Way less sweaty too. Maybe I can hire someone to look into Gladys quietly? See what Leanne’s gotten roped into. But she seems to think that would be dangerous… Maybe it would be safer to stick to learning web design. He was doing simple sites now, nothing too fancy, but he’d get better. “Then it’s just as well that I have no questions. I didn’t hear anything before I dropped the pizza plate. There was a lot of wind. I’m sure you just had a good gossip with Gladys, or maybe you managed to get her to share her secret streusel recipe? If so, I’m all ears. Even Titus would have a hard time making it so tasty.” He smiled then.

Her throat worked as she seemed to struggle to find words, and then she rushed him, slamming him into the wall with a driven kiss. Trev kissed her back desperately, feeling like he’d almost lost something precious even if he didn’t understand precisely why. He twined his hands in her hair and fell into the magic of her soft, warm body pressed against him. Her delicious mouth glided over his, and he tasted her again, again, loving the fact that he got to take her home at the end of a long night where everyone wanted a piece of her.

But she’s mine. No matter what, this woman chose me. I won’t let her down.

When the time comes, I’ll prove it, Butterfly.

Chapter 21

Leanne lost track of how they made it to the bedroom.

It was a storm of kissing and touching, then all their clothes hit the floor around the same time as her back hit the bed. Trev seemed to share her desperation, even if he didn’t understand how close she’d come to losing him tonight. She’d saved him from some awful council action by the skin of her teeth, and there were no assurances it wouldn’t happen again.

No, I refuse to imagine losing him.

She pushed the bad thoughts out of her brain and focused on the clean smell of his skin, the way he arched and moaned when she kissed a path down his bare chest, pausing on his hip to outline his pelvic bone with her tongue. He twisted and gasped as she teased him, clutching at the sheets with frantic hands.

I’ll protect you somehow. I will.

The lights were off, so she only caught a glimpse of his face, Trev biting down on his lower lip as she shifted and curled her fingers around his already-throbbing cock. His hips hitched as he silently pleaded for more with each movement. She stroked him and licked the crease high on his upper thigh. The hot sweep of her tongue drew a full groan, and he gave up on controlling himself.

“You’re sending me,” he whispered.

“That’s the point.”