Partners in Crime (Gambling on Love Book 4) Page 7

  “But you haven’t met the rest of my family yet, and we can’t get married without Colby.” Her lips curl into a sweet smile.

  “Is that a yes?” I ask anxiously.

  “It’s an I’ll think about it.”

  I lunge at her, knocking her back on the bed, and pin her hands above her head. “Let me help you think about it.” I fill her to the hilt in one hard thrust. “I love you.” Each word punctuated with a deep snap of my hips. “I want to take care of you.” Her back arches up, moans fall from her lips. “I don’t want to wait to make you mine forever.” I bite down on her nipple, pulling it between my teeth. The sharp pain sends her flying. I lean close to her ear and whisper, “Don’t make me wait too long, otherwise I will be forced to kidnap you and take you to Vegas and marry you.”

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  Nora

  HANK’S ARMS SLIDE around my waist as I chop the chicken for my salad. “So why did we get out of bed again?” He leans in and softly kisses down my neck, bringing a smile to my face. Hank spent most of the morning between my legs doing his damnedest to get me to say yes to his proposal. I want to say yes, more than anything, but there is a little voice in the back of my head that keeps reminding me about Hank’s past with women, and, after what happened with Charlie, I’m a little scared Hank might cheat on me too. It’s stupid, because Hank is nothing like Charlie. Hank was open and honest about his past, and he has more than proven he has changed, but there is still a part of me that questions his loyalty.

  “Because, Colby is going to be home in an hour, and I’m starving.” I giggle as his scruff tickles my neck. Colby was supposed to spend the rest of the weekend with her grandmother, but a pipe burst at her summer home in Palm Desert and she needs to fly out today to go assess the damage.

  “Well, since we have an hour.” Hank sinks down to his knees then slips his hands under my dress, sliding my panties off.

  “What are you doing?” I peer over my shoulder.

  “You just keep doing what you’re doing and don’t mind me.” He flips my dress over his head and kisses both cheeks of my ass. The first flick of his tongue over my slit sets my body on fire. I set the knife in my hand down and brace my hands on the edge of the counter while his tongue devours me.

  The sound of a slamming door jolts me back to reality. “Hank, someone is here.” I try to push his head out of my dress, but he holds onto my legs.

  “Daddy. I’m home,” Colby calls out. That sends Hank flying up from the floor.

  “Shit, they’re early,” he says, using my undies to wipe his mouth off before stuffing them into his pants pocket. He gives me a kiss on the cheek then moves around the kitchen island to greet Colby with open arms as she runs into the kitchen.

  Hank’s mom, Caroline, follows close behind Colby. “Hello my sweet boy. I am so sorry we had to cut the weekend short. I hope we didn’t mess up your plans.” She greets Hank with a kiss on the cheek. My face flushes thinking about where his face was just moments ago.

  “No, it’s fine. I hope everything is okay with the house.” As they continue to talk about the damage, Colby jumps down from Hank’s arms and comes around the island to give me a big hug.

  “I missed you, Miss Nora.” She looks up at me with a big, beaming smile. I pick her up, sit her on my hip, and hand her a chunk of chicken.

  “I’m so glad you’re home Miss Colby. Did you have fun at Nana’s house?” I ask, popping a chunk of chicken into my mouth.

  She leans close to my ear and whispers, “It was so boring. Nana doesn’t have any fun toys.”

  We give each other a pouty face. “No fun. I think this calls for a dance party today.” She lets out a high-pitched excited squeal, which sends both Hank and Caroline’s heads snapping in our direction. “She’s just a tad bit excited for our dance party later.” I grin.

  “Dance party sounds more fun than dealing with burst pipes,” Caroline says with a weary laugh. “It’s good to see you again, Nora, I missed getting to chat with you yesterday when I picked up Colby.”

  “I am so sorry you had to cut your weekend with Colby short, she will miss you like crazy while you are gone.” I reply. I can’t believe we almost got caught. I glance at Hank standing behind his mom, and he has a sly cocky grin on his face.

  Caroline looks back at Hank. “You better take real good care of this girl, we don’t want to lose her,” she scolds.

