Davenport Harbor (Six Degrees Book 3) (34 page)

“
You
’
re funny.
”

“
You
’
re pickled.
”

“
You
’
re funny and beautiful and so damn sweet,
”
he told me, his voice ending with a sigh, and I laughed softly as I walked closer to him.

Standing in front of him, I placed my hand on his shoulder, and he pulled me in closer. Our hands met and the sensation made a flurry of butterflies awaken in my stomach.
How can his touch do that to me? Even after everything?

“
Umm,
”
my heart was racing. The lines had been blurred between us, but after I put in my notice, I thought they had been written down in cement, yet something as simple as our hands touching made me slightly lightheaded.

“
Let me sleep with you?
”
He asked. His eyes were hooded so I couldn’t see their brown depths and I swallowed hard.

“
What?
”

“
Sleep. All those nights
…
Kitten, I only sleep well with you in my arms. I keep thinking about it. How you feel,
”
he pulled me in fast, causing me to land on his lap, and I tried to fight the shivers that ran like live wires down my spine. I tried to fight the impossible fight of my body
’
s reaction to him, the throaty tone of his voice breaking me,
“
I need more.
”

“
Mr. Daven
—”
I tried to fight to keep my senses about me.

“
John. It
’
s just John.
”
His forehead was now touching mine.
“
Please, Anne? Don
’
t leave me.
”
His eyes were red and his voice was tortured.
“
You and Zoey. Stay here with me.
”

“
John, you hired someone.
”
He had. Birdie had called me yesterday, shocked that I
’
d put in my two week notice without telling her.

“
I know.
”

“
We can
’
t stay.
”

“
Stay with me. Here with me.
”
He pulled my hand over his heart, the manic thumping showing me his nervousness.

“
Save me.
”
His gorgeous face in front of me was vulnerable and open. I had no idea how I could make myself walk away from him.

He leaned in and took my lower lip, nipping it slightly, then letting it go.

“
John...
”
I moaned softly into the silence when he let go and leaned his head back against the leather chair. His fingertips started playing with the tips of my hair.

“
Your lower lip drives me crazy, Kitten.
”

“
Why do you call me that?
”
It wasn
’
t fair asking him that while he was drunk, but being that close to him, I couldn
’
t help it. I wanted to know.

“
The night I found you, you reminded me of a kitten with claws.
”

“
What? How?
”

“
You were hopelessly trying to change that tire
—”

“
I was not hopeless
…”

“
And you sounded all lost, and then I said something to you and you brought out the claws, calling me Captain Obvious about the rain.
”

“
Oh
…”

“
Now you
’
re like this sex kitten
…”

“
What?
”

“
You purr
…”
a sexy grin spread over his mouth,
“
When I kiss you or touch you in certain places...you don
’
t moan baby, you purr.
”
His voice was husky and his mouth cuddled at my neck, the stubble on his jaw driving me crazy. He nuzzled my neck, and I took a deep breath. My panties felt wet, and I could feel his hardness below me twitching as if trying to jump free.

“
Mmm, like that
…
you fucking purr, Anne. Fuck, I want you so bad
…
not having you close by these last couple of weeks has been driving me crazy
…”

“
I
’
m not sure we should
…”
I whispered.

“
Please
…”
He picked me up, and I was now straddling his lap. His eyes were open to slits, staring at me.

“
John, you
’
re drunk
…”

“
I know. I messed up and hurt you
…
I just want to hold you
…”
He wrapped his arms around my back and pulled me down until my head rested on his shoulder.
“
I want to make it better. I
’
ll be better, Kitten.
”
My eyes were on his stubble-covered jaw. I felt him shift in the chair as he tipped his head back. His hands stroked my back. Before I knew it, his hand stopped and just like that, he was out like a light, snoring softly.

I closed my eyes and tried to catch my own breath.
Would I have slept with him? Yes. I would have.
Stupidly in love with him, I would do anything.

John

A delicious heavy weight was on top of my body. I opened my eyes slowly, and even the small little men pounding inside of my head could not take away the beauty that was Anne
’
s body curled into mine, sharing the chair in my office with me. My hands moved to touch her beautiful face.

She knew the truth. She knew and she
’
d stayed. I watched her open her eyes slowly and smiled at her.

“
Good morning.
”
My voice was raspy with sleep.

“
Morning,
”
she answered me, her eyes guarded, and I hated that I had put that there.
“
I should go check on Zoey. I didn
’
t mean to fall asleep,
”
she mumbled as she got off of me. I immediately missed her body.

I wordlessly watched her stand, stretch her sexy body, then quickly leave my study. I heard the soft murmur of her voice talking to Zoey and tried to stand, only to fall back onto my chair.

“
Fuck,
”
I growled, leaning my body forward. My head was pounding, but my eyes saw the two painkillers on my desk sitting next to a glass of water. I swiveled my chair slightly to look towards the dawn of a new day that peeked through my window. Somehow, even hungover and feeling like shit, I felt lighter than I had in a very long time.

