_OceanofPDF

I put my hands over hers. My mouth hit the gas pedal before my brain
put the next thought into gear.
“I’m the only one who fucks you right.” A part of me wanted to take it
back, but her lips parted and her eyes opened just enough to shrink my
common sense into silence. “The first time I fucked you was in my garage.
You pulled in. I had dinner reservations, but we didn’t make it out of my
house. I took you on the hood of my Maserati.”
“You have a Maserati?”
“I do now. I made you come so hard every part of your body shook and
you wept in my arms.”
Her throat rippled when she swallowed, and though she was looking
right at me, I knew she was looking into the place in her mind where my
words had created a picture.
“Mr. Crowne,” Maurice said from above us, “your drinks.”
Ella pulled her hands from under mine so he had room to place her
drink. The layer of syrup curled into the bubbling soda like fingers
exploring their way to the bottom. He left the scotch with its single,
perfectly clear ice cube in front of me and disappeared.
Ella placed her fingertip on the edge of the glass and ran it along a half
circle. “That was quite a third date.”
Behind her, in the warmly lit foyer, people were coming up the stairs.
Family first, Mom and Dad, arm in arm. Liam and his son. Byron had
Garrett over his free shoulder.
“First date,” I said. “It lasted three days.”
Byron passed the baby over to Olivia and came toward us.
“What are your parents going to think of me?”
I stood and held my hand out for Ella, who let me help her up. “That it
was love and it all happened so fast, we’re already married.”
“Logan,” Byron said when he was in earshot, “I thought you’d
disappeared.”
“Just getting away from your cologne,” I said, shaking his hand. “It
smells like spit up and diapers.”
Byron smiled and faced Ella. “Don’t let him fool you. He’s turned out to
be a real baby whisperer. Garrett refuses to cry when this guy’s in the room.
Shuts off like a faucet.”
“That’s kind of shocking.”
“Byron,” I said, “I’d like you to meet Ella Papillion.”