Life Changer (Chicago First Responders Book 2) Read online

  She laughs. “Hence the call.”

  “Uh huh. How are you?”

  “I’m good. Been hanging at home this morning. I had a late night in the kitchen since my manager called in sick, so the struggle to get out of bed this morning was very real.” She sighs. “Thankfully, Flynn has consultations all day, which means he was able to see Harvs off to school and let me sleep.”

  “You work long hours. It’s good he’s there to help.” And the only jealousy I have is that fact that it wasn’t me there for her.

  “And now you see the beauty of my ex and I getting along and co-parenting in harmony.”.”

  I chuckle. “Maybe I should entice you to come over with the offer of a massage.”

  “God,” she moans, and I feel that sound right in my dick. “That would be amazing.”

  “My hands are always willing and able, sweet cheeks. They’re yours if you want them.

  She falls silent. “You shouldn’t tease me, honey.” Her voice is warm and low and reaching me in all the right places. Damn, she’s good. “I know how you make me feel when you’re hands are on me, so I can imagine how they’d be all over me . . .”

  Yep. My dick is definitely wide awake and eager to please now.

  “Are you home alone?” she asks curiously.

  “Sure am. Why?” I smile. “You wanna come keep me company?”

  “I’d love to.”

  I wait for a but that doesn’t come.

  “On one condition . . .”

  “Name it. I’ll do it,” I say.

  If it was any other guy at work saying this stuff, I’d be ribbing the crap out of them. But instead of Dee and I being at the three-week stage, it honestly feels like we’re at the two-three month one already. Maybe it’s the fact we’re older and wiser and over the whole dating bullshit that goes along with new relationships. Or maybe it’s ’cause she’s Dee, and she makes everything easy.

  “I’ve arranged cover for the restaurant tonight, thank god, but I’ve gotta go drop some keys off, so my condition is that you let me bring you lunch.”

  “You’re honestly asking if you can feed me? Dee, you can do that anytime.”

  “Good. ’Cause that means it’s up to you to provide the entertainment . . .” She lets her statement hang between us and my brain and dick yell ‘hell yeah’ while my heart is lying back in its deck chair sipping a piña colada.

  I go for subtlety. “It’s past noon . . .”

  “Oh, Rhodes, don’t you know it’s called an afternoon delight for a reason?”

  “Sweet cheeks, I said I didn’t date. Didn’t say I’ve lived the life of a monk . . .”

  “Oh, thank god for that,” she says.

  And for a moment, I think she’s joking. She’s not.

  “At least one of us has recent practice with anything, ’cause I’m at twenty-five months and counting.” She laughs but my brain is stuck on her confession. “And now he goes quiet . . .”

  Ever since I left her in the doorway to the restaurant, I’ve been consumed with finding a way to continue our hot make-out session in private. It’s not like sleepovers are an option—not an easy one anyway—she has Harvs to worry about and a restaurant to run, and I have my own list of obstacles. I’m not against her staying overnight, but I’d want to prepare Jake for that since it’s never happened before. I’m willing my heart to slow down and my balls to loosen up a bit when she speaks again.

  “Rhodes, I wasn’t meaning I was gonna come over and jump you. I’m in no rush or anything. It’s just—”

  “You’d better hurry, baby. I’m in a giving mood, and you’ve opened the floodgates.”

  “Well, I hope it’ll be you opening those, but I’m not adverse to lending a hand to get to that goal.”

  I growl earning a cheeky laugh from my girl.

  “Down, boy . . . at least for thirty minutes, then you can be whatever you want.

  “Dee, why aren’t you in your car already?”

  As soon as we end the call, I’m up out of my seat and stripping my clothes off as I walk through the house, across my room, and into my ensuite to clean up.

  True to her word, thirty-five minutes later, I’m opening my door to a grinning Dee with a black Delish bag hanging from her fingers.

  “Dee Duncan delivers Delish,” she says with a sly grin.

  “Damn, I should get delivery more often if it comes in a package like that.”

  She bats her lashes dramatically and clutches her chest. “Flattery will get you everywhere, Mr. Anderson.”

