The Purest Hook (Second Circle Tattoos #3)(48)

“Planning for my day off tomorrow.”

“You plan your day off the night before?”

“I do if I am trying to fit in a hike, some sewing, brownie baking, card making, and watching Rent for the five-hundred-twenty-five-thousandth-sixth-hundredth time.” Pixie giggled again. “You don’t even get that, do you?”

“Not even a little bit.”

“Listen to ‘Seasons of Love’ from Rent later. It’ll make more sense.”

Dred took a deep breath. In a matter of minutes on the phone with her, he felt calm again. Being around her strengthened him. “Your day sounds perfect, Snowflake.”

“Wish you could share it with me.”

Dred sighed. He wanted that, too. He didn’t know where his daughter was. His creativity was shot. For the first time in a long while, the loneliness that had threatened to swallow him whole as a child was back. It was bone deep, and disheartening.

And then an idea hit him, so obvious, he wondered why he hadn’t thought of it before.

*

Pixie tightened her hiking shoes. A backpack filled with a light sweater, water bottle, and lunch was by the door. She checked the route on her phone. Bus to Coral Gables to explore the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, then pick up the Old Cutler Trail and walk the five miles back to Coconut Grove. There, she planned to treat herself to dinner at a little outdoor café before heading home for the brownies currently cooking.

As if by magic, the timer buzzed and Pixie hurried to remove them from the oven. They smelled so good, it was tempting to eat one even though she’d eaten her breakfast a few minutes earlier.

Lia rushed into the kitchen, her red hair perfectly styled in the classic victory rolls she preferred. “Oh my God. Give me some of that, whatever it is.” She poured herself a travel mug of coffee and added a sickening amount of half-and-half into it.

Pixie cut into the brownie, giving Lia a healthy piece because she’d only complain if it was too small. She wrapped it into a napkin and handed it to her.

“You are the best,” Lia said, punctuating it with an air kiss near Pixie’s cheek. “See you later, tonight.”

With a slam of the door, she was gone.

The brownies looked so good, she cut herself a little piece. She popped it in her mouth and savored the soft chocolaty goodness.

There was a knock at the door. Lia must have forgotten her keys. Pixie pulled the door open. “You’d forget your head if it wasn’t . . .”

“Your day sounded so perfect I wanted to share it with you.” Dred grabbed her around the waist and picked her up. He walked them inside, kicked the door closed with his foot, then turned to push her up against it. There was a loud thud and she realized he’d dropped the bag he was carrying.

His lips smashed against hers. Never had she felt so wanted, so consumed from a kiss. Her hands found their way into his hair and tugged hard. He was really here. With her back firmly against the metal doorframe, she felt secure in his arms as his hands gripped her butt. When his tongue pushed its way into her mouth, she groaned. Breathless, she welcomed his warmth, savored him as he explored her.

Just as she was about to die from the intensity, Dred pulled back and put his forehead to hers, a tender gesture and so polar to his initial greeting. “I missed you, Pix.” He wrapped his arms around her and gripped her tightly.

The hard erection pressed up against her core reminded her that he was stopping for her. Not because he wanted to. And neither did she. She wanted to stay in this moment with him. Not think about everything that had gone before. And she certainly didn’t want some misguided sympathetic attempt to get her through it. She wanted this man to take her as though his very life depended on it.

“Tastes like I missed the brownie making.” Dred lifted his head from hers, the huskiness in his voice sending shivers through her. “So what’s next? Hiking?”

She looked up at him from under her eyelashes, hoping to heaven that she didn’t look or sound as nervous as she felt. “Can we play?”

Shock registered across his features followed by a broad smile. “Play?”

“Play,” she answered confidently.

Dred groaned. “Best f*cking word. Ever. Where is your room?”

Pixie pointed down the hall and laughed as he carried her quickly to her room before lying her gently down on the bed, her legs hanging over the edge. “What’s rule two?” he asked her as he crouched by her feet to remove her hiking boots and socks.

“Licking and sucking?”

“Always with the licking and sucking, huh? You get to say stop,” he reminded her. Dred stood, kicked off his boots and removed his socks.

With his feet still soundly on the floor, Dred leaned over her body, putting his hands on either side of her head. No part of him was touching her, yet he was dwarfing her all the same.

Sunlight beamed through the windows, burning away her worries.

“You like this T-shirt?” he asked before nuzzling the side of her neck. It tickled in a deliciously crazy way.

“It’s an old work-out top,” she replied.

Dred gripped it at the neck and ripped it from her. It was so unbelievably primal, and yet as he winked at her, she melted a little more. “I’ll buy you a new one.”

He buried his face between her breasts and inhaled deeply before kissing her. Little nips and bites, interspersed between slow licks over her tender skin. The rough of his tongue abraded her skin. Dred dropped between her knees and continued to kiss her stomach. “You taste like a perfect slice of heaven.”