“Wow.” She huffed. “She didn’t tell me that.”
“Of course not. She was trying to protect you.” I sighed. “Kind of blows my mind that they think I’m some kind of predator now.” I focused on her. “Do you think that?”
“What!” she shrieked. “No! How could I ever think that, Cane?” she grabbed my wrists, squeezing lightly. “I love you—I’ve loved you for the majority of my life. You never looked at me in ‘that’ way until I came onto you. I remember. Of course you’re not a predator.”
I sighed and she linked her arms around my waist. I brought a hand down to tilt her chin again. Her eyes locked on my mouth, as mine did hers. A soft smile tipped the edges of her lips, like she knew what was coming.
I kissed her, breathing raggedly through my nose, loving the smoothness of her lips. They were pouty before, especially with her gloomy mood.
Grabbing her by the hips, I picked her up and she moaned and smiled, slinking her legs around my waist. I carried her to the island counter, maneuvering between her legs. My palms slid down her waist, curling around to grip her plump ass.
She moaned against my mouth, lips parting and panting wildly. “Cane,” she moaned.
I stole another kiss. “I told you that when I kissed you, things wouldn’t feel so complicated.”
She grinned and pressed her forehead to mine, the apple of both cheeks turning a light shade of red. “I love it,” she murmured, then clasped her hands around the back of my neck, pulling me forward for another embrace.
I could have stayed like this forever—really I could have. Yes, I had business to tend to and papers that needed signing. I had three conference calls lined up, but none of that felt as important as being with her. I held her tight to my body, my cock aching to be inside her again. I wanted to tear her clothes off and work my way inside her, but there was something about this kiss that proved to me that maybe we weren’t so complicated after all.
“Well, fuck her on the counter, why don’t you!” a voice came from my left and I snatched my lips away.
Kandy gasped, turning her head and tugging her T-shirt down where I had slid my hand up to palm her breast.
We both looked at Lora, who was grinning like a fucking loon. I stepped back and Kandy slid off the counter, fighting the biggest blush I’d ever seen.
“Lora,” I breathed. “What the hell are you doing here?”
“I told you I was coming by to use the hot tub again, Q.” She had a tote bag on her shoulder, and indeed, she was wearing a swimsuit cover-up. Lora had a hot tub where she lived, but she didn’t like staying around the apartment for too long. Apparently she needed an escape from Mama’s overbearing ways. “But, of course, when it comes to mouth-fucking someone, it’s easy to forget shit like that,” Lora went on.
She walked by the opposite side of the counter, dropping her bag on the middle of the four-top table in the corner. She walked to the fridge and opened it while Kandy stepped closer to me, tucking loose strands of hair behind her ear.
“She’s your sister,” Kandy whispered.
I looked down and nodded, and Lora turned back around, smirking at us. “Cane, I have to admit, she’s fucking adorable. That family photo didn’t do her any justice.”
I rolled my eyes. “Go to the hot tub, Lora.” I reached for Kandy’s hand, ready to leave the kitchen and take her someplace more private, but Lora yelled, “Wait! I want to talk to her.”
“She’s having a rough day. I’m sure the last thing she wants is to be hounded with questions from someone like you.”
Lora gasped, pressing a hand to her chest. “Someone like me? What a dick-ish thing to say! I am one of the best people on this fucking earth.”
Kandy laughed a little.
“See, she thinks I’m funny. And besides,” Lora went on, opening the bottle of water in her hand, “she’s a grown woman. Let her speak for herself.”
I looked down at Kandy who shrugged and continued to smile. See, this was the only downfall of having family around. They invaded my space, my privacy—everything. Though I was grateful to have them back in sound mind and body, they were really starting to get on my fucking nerves.
Honestly, it was Lora bugging me more than my mother. My mother had her own hobbies. She attended AA meetings, still sought therapy, was learning how to crochet, and was constantly baking to take her mind off of old habits. Lora on the other hand, didn’t have shit to do other than annoy me.
“You want to talk with her? You don’t have to if you don’t feel like it,” I urged, looking at Kandy.