  “In that case, get your butt inside so I can eat that amazing smelling food with you.”

  “You definitely know how to sweet-talk a girl.”

  “Only the ones I like,” I whisper as she walks through the door. I sweep her into my arms, earning a squeak before I steal a kiss from her and groan at the contact. It may have only been three days, but by my count, that’s three days too damn long.

  She laughs against my lips as she presses lightly on my chest. “Hey. I said I brought you lunch, not that I was the lunch.”

  “Well, that’s disappointing.” I hold out my arm to usher her into the living and dining area, chuckling to myself as she swings her hips in time with the bag hanging from her fingers.

  “I didn’t say I wasn’t planning on being a sweet after-lunch-snack though.”

  Fuck. I follow her like a drooling puppy dog, not embarrassed by it at all. It’s then that I get it—what first drew me to Dee—it’s her sparkle. That’s corny as hell, but it’s the pizazz she has, her laugh, her effervescent love of life that she shines far and wide. In person, it’s with her smart mouth and wicked sense of humor. At the restaurant, it’s her personality and passion for good food that you can sense in the air and taste with every bite. In her video blogs, it’s her determination to teach the world how to make quick, easy food instead of ready-made alternatives. All of this runs through my head while Dee moves into the living room.

  God, I thought I was a little obsessed over her before we met. Now I might be a lost cause.

  Being with Dee makes me feel on top of the world, and I’m determined to stay here and work hard to keep her by my side.

  But before that, I need to eat.

  Walking through to the dining room, she stops and looks at the bookshelf where there are photos of Jake and I, family, friends, and finally, Lily.

  She glances over her shoulder at me. “I thought Jake was you through and through, but he has her eyes.”

  “Yeah. They changed. Sometimes they’d be blue. When I’d pissed her off, they’d be electric green—something Jake also inherited. It was hard to stand my ground when she’d point those my way, and I find Jake has that trick up his sleeve too.”

  Her lips curve in a knowing smile. “I bet you give in every time.”

  I chuckle, looking at the ground and shaking my head. “Pretty much.”

  “Wish I could’ve gotten some tips. Might come in handy one day.” She shoots me a wink before continuing to the kitchen.

  I stay there, dumbfounded and amazed, staring at Lily’s photo, partly kicking myself for not thinking about the fact that my new girlfriend kinda got slapped in the face with my past. She just took it in stride and didn’t even miss a beat.

  “C’mon, honey. This food may travel well, but I promise you won’t wanna wait,” she calls out from the kitchen, snapping me from my thoughts.

  As if she has a sixth sense, by the time I reach her side, she’s already found the plates and cutlery.

  I move behind her and brush my lips against her neck, pressing my front to her back, nuzzling against her skin and breathing in the sweet scent of her jasmine perfume. “Sorry, I didn’t think.”

  “About what?” she says quietly.

  “The photos.”

  She stops what she’s doing and covers my hands wrapped around her waist with her own, leaning her weight into me. “Honey, I’d be disappointed if you didn’t have photos. You said you live your lives now
memorializing her. You wouldn’t be the man I’m coming to know you are if you hid her away.”

  “Fuck, Dee. Are you real?”

  She releases a contented sigh. “As real as it gets, honey.”

  “That’s good. Because I think I’m fast becoming addicted to you.”

  She tilts her head, giving me better access. “You sure you’re not just horngry?”

  I chuckle below her ear, sucking gently. “I’m definitely that. But it’s not food making me feel that way.”

  “There are worse things to be addicted too,” she rasps, a soft moan vibrating in her throat.

  I nip her collarbone before soothing the sting with my tongue. “Like?”

  “Anything and anyone that’s not me.”

  I drop my forehead to her shoulder and laugh. “Yeah, I think you’re right about that.”

  She snickers and steps away from me, leaving me in a rather uncomfortable predicament. She looks down, her gaze flashing with heat, definitely looking pleased with herself before she narrows her eyes. “Now stop trying to nail me in your kitchen before I can feed you.”

  My brows lift up. “You saying I can nail you in my kitchen after you feed me?”