  “Don’t worry Mother, I have a feeling Nora will be with us for a very long time.” He flashes me a wink.

  Caroline gives Colby a kiss goodbye then Hank walks her out to her car. I give Colby another piece of chicken and tell her to run upstairs and put her bag in her room. Hank returns and takes advantage of our moment of privacy to push me up against the fridge to steal a kiss. His tongue sweeping into my mouth, eager hands squeezing my ass. His hard-on pressed against my lower stomach. The intense hunger he has for me makes me weak in the knees. His kiss alone should convince me he only wants me. Goddamn Charlie.

  “Well that was close,” he says, before kissing me again.

  “Your mom almost saw just how good you are taking care of me.” I giggle.

  “Damn shame I didn’t get to finish what I started.” His hands move from my ass around to my waist.

  “You can make it up to me tonight after Colby goes to bed. Speaking of Colby, what are we going to tell her about us?” I ask. I’ve been so distracted by hot amazing sex with Hank, we haven’t talked about how we are going to tell Colby we are dating now.

  “I want to run upstairs and tell her now, because I know she adores you and will be ecstatic. But until I can stamp out whatever doubt you have about us, I don’t want to say anything just yet.” He rests his forehead against mine. “I wish you would tell me what is going through that head of yours.” He sighs.

  “I want to yes so badly, but I’m scared-”

  “What are you guys doing?” Colby interrupts. She’s standing in the doorway of the kitchen with a confused look on her face.

  I wiggle out of Hank’s arms. “I slipped and your daddy was just helping me up,” I lie. “How about after I eat my lunch we have our dance party,” I say diverting the conversation.

  “Can I have some salad too, Miss Nora?” she asks.

  “Of course. Go sit down and I’ll get us some lunch.”

  Once her back is turned, Hank’s warm breath is at my ear. “We are going to talk about this later.”

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  Hank

  “THREE, TWO, ONE, bubble war.” I hear Colby and Nora scream from the upstairs bathroom, taking my focus away from my work. Their screams and squeals carry through the whole house. I close my laptop and head upstairs to investigate.

  Bubbles fly out the bathroom as I make my way down the hallway. I peek my head through the doorway to find Colby, Nora, and the bathroom coated in bubbles. It looks like Mister Bubble exploded in here. “What is going on in here?” I chuckle.

  “We’re having a bubble war, Daddy,” Colby replies behind her mask of bubbles.

  “You’re having a bubble war without me.” I pout.

  “I could use your help, Colby is kicking my butt. I think the two of us can take her.” Nora waves her hand for me to come join them.

  I step carefully across the bubble and water covered floor and kneel next to Nora in front of the tub. “You’re going down kid,” I say loading my hands up with bubbles.

  “No way Daddy, you’re going down,” she threatens, scooping up a huge mound of bubbles.

  “Thems fightin’ words. Let’s get her Hank. Three, two, one, bubble fight.” Nora sounds the call for war and bubbles fly everywhere.

  I’m not going easy on Colby by any means, but damn, she is one fierce bubble blower. Both Nora and I are drenched in bubbles and water. Colby scoops up a big mound of bubbles in her hands. With a mischievous grin, she sits up on her knees and rubs the soap in my hair and down my face. She lets out a victorious cackle. Colby definitely inherited my competitive sid
e.

  “She has us by the ropes, Hank. I don’t see any way out but to surrender. Her forces are just too strong.” Nora waves the white flag of defeat.

  “Colby kicked our asses.” I laugh and grab a couple towels off the rack and toss one to Nora.

  “Daddy, you’re not supposed to say that word,” Colby scolds.

  “I’d say we should wash your mouth out with soap, but Colby already took care of that.” Nora snorts and wipes the bubbles off my face.

  “I’m going to be burping bubbles for the next week.”

  “Burping bubbles. Daddy, you’re silly.” Colby snickers.

  “Daddy is very silly.” This is the first-time Nora hasn’t said “your daddy” when talking about me with Colby. This gives me a glimmer of hope that she sees us as a family too. I know, without a doubt, that Colby and I are Nora’s home. I’m going to do everything in my power to destroy any doubt that she has.

