Going Down Easy (Boys of the Big Easy #1)(39)

Stupid. That’s really stupid, Addison.

He gave her a wobbly smile that was sweet and sexy at the same time. He dealt with the condom as he said, “Calling that the treat table is a very accurate term.”

She laughed and pushed herself up to a sitting position, and she realized for the first time as he straightened his clothes that he was still mostly dressed while she was bare-ass naked.

“I’ll be blushing the next time I reach for a cookie.”

He gave her a roguish grin. “Good. And the next time I lick frosting off a cookie, know I’m thinking of you.”

And in spite of the very recent orgasm, Addison felt her body heat. The man really did have a great tongue. “You lick the frosting off before eating it?”

His grin grew, and he gave her a wink. “Oh yeah.”

Addison was suddenly having trouble remembering how to hook her bra.

She finally managed to pull her clothes on, and they stood facing each other.

“So,” he said.

“So,” she agreed.

He took a breath and said, “Addison, I want to keep doing that.” He pointed at the table. Then he looked her directly in the eyes. “But I want more than that.”

She had to nod. “I know.”

“Tell me I can have it.” His tone was husky and commanding and pleading at the same time.

He didn’t touch her, but she felt a shiver of pleasure go through her as if he had. He wanted this. Clearly. She wanted more, too. But she hadn’t even met his son. Addison had never been responsible for a child other than her own, even for a few hours. Stella had never even had a friend spend the night before. But still, Addison had no choice but to nod.

The look of relief and happiness on Gabe’s face almost did her in. He reached for her, again cupping the back of her head, but he looked into her eyes and said “Thank you” before lowering his head and kissing her slowly and sweetly this time.

When he lifted his head, Addison felt compelled to say, “But we have to take it slow.”

“Fine. Okay.”

The corner of her mouth curled. “Between this and the sex, I could get almost anything from you right now, huh?”

“Yes,” he said without hesitation. “What do you want?”

She thought about being playful and flirtatious, but instead she went for honest. “I want you to let me meet Cooper at the family get-together and not be pushy or expect too much or read too much into anything.”

He nodded slowly. “I think I can do that.”

“Okay, then.” She felt a sense of optimism that surprised her.

“So we’re going to slowly wade into this bayou rather than jump in to skinny-dip all at once,” he said with a smile.

She laughed. “There are still alligators in the bayou, Gabe.”

He lifted a hand to her cheek and smiled. “Yeah, I guess there are. For now.”



Gabe had expected to like her. He’d expected to think she was beautiful. He’d expected to have an urge to make her laugh. He hadn’t, however, expected to fall in love in less than five minutes.

But Stella Sloan was irresistible.

She didn’t sit down to play the board games. She stood the entire time, sometimes leaning on the table, sometimes upright and bouncing on the balls of her feet. Whether they were playing a slower, quieter card game or a fast-paced action game, she wiggled, she danced, she jumped up and down, and she grinned, giggled, and laughed. It didn’t matter if she won or lost, she did it all with a big smile and lots of energy.

And Addison sat nearby, watching, smiling affectionately, but not interfering, not trying to help, not telling Stella to settle down or to sit down or to quiet down. She let her daughter play the games, interact with the other kids and adults, all while sticking close on the periphery.

Gabe didn’t know who he liked watching more. The bubbly Stella or her quieter, more reserved mother. Because it seemed clear that if Stella were presented with a beignet, she’d dive in, powdered-sugar mess be damned. And he appreciated that. Absolutely. Still, there was something about Addison’s more composed demeanor that drew him. Because he loved seeing that composure crumble and watching her just go for it.

Gabe was at the table next to Stella’s. He and Cooper and Dana and her two kids were playing a memory game. Which Cooper was winning every single time. Because he concentrated and took the game seriously. Everyone else at the table was just playing for fun and didn’t really care if they won or lost. But Cooper knew the objective was to match the most pieces and clear the board, and he studied the game the way he studied . . . well, everything. If he was going to learn everything there was to know about cranes and bulldozers, he learned everything there was to know. Same for alligators. And where all the pieces were on a game board. Gabe grinned as he watched Cooper press his lips together. Gabe knew Coop was barely resisting telling Grace, Dana’s youngest, where the match was for the piece she was holding.

Finally, Grace chose a piece. And was wrong. The next move, Cooper made another match and ended the game.

Gabe ruffled his hair. “Good job, bud. Want to play something else now?”

Cooper shook his head. “I’m done.”

“Then how about a snack?”

“I’m okay.”

“Gabe! Come play dunk tank!” one of Roxanne’s kids called.