  “Well, shit, I walked right into that one, didn’t I?” She giggles. “Let’s save that until we have a lot of guaranteed uninterrupted time, yeah?”

  “Isn’t this only our third date?”

  “Didn’t know you were counting,” she says with a smirk. “Isn’t that usually the girl’s job?”

  “You calling me a girl?”

  “Noo . . .” Her smirk widens before her eyes soften. “It’s nice. But also, I don’t think the ‘third date rule’ applies to us.”

  I frown. “It doesn’t?”

  “Nah. ’Cause it’s starting to feel like I’ve known you forever.”

  “I agree.”

  “See, it must be right. Look at us—we’re already thinking the same.”

  I almost drool as she spoons out a roast pumpkin, prosciutto, and pearl couscous salad she made on a video last month.

  She glances sideways at me and her lips twitch. “I’m guessing you saw my video where I made this?”

  “Yeah, and then Jake and I tried to make it and I still managed to fuck it up.”

  “Then I made a good choice. It was between this or a moussaka my sous-chef, George, had just pulled out of the oven.”

  “Damn,” I frown, peering into the unfortunately empty Delish bag. “That didn’t fall into your hands as you were leaving?”

  “Next time, I promise.”

  “I might hold you to that before we even get a chance to have sex in my kitchen.”

  She hands the plate over to me. “Get away, you horngry animal.”

  “Grr.”

  “God that was amazing.”

  Dee shrugs, putting her empty plate on the coffee table in front of us. “It’s pretty simple to make. I could show you some time.”

  “I’d like that. You know what I want more though?”

  She looks over and arches a brow.

  “A taste of that sweet after-lunch-snack you promised.”

  Her lips curve up on one side, her green eyes sparking with heat.

  She turns in her seat on the couch to face me. “Well, what are you waiting for?”

  I crawl over her and brace my hands beside her head before slowly lowering my body onto hers as she stretches out beneath me. “Hi,” I murmur, placing a kiss on the corner of her mouth.

  Her hands glide around my shoulders and flatten on my back, pressing me against her. “Hey there.”

  “Thanks for lunch.”

  “It’s what I do.”

  “And what else do you do?” I trace her smile with the tip of my tongue.

  “Kiss me and find out.”

  Don’t have to tell me twice.

  I groan against her lips, kissing her soft and slow before deepening the kiss when her fingers run into my hair and her nails scrape gently against my scalp.

  She whimpers into my mouth, giving me as good as she gets as she spreads her legs wider and hooks her calves behind my thighs, allowing my hips to fall in between. My hard cock presses against her core, my pelvis rocking into hers. She thrusts on an upward glide, increasing the pressure. Her body trembling, her grip in my hair tightens.

  I tear my mouth from hers and kneel between her legs, dragging my fingers to the hem of her top and jerking it over her body before throwing it onto the floor. I do the same with mine, loving the way her eyes rake over my chest, her gaze falling with need and heat.

  When she pulls me back to her, our skin on skin for the first time, it turns wild like a spark has been lit, the fire between us roaring to life.

  As our mouths fuse together again, her hands are everywhere, running up and down my back, gripping my ass and rocking my hips harder and faster. Her whimpers turn into moans, and I’m desperate for more. I bury my face in her neck, nipping and sucking the soft, silky skin there, loving the way she’s going wild and fucking thrilled I’m the one doing it to her too.

  I shift my body lower, reaching between us to pull down her black satin bra. Cupping her breast in my hand and wrapping my lips around her nipple, I draw deeply, making her arch into me.

  “Honey . . .” she rasps, the sound shooting straight through me to settle in my balls as they draw up, my cock throbbing, begging for release.

  “Baby, you’re fucking fantastic,” I groan, needing to taste her mouth again.

  “Rhodes . . . I’m close.”

  Even fucking better. “So fucking sweet,” I murmur, raking my teeth against her lip before delving deep. My tongue rolls around hers, our hips thrusting harder and faster now. It’s exquisite torture.

  I reach between us again, but this time I lift up and lock eyes with hers. Her blown pupils show me how far gone she is and drives me to see just how much more it’ll take for her catch fire for me.