  “All right my little feisty Princess, let’s get you ready for bed.” I hold open her bathrobe for her.

  “Okay, Daddy.” She sighs and climbs out of the tub.

  “Goodnight, Colby, sweet dreams.”

  “Goodnight, Miss Nora.” Colby slings her arms around Nora’s neck then gives her a big kiss on the cheek.

  * * *

  Three bedtime stories later, Colby is finally out. I return to the bathroom to help Nora clean up the mess, but the bathroom is empty and sparkling clean. This room was an absolute disaster, and now it’s so clean you could eat off the floors. I swear Nora was Mary Poppins in a former life.

  The sound of singing shifts my attention to Nora’s room. I find her standing in front of the mirror that hangs above her dresser, drying her hair, and singing to herself. Her black, furry robe is cinched around her waist and open just enough to give me a glimpse of the curve of her breasts, making my dick twitch inside my pants. “Down boy. You’ll get yours after I talk with Nora.”

  “Enjoying the show?” she asks, flashing me a smile through the mirror.

  “Just admiring my girl,” I reply.

  “Well, why don’t you come over here and give your girl a kiss.” The seductive tone in her voice, mixed with how fucking sexy she looks, is making it hard for me to want to have our talk. I have to stay strong and find out what is causing this hesitation with Nora.

  Just one kiss can’t hurt, right? I saunter across the room, slowly closing the space between us. The sound of the blood rushing down through my body is deafening in my ears. She looks so fucking delectable. I slip my fingers under the sash of her robe and pull her to my chest. “Just one kiss. Just one,” I whisper to myself.

  Our lips meet and I’m a fucking goner. Her lips are just too sweet and plump to keep the beast at bay. I need more. To devour every part of her. I’m finding it difficult to regain control. The pull of my lip between Nora’s teeth catapults me back into reality. I break from our kiss and take a couple steps back. “Nora, we have to talk.”

  “We can talk after.” Nora invades my space and looks up at me with dark, seductive eyes as her hands gently glide up my chest. She is not making this fucking easy.

  I grab her wrists, stopping her from going down to the top of my shorts. “There is no way, once my dick is inside you, we will be doing any talking. The only thing happening is me fucking you until neither one of us can walk. No, we have to talk now.”

  “You are a man with great restraint, Hank Ross,” she says.

  “I’m just as surprised as you are. The fact that I didn’t grab you by the hair and drag you up to my bedroom and handcuff you to my bed that first day amazes me.” I chuckle to myself.

  “MMmm handcuffs.” Her eyes widen with curiosity. “You may have to handcuff me to the bed, Detective, if you don’t want me to try and mount you,” she says with a devious tone in her voice.

  “I think the only way we are going to be able to have a real conversation is if you get dressed and we stay away from any room that has a bed.” I tighten my grip around her wrists and move her hands around her back, pressing her against my body, grinding my hard-on against her mound. “Then, if you are a good girl, we can play with my handcuffs,” I growl in her ear.

  * * *

  Nora walks into the kitchen dressed in a parka, flannel pajama bottoms, black, furry boots, and a floppy, gray knit hat. Little does she know I’d still fuck her in that get-up. She takes a seat across from me at the table.

  “You look fucking adorable.” I chuckle.

  “Don’t try to sweet talk me, Mr. Ross, we’re supposed to be having the big talk,” she scolds.

  “My apologies, Miss Cunningham.” I clear my throat and sit up straight in my chair. “I’m just going to get right to it. What has you scared about us?” I ask.

  She squirms nervously in her seat. “I guess what I am most afraid of is that you might cheat on me.” Her words cut through my heart like a knife. “You’ve told me you aren’t the same man you were before Colby was born, and I believe you, but a tiny voice in the back of my head keeps telling me that it could happen. My ex, Charlie, told me he was a changed man, and he was for a little while, but then he cheated on me every chance he could get. In my heart, I know you aren’t the same, I just can’t seem to shake this feeling.”