Anne

Moving around the kitchen, fixing breakfast for John and Zoey, I heard him enter the room and turned to face him.

“
Hi,
”
I blurted out and shook my head,
“
Would you like coffee? Toast?
”

“
Yes, please,
”
he mumbled, slightly shy, and sat down at the far end of the kitchen table. I quietly but quickly worked to get him his coffee and toast. The moment I set his plate in front of him, his hand covered mine, and my body warmed at his touch.

“
Stay. Please.
”
I looked at him, surprised and wondering if he meant more than right this moment.

“
You have a new housekeeper, John.
”

“
Give me a chance.
”

“
I don
’
t think
…”
He made a frustrated sound and pulled me down to sit on his lap, my hands instinctively going to his shoulders.

“
Don
’
t think, feel. Please. Anne, I
’
ll
—”

“
I
’
ll stay for the two weeks. I need to find a new job, John. I need to find a new place.
”

“
No. Not if you stay here. With me,
”
He retorted, his tone as stubborn as ever.

“
I
…”

“
Stay in a guest room if you don
’
t want to sleep next to me, but please, Anne, don
’
t leave.
” He leaned
his forehead against mine, his dark eyes were slightly red with lack of sleep and a hangover, but they were honest and sincere.
“
I know I
’
m an asshole. I
’
m not very good at making you believe in me and what I want from you, but please, stay. Let me prove to you
—”

“
What do you want from me, John?
”

“
A chance, Kitten, just a chance. The last one. I won
’
t let you down.
”

John

I watched Nikki and Zoey play in the sandbox I
’
d ordered and set up by the garden so I could watch them from the window of my office. Mike was sitting next to me. I couldn’t help but glance at him.

“
What?
”
I bit out, and his expression of concern didn’t change.

“
How do you feel this morning?
”
Mike asked, his stare not wavering, and I gave in. I owed him that much.

“
Hungover.
”
He chuckled, shaking his head, so I kept talking.
“
I
’
m an asshole. I
’
m sorry for being a dick, man.
”
He looked away and nodded, his jaw slightly twitching. After a moment of quiet he drank from his glass of water, then looked at me.

“
You remember last night?
”

“
Yeah,
”
I muttered, and he nodded and stood, then walked towards the window.

“
She
’
s a good woman.
”

“
Yeah.
”
Better than good. Anne was magnificent.

“
I have a feeling I don
’
t know all that
’
s been going on behind closed doors between the two of you, and this isn
’
t me asking for details, brother, but you have to know she
’
s in love with you.
”
I sat up straighter, her soft sleepy voice saying those three words ringing in my ears.

“
Yeah,
”
I admitted, hitting my head against the back of the chair.

“
Do you love her?
”
My heart and mind raced as they both yelled at me that I did.
I fucking love Anne Carter.

“
I care about her and Zoey a great deal.
”
I looked at Mike, his eyebrow raised. He knew I was lying. He knew I more than just cared about them.

“
Question is, what are you going to do now?
”
My heart was pounding as he slapped me on the back before leaving my office.

I watched Anne with the girls in the sandbox in the silence of my office. As I watched Nikki try to help Zoey walk, but her legs were still too wobbly, I heard a soft knock at the door. I turned and smiled at Sabrina.

“
Hey. You okay?
”
She asked, her voice gentle, and I took a deep breath.

“
Yeah
…”
I nodded for her to come in, and she stood next to me, leaning her head against my shoulder as we both stared out at the girls.

“
Zoey will be walking soon.
”

“
Yeah.
”

“
I remember how much I wanted Mark to walk. It felt like he took forever to start. Sean would tell me to relax and be patient.
”
I looked at her, wondering where she was going with talking about her dead husband, but her eyes stayed on the girls. Even though she was looking out the window, I knew by the look on her face that she was not actually seeing the girls but was instead looking at the past. With a smile and a slight shake of her head she said,
“
It used to drive me crazy every time he
’
d tell me to relax
…
Wound me up even more
…
Anyhow, the moment they start to walk, it all flashes in a blink of an eye. They grow up so fast.
”

“
Yeah,
”
I swallowed, my mind going to a time of my life I didn
’
t let myself think about. Alice had walked early.

“
Yeah?
”
Sabrina asked, and I didn
’
t realize I
’
d said it out loud.

“
But she was a good kid, she didn
’
t run. She always tried to grab hold of my hand, and even though she knew she could walk on her own…” I blinked the tears away, “She always held my hand.” My voice was rough, and Sabrina’s arm went around my back and held me tightly.

“
Sean always wanted to take pictures.
”
She smiled, her eyes bright with unshed tears.
“
After he passed away
…
. I was glad he did that. Makes me sad we didn
’
t take more, for the kids you know? Especially for Chris.
”
At her admission and speaking about monumental losses, where not one was bigger than the other, something left me, fell off me like a weight.

“
Yeah,
”
I sighed and looked towards Sabrina, who was smiling at me.