rub her back. Evan stands and grabs the bottle from the table and disappears.
After about five minutes of rubbing her back, she gives me what I’m waiting for. I settle her back in her bed and whisper, “Sweet dreams.” Evan is standing in the doorway, arms and legs crossed, shoulder leaning against the frame. His eyes capture mine as I move toward him. When I reach him, he stands to his full height and holds out his hand. I slip mine in his and allow him to lead me back to his room. A protest is on the tip of my tongue, because that’s what I think I should do, not what I want.
He stops when we reach his bed, pulls back the covers, and looks at me. “McKinley.” My name falls from his lips, sounding like a plea. I know what he wants, and it scares me how much I want it too. I climb into bed and settle on the opposite side, the same side I slept on earlier. Evan climbs in behind me, pressing his front to my back, and pulls me into his arms.