  The anger burns through me like a volcano. I want to rip that asshole’s head off for treating Nora so cruelly. Nora deserves to be treated like a fucking queen and have a man who is strong enough to worship her at her alter. I get up from my chair, walk around the table, and kneel before her. “I could tell you how I’m not Charlie, and that I’ve changed until I’m blue in the face, but it still won’t ease the fears you have. The only thing I can do is to show you through my actions that you are the only woman I want. You will never go a day without me telling you how much I love you. I will whisper it in your ear when I’m buried inside you. It will be the first thing you hear when you wake up every morning, and the last thing before you go to sleep at night. It’s my goal, until my dying breath, to make you smile and laugh every single day. I will be your shoulder to lean on when the world gets too tough, and I will walk by your side through the good and the bad.”

  The tears begin to stream down her face. “You will always come first.” I give her a cheeky grin, which makes her laugh. “You’re my partner in crime, Nora. You take all the time you need. I’ve waited four years. Scratch that, I’ve waited all my life for you, I can wait a little longer. I don’t want there to be any doubt in your mind about us.”

  Nora’s chair screeches across the floor as she launches herself into my arms. She wraps her body around me. “I love you so much, Hank.” Her hands cup my cheeks, and she rains kisses all over my face. “I love you, I love you, I love you,” she mumbles between kisses.

  “I love you too, Nora.”

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  Nora

  THE COLD STEEL of the handcuffs bite at my wrists, the pain intensifies the pleasure rolling throughout me. Hank snakes up my body until I’m enveloped by his strong, powerful frame. I’m under his complete control. There is something so empowering about submitting to the man you love. I love Hank, more than anything in this world, and I was a fool to think that Hank would do anything to hurt me the same way Charlie had. Hank is a good, kind man who wants to love and take care of me. I want nothing more than to take care of him and Colby.

  His breath is at my ear whispering his devotion to me as our bodies come together. All my doubts and fears fade away with every whisper of “I love you.” There is no doubt in my mind that my heart belongs to Hank. It was always meant to be his.

  * * *

  “Miss Nora.” Colby’s tiny whisper coaxes me out of my deep sleep. “Miss Nora, why are you in daddy’s bed?” Her question sends me shooting up from bed. I was so exhausted from the night before, I slept through my alarm. This is not the way I wanted Colby to find out about Hank and me.

  Hank sits up behind me and rests his chin on my shoulder. “Good morning Colby,” he says, completely unfaz
ed by the fact that Colby just found me in his bed.

  “Daddy, why is Miss Nora in your bed?” she asks with a glimmer of hope in her eyes.

  “I guess now is as good a time as ever to tell you that Miss Nora and I are together now. She’s going to be sleeping in my room every night. Well, I guess it’s our room now, right Nora?”

  “Uh, um, yes,” I stutter. I shake the panic off and refocus on the situation at hand. I was hoping to have this conversation over pancakes, but life doesn’t always happen the way we want it. “Colby, are you okay with me dating your daddy?” I ask.

  She looks over at Hank then back at me. A huge excited smile takes over her face. “Yessssssssss,” she squeals and jumps up and down. “It worked, it worked,” she chants as she runs for the door.

  “Where are you going?” Hank calls after her.

  “I’m going to go wish for a puppy,” she replies.

  “Looks like we’re getting a dog.” He chuckles.

  “What worked?” I ask, turning my attention to Hank, who is kissing down my shoulder.

  “She’s been making a wish every day, on those pieces of sea glass you two found on the beach, for you to be her new mommy.”

  “She’s been doing what?” My voice fades and the tears begin to well up in my eyes.

  “I’m not the only who has fallen under your spell.” He cups my cheek in his hand and presses his forehead to mine. “You are her mother. I could see it the day you moved in here. You two have a bond like none I have ever seen before.”

  The tears stream down my face. It doesn’t matter that I didn’t give birth to Colby, that sweet little girl is my daughter. There has been a strong bond between us since day one. “After we get married, I want to adopt Colby.”

  Hank’s head pulls back. “Does that mean you are saying yes?” That same glint of hope that was in Colby’s eyes moments ago is now in Hank’s.