Budding Attraction (Divorced Men's Club, #3)

by Saxon James

“How does he make you feel?” Thinking of Orson, picturing his face and the way my cheeks hurt whenever we’re together, makes my entire body prickle with awareness. “Alive.”

“So a night out is on the list.” “Can I add a lap dance to this imaginary list?” “Eh. Not like I haven’t given them to men before.” The smart-ass response I’m expecting never comes. “Ford?” “Sorry, I think I just swallowed my tongue.”

guess I should probably let you know I’m not afraid to fight dirty. I’ll pull hair and gouge eyes like nobody’s business.” “Noted.” Ford’s lips twitch. “And oddly turned on by that imagery.” “By me kicking your ass?” “Uh-huh. But in my mind, you’re doing it naked.” “Good to know you’re not opposed to a few participation awards during sex.” I don’t register what I’ve said until the words are out there, hanging in the silence between us. Good to know?

“Don’t you want to talk about it?” I shrug. “What’s to talk about? I’m so irresistible I make even the straightest guys thirsty.” “Ford.” His cheeks pinken. “I’m … I’m not sure—” I press my fingers to his mouth because if his brain is going wild, it’s all going to fall out of his mouth. When we have this conversation, I want it to be purposeful. “You don’t need to be sure of anything, sweetheart. We’re friends. That’s important to me. The rest I won’t say no to, but I’m never gonna push, and if there are things going on in your mind that you need to work through, then work through them. There’s no time limit. And there are no rules that you have to be one way or the other.” His mouth closes under my touch, and I draw my hand away. “I hate you.” “I get that a lot.” “You’re very smart.”

but we’ve been taking it slow.” Griff frowns. “Why?” “Because I’m not a cock slut like you?” He opens his mouth like he’s about to argue but then changes direction. “I kinda am, aren’t I?” “This cannot be new information to you.” “Just never really thought about it that way.

“You’re gifting me a car?” “Calm down. I obviously got it cheap.” I shrug. “But when it’s something you really want, I don’t think you should wait. There’s always a reason not to do something, but time is finite. It’s not going to wait for you to make a decision.” He pauses in stirring whatever he’s frying up and sets the spatula down. “That’s a good point.” “It’s true.” Ford doesn’t move for a moment, back to me, and I watch the way his back moves with each breath. Then he turns suddenly and crosses to where I’m sitting on the counter. At this height, he’s a little shorter than me, and it’s disorienting looking down at him. “In that case, there’s probably no real reason not to tell you this.” My mind flies through what the hell it could be, and it doesn’t escape my notice that they’re all worst-case scenarios—that he really was in prison, and the reason isn’t one I can accept, that he’s decided he wants to be with Molly, that things aren’t working out between us—so when he cups my face, relief rattles through me. “I’m in love with you.” I almost fall off the damn counter. “What?” He nods. “Pretty sure that’s what this is. And you’re right that time won’t wait for me to get my shit together to tell you that.” His inhale is as shaky as the nerves in my gut. “You coming into my life has been the most incredible thing, and I know I’ve never felt this before. So even if you don’t feel the same way, thank you. I had no clue what I was missing.” Every word he’s saying is terrify...

“I want to keep you.” “Hey … that was my line.” His smile is fucking huge. “This isn’t a proposal because I don’t think I want one of those, and I have no idea if you ever would again either, but this is me saying you’re it for me. I’m never changing my mind about you. I want to move in together and discover each other’s bad habits. I want you to burn dinner and for me to be too messy for your liking. I want to argue and disagree, but once that’s over, I want us to be stronger for it. Because nothing can change how I feel about you, and I want to work to make you mine for the rest of our lives.” “You don’t need to work at it. I already am.” “And that’s what makes tonight so special. It’s the first day of our lives together.” We’re smiling at each other so hard I’m sure I look borderline unhinged. I wriggle in closer so I can rest my chin on his shoulder as I watch him work. Every tiny little stroke, every time he gets paint on my skin and madly scrubs it off, every time his tongue pokes out again. All of it makes my heart warm. I drop a kiss on his neck, then turn so my lips are at his ear. “Just so you know, I didn’t think I’d want that ever again. Until you. If you ever wanted to get married, Ford, all you’d need to do is ask.”

The pressure in my balls is building, building, pulling tight … I release Ford’s neck and clamp my teeth down over his nipple. His roar sets me off. My cock pulses with my orgasm, each spurt filling the condom as I unload into Ford’s ass. His cum fills the space between us, and when my lust haze cools off, I flop down on top of him, smearing it between us. I let out a long groan, not having the brain power to form actual words yet. “That was … that was …” Nope. Still nothing. “The first fuck of the rest of our lives.” I laugh into his shoulder as he wraps his big arms around me. “Let’s see them put that one on a Hallmark card.”

The more I talk, the more tense Ford gets. “Holy shit.” “I mean, it was only an—” He cuts me off with his mouth. We kiss for a long time. For longer than we normally would, especially with people moving furniture into our house. My neck twinges at the awkward angle. When he lets me up for air, he turns me, large hands cupping my face. “I am so fucking lucky to have met you.” “You have no idea.” His laugh is soft. “You don’t get it. I always thought I’d spend my life alone. I was fine with knowing that’s what was on the cards for me. You blew that whole goddamn plan up in my face.” “I did it with a smile too.” “And one badass lap dance.” I cuddle into his large chest. “Here’s to the newest version of ourselves.” “And to all those versions who came before.”