  I make quick work of the button at her waist before tugging the zipper down and diving my hand inside her underwear, closing my eyes and releasing a loud guttural groan when I find her swollen and wet for me. “Fuck baby.”

  “Yes . . .” she moans as I stroke her core, my thumb swirling over her clit. Her movements turn erratic, her eyes hooded. She hooks her hand around the back of my neck, crushing her lips to mine, and this kiss turns feral. It’s all teeth and tongue, groans and moans, whimpers and growls. “I’m gonna come. Fuck.”

  “Yeah, Dee. I wanna hear you. I want to hear you scream my name down my throat as I make you come all over my hand.”

  “Yes. Jesus. God. So good.”

  “Not god. Just a man who loves the feel of you and wants to feel more. Give it to me, Dee. Take yourself there.” I push two fingers inside her and flick her clit with the tip of my thumbnail, and she’s crying out, her body convulsing with wave after wave of her climax.

  “Rhodes. Honey. Yes!”

  And my chest swells, my heart racing as she comes apart at the seams under my hands.

  I slowly ease her back down, gliding my hand out of her pants and locking eyes with her as I bring my fingers to my mouth and groan deeply as her taste overwhelms my senses. “Best fucking after-lunch-snack I’ve ever had,” I murmur before I lose myself against her and kiss her soft and slow and sweet, her hands lazily rubbing over my shoulders and back.

  “Now that is an afternoon delight,” she says when we pull apart, both trying to catch our breath.

  “Sign me the fuck up,” I mutter, touching my lips to her neck.

  There’s a noise at the front door, and we both go completely still. At the sound of a key sliding into the lock. My eyes nearly pop out of my head as I realize we’re about to be sprung and Dee’s half-naked body is still pressed to mine.

  “Fuck.” I scramble off the couch as Dee does the same. I quickly snatch her T-shirt from the floor as she rights her jeans and bra, and together we manage to get her tee over her head. We both quickly sit and try to act casual while I think abo
ut anything and everything completely unsexy to get my angry hard-on to calm the fuck down.

  Jake walks into the living room and stops in his tracks when he sees us sitting on opposite ends of the couch, looking as guilty as hell.

  “Well, well, well. What do we have here, kids?”

  I narrow my gaze, staring daggers at the shit-eating grin he shoots me before he laughs under his breath and shakes his head. “What have I told you about having girls over, Dad?” he says, enjoying this far too fucking much.

  I roll my eyes. “Yeah. What have you said, Jake?”

  He points to us. “Ah ha! Sprung. Kids these days. And what about you, young lady? Do your parents know where you are?”

  “Jake . . .” I warn half-heartedly, struggling not to burst out laughing with the taste of her still lingering on my tongue. Just my luck Dee and I get interrupted the first time we get it on. I was enjoying the hell out of her too.

  “Hi, Jake. It’s nice to see you again,” Dee doesn’t even try to hide the humor in her voice.

  “You too, Dee. Probably didn’t expect it to be like this though. But what’s a guy to do, right? I come home early from school, looking to take a load off and relax, and I walk into this,” he says with an over-dramatic sigh.

  I raise a brow. “What are you doing home so soon?”

  “No driver’s ed training today, remember, Dad? Maybe you had other things on your mind?” he says, waggling his brows.

  “Yeah, yeah.” I rub the back of my neck. Have kids they said. It’ll be fun they said.

  “Right. Well, I’ll leave you two lovebirds alone. But see you Saturday, Dee. I’ve decided Harvey and I are gonna team up and kick your asses at mini golf.”

  Dee’s eyes soften. “Looking forward to it.”

  “And thanks for the doggy bag. That risotto was the shit.” And with that poetic compliment, he’s walking out of the room, waving his hand over his head.

  I shoot a cautious look Dee’s way, only to find her grinning from ear to ear, her lips twitching. I lift my arm as she struggles and fails to hold in her laughter. It’s when she snuggles into my side and dissolves into a fit of giggles that I press my lips to her hair and chuckle against her temple. “Told you we need guaranteed uninterrupted time.”