Delinquent Daddy (Banks / Kincaid Family #2)(54)

He sucked in a breath as she applied the salve. Ellie couldn't help but wince right along with him.

"Sorry," she whispered and leaned over to blow on the cuts, her long hair falling over her shoulder and caressing his wrist as she did so. He sucked in another breath, this time for an entirely different reason.

She straightened abruptly and cleared her throat. Carefully keeping her eyes off him, she opened the gauze and began to wrap his hands.

"So, am I going to live?" he asked quietly.

201

Delinquent Daddy

by Linda Kage

Ellie risked sending him a brief frown. "It's not funny," she admonished. "You hurt yourself because of me."

"Well, if I knew I was going to get this kind of attention for it, I would've injured myself a long time ago," he said and then laughed. "Jesus, El. You don't have to turn me into a mummy."

"Hush," she said and taped off the end.

Once she turned away to store her ointment and supplies back in the cabinet, she felt him push to his feet. He moved closer. She knew because she was suddenly enveloped by his smell and his very heat.

Ellie swallowed and finished putting away her first-aid kit.

They were too close. The already miniscule bathroom grew even smaller, and suddenly she couldn't breathe so well.

Slowly, she pushed the cabinet door closed and met his gaze in the mirrored reflection.

"Ellie." He touched her back lightly.

She jumped. Mortified by her own response, she covered her mouth with both hands and spun toward the exit. But she didn't even get one step before he took her arm.

"Ellie," he said again, his voice soft and entreating.

"Boston, I'm sorry. But I can't—" she started, turning toward him, merely to let him down easy. But when his blue gaze latched onto hers, the words died in her throat.

"You can't what?" he asked.

She shook her head, unable to even remember what she'd wanted to say.

"Oh." The word puffed from his mouth, and his warm breath caressed her cheeks.

202

Delinquent Daddy

by Linda Kage

His gaze darted to her lips and back to her eyes. Then slowly, so frustratingly slowly, he bent his head, stopping an inch from her mouth as if waiting for permission to proceed.

Ellie exhaled, closing her eyes and tipping her face up.

Soft, warm lips pressed against hers, gentle enough she wondered if she was imagining it, dreaming it. But then he made a sound in the back of his throat. His hot mouth moved over hers fully, slanting and stroking his tongue boldly between her teeth.

He cupped her jaw, his warm fingers heating her skin. She sank against him, wrapping her arms around his neck. His middle nudged hers, and the press of his erection through his jeans made her sob. God, she wanted to moan aloud. Thank you, thank you, thank you. She'd been craving to do this again for nearly two weeks.

He backed her up half a step until her bottom hit the edge of the sink vanity. Then he lifted her, setting her on the counter, and ran his hand up her thigh, touching her through denim.

"Oh, Lord," the words were pulled from her. She arched, throwing her head back and gasping again while his mouth and tongue moved down the side of her throat. "Boston."

He pulled back slightly to look at her. No words were uttered, and that seemed to be the most poignant thing he could've ever said. His gaze spoke volumes. Ellie reached for his face and dragged him back.

His breathing was ragged, but then, so was hers. His mouth scorched, his tongue slid like wet silk into her mouth, unforgiving as it sought hers.

203

Delinquent Daddy

by Linda Kage

"I can't stay away from you. Why can't I stay away from you?" he rasped, burying all ten fingers in her hair. "God, I want you."

Her eyes fluttered open. She was kissing Boston again. It was so familiar, she almost wept with longing. She could remember this so well. He kissed the same, touched the same, smelled the same. And she'd missed him.

"I want..." she started, only to get caught on a gasp of pleasure.

"Yes?" he urged, his voice low and thick.

"I want—"

"Yo, Boston," a male voice yelled from the back door. "You alive in here?"

Ellie jerked backward, pressing a hand to her heart. Boston bit out a curse and closed his eyes.

"Kincaid?" Cameron called.

"Just a sec," Boston answered on a loud growl. He glanced at Ellie, his eyes unreadable before he opened the bathroom door and stepped into the hall.

"Whoa," she heard Cameron say. "You really did hurt yourself."

"No," Boston answered. "Ellie went gauze happy, that's all."

Pressing a hand to her heart, Ellie slid off the bathroom sink's vanity, inhaled a lungful, and stepped into the hall.

"He'll thank me tomorrow when his hands feel fine and aren't raw and burning," she informed Cameron.

204

Delinquent Daddy

by Linda Kage

Cameron grinned at her and immediately turned back to Boston. "So, did you ask her if Cassie could come for Thanksgiving yet?"

Ellie froze and Boston grew stiff next to her. She looked up at him as he gave a slight shake of his head, opening his mouth and looking way too guilty.