Hang Tough(40)

“Omigod.”

“Olivia was sleeping in her crib. She was six months old. Streeter . . . he just . . . when I heard that sorrowful tone to the music? I wondered if that’s what life sounds like to Streeter now. Like I said, we’re not close. I check on him every couple of weeks. He says he’s fine. Fuck. How can he be fine? He’s not fine. But he’d never . . .”

Jade wrapped her arms around his waist and pressed the side of her face against his chest. “Tobin. I’m so sorry. What an awful, awful thing.”

“Yeah.” It was weird to think this was the first time he’d talked about his sister-in-law’s death. In that respect, he was exactly like his father and his brothers. He just shut it down. Didn’t allow his thoughts to wander to why Danica had ended her life when she had the life she’d wanted. Why she’d done it in her baby’s room? Because she hadn’t wanted to die alone? And yeah, it made him a dick, but the fact that her decision forced the man who’d loved her for years . . . to find her that way? No note. No hint she might be depressed, at least as far as Tobin knew. And this was totally morose, but he wondered if in that moment after the shock and loss had passed, if dealing with her death and becoming a single, widowed parent, had turned that love into hate.

“I don’t know,” Jade said softly. “Maybe your brother doesn’t even know at this point.”

It hit him then; he’d said all that out loud.

His confusion and heartbreak seemed to be holding on tighter.

And he wasn’t fool enough to let go. She smelled good. And she felt good. Soft and yet solid.

Tobin curled his hand around the side of Jade’s neck, pressing his thumb on her jawbone, slightly tipping her head back.

Every feature that formed her beautiful face deserved careful consideration. Her dark eyebrows perfectly arched over those expressive almond-shaped eyes. The edges of her cheekbones nestled high in the rounded curves of her face. The wide nose that managed to be both haughty and cute. And then there were those lips. Full and soft, the color somewhere between copper and peach.

She exhaled.

Was it only yesterday that he’d kissed her for the first time? Now he craved how warm and smooth the inside flesh of her bottom lip felt against the tip of his tongue. Now he knew how hot and fast her exhalations were against his mouth.

Tempting to start out with sugar bites, sweet kisses, slowly savoring her until that moment when need and hunger asserted control.

“Tobin?” she said softly. “What are you doing?”

“Memorizing you.”

“Why?”

Tobin forced his gaze back to hers. “Because when I close my eyes at night, I want to recall with perfect clarity every nuance of this face.”

The interest that flared in her eyes was all the permission he needed.

He brushed his lips across hers. Once. Twice. On the third pass he lingered. The soft flesh tasted like champagne and raspberries. But that was just on the surface. He needed more.

As soon as he slipped his tongue in, Jade opened her mouth to him fully.

Somehow Tobin kept the kiss easy, not devouring her. Allowing her to explore, even as he did the same.

Their bodies migrated closer.

Jade’s hand clutched the back of his shirt.

He kept his hand on her face, continuing to sweep his thumb across her jawbone, while he mimicked the motion with his left hand on her hip.

Just when he felt the heat between them expand, Jade broke the kiss.

She rested her forehead on his chest and took long, deep breaths.

Tobin pressed his lips to her temple. Then he nudged her head back and planted kisses down her cheek and over to her ear. Every time he exhaled, she shuddered. He homed in on her earlobe, flicking the tender skin in a carnal preview of his tongue tasting the sweet spot between her thighs. Closing his eyes, he followed the arc of her throat with his nose, breathing in the scent of her heated skin.

That spicy floral scent shot straight to his cock.

“Tobin.”

“Shh. Let me.”

“Let you . . . what?”

“Learn what you like.”

He learned using his teeth made her break out in gooseflesh.

He learned she purred when he pressed soft-lipped kisses below her ear.

He learned sucking the spot above her collarbone sent her body arching hard against his.

The front door slammed.

He learned there was no way they were ever truly alone.

“You have got to be fucking kidding me.”

Jade stepped back. Her eyes were glazed. Her lips were swollen. She didn’t look well kissed; she was halfway to looking well fucked.

“One day soon I’ll get to kiss you and touch you without your grandma interrupting us.”

“Sorry. Stay here. I’ll be right back.”