She’s so good with the boys, and that turns me on more than anything I’ve ever experienced before.
I want her so badly.
And once the boys are in bed and asleep…
…I’m going to have her.
Chapter Seven
Avery
Things were already tense when I was only dealing with the fact that I had stolen an identity when I gave Noah this fake name.
Now it’s much more complicated.
Because feelings are involved. That’s right. I’m crushing real hard on Mr. Noah Steele.
How can I not? He’s such a strong capable man on the surface, but under all that, he’s soft and sweet with the boys and with me.
There’s a fluttering in my chest as I watch him with the twins. He changed from his work clothes after dinner and is wearing jeans and a t-shirt that shows off his big tattooed arms. I can’t stop looking at his big biceps and thick forearms that look even sexier each protectively wrapped around a twin as he reads them their bedtime story.
Lucas and Liam are fascinated by the story about a dragon who broke a wing, and I’m fascinated by the sexy man reading it. I admire the angular curve of his jaw that’s covered with his salt and pepper beard, and his tantalizing lips as he makes different voices for each of the characters. My favorite is the dragon’s voice. It gets all deep and growly and sends the swirling heat in my stomach shooting to the area between my legs.
“And I’ll never be able to save the princess,” he growls in his dragon voice.
Lucas puts a hand on the book and looks up at me. I’m sitting on the foot of the bed, watching and trying to get a whiff of Noah’s sexy masculine scent.
“Doesn’t Poppy look like a princess?” he asks. Oh my God. Could he be any cuter?
Noah takes the opportunity to drag his icy blue eyes over me with a penetrating stare. It makes the tiny hairs on my arms raise in delight.
“She’s more beautiful than a princess,” he says as his eyes lock on mine. “I think she looks more like an angel.”
His gaze is too intense and I have to look away before I start to hyperventilate. My cheeks are blushing and I can’t seem to wipe the grin off my face.
Thankfully, he starts the story again, only this time my heart is pounding. And it’s not because I’m worried about what happens to the dragon…
He finishes the book, but the twins grab his arms, not wanting him to go just yet.
“Tell us another story about mommy,” Liam begs.
“Yeah,” Lucas says, nodding his cute little head. “The one with the cat.”
“Okay,” Noah says softly as he settles back down. “Then it’s bedtime for real. Deal?”
They both nod as they release their death grip on his biceps.
He begins to tell them a story about their mother when she was a teenager. Elena found a stray cat and brought it home.
The tenderness in his voice and on his face as he tells them about their dead mom has me feeling more ashamed then I’ve ever felt in my entire life.
These three have welcomed me into their home, given me clothes, food, and a warm bed, and how did I repay them? By lying and pretending that I’m someone I’m not.
They don’t even know my real name.
A thickness grows in my throat as heat tingles up my neck and into my cheeks.
What kind of person am I?
The self-loathing thoughts come pouring in and I’m feeling worse than ever as they include me in this intimate moment.
I quietly get off the bed and head to the door, hating what I’ve become. I’d rather be living on the street then living a lie like this.
“Wait!” Liam calls out. “Poppy come back. This is the best part!”
“Yeah, Poppy you’re going to miss it!”
I’m fighting back tears as I turn around. Noah is looking at me with the softest look and I nearly melt. A tear springs free and leaks down my cheek as he watches me with a subtle tilt of his head.
“Come back to the bed,” he says softly. His voice is so warm and inviting that I can’t resist. I’m nearly melting as I go back to them, only this time I sit beside Lucas and wrap my arm around him. He looks up at me and smiles.
“So, your mom brought the cat into the house and he was so mean. He scratched her arms and he scratched her legs and he even scratched her cheeks.”
“Was there blood?” Liam asked, looking a little queasy.
“There was,” Noah continues. “She had scratches everywhere. Now, most people would have kicked that mean old cat out of the house and nobody would have even blamed them. But not your mom. She was the nicest girl I have ever met and she was determined to make that cat like her.”
I’m reeling from one intense emotion to another. I’m a mess. I’m absorbed in the sweet moment with these new people that I’m quickly growing to love, but I’m filled with shame and remorse for deceiving them. I feel sick that I lied.
“Tell Poppy what happens next,” Liam says.
I wince. Every time they call me Poppy it feels like a knife to my heart. I want to hear them call me Avery. Especially Noah. I want to hear my name in that sexy growly voice of his.
Noah looks at me and smiles. “That mean old cat who hated everybody, well, he fell in love with Elena.”
The boys each give me a triumphant smile. “That’s our mom,” Lucas says proudly.
“Instead of scratching and biting, he would lick and cuddle with your mom. He would follow her everywhere and whenever she left, he would stand at the door and say ‘meow, meow, meow,’ until she got home. He loved your mother so much and she loved you two so much.”
He tightens his arms around them and kisses each of them on the forehead.
And my crush goes from smoldering to a full-on five-alarm blaze.
“Goodnight, Noah,” they say as they settle in to go to sleep.
He tucks them in and gives them another kiss. “Goodnight my little men.”
“Goodnight, Poppy,” they both say in sleepy voices.
The thickness in my throat is back as I look down at them. They shared this beautiful intimate moment with me and I haven’t even shared my real name with them.
But I’m terrified they’ll kick me out if they know I lied.
“Goodnight, boys,” I say as I tuck them in. I can’t help but give them each a kiss goodnight. “We’ll have some more fun tomorrow, okay?”
“And more ice cream?”
I grin as I look back at Noah who’s standing at the door watching. “Maybe, but this time don’t rat me out.”
Noah turns off the light and we head out into the hall.
My stomach is churning. I have to tell him. But what if he kicks me back out onto the street? The only thing worse than living on the street is living on the street, then coming here and experiencing a real home, and then blowing it and having to go back.
I can’t blow this.
“I initially bought them separate beds, but they always ended up in the same one by morning, so I replaced it with a big one for them.” He’s got a soft smile on his face as he looks into the bedroom. “You’re doing a good job, Poppy. They like you.”
“Noah,” I say in a tight voice. “I have to tell you something.”
“Okay. Want to get a drink and talk?”
I shake my head. This can’t wait another second.
“I lied.”
His chin raises and his eyes narrow on me as he listens.
“About what?”
“About everything.” It all comes spilling out of me. Why I was there in the first place, my mother dying, living in a tanning salon, seeing the notebook and taking Poppy White’s name, the lies—everything. It all comes out.
His face is still throughout the whole thing and I can’t tell what he’s thinking. My heart is racing when I’m finally finished.
“You were homeless?” he finally says in a low voice.
I nod as shame fills me.
His body tightens and I wince w
hen I see his hands squeezed into fists.
“I’ll leave,” I say, turning around.
He grabs my arm and pulls me back. “No. You’re never going to live on the streets again. Ever.”
My mouth drops as I turn back to him and see the desperation on his face.
“I can’t believe you were living like that,” he says with a wince. “I would have found you and helped you if I knew. What is your real name?”
“Avery,” I tell him. “Avery Floyd.”
“Avery Floyd,” he whispers, savoring each syllable like it’s a fine wine.
My body fills with warm shivers as I finally hear it on his lips.
“It’s going to be okay now, Avery,” he says as he holds my arm like he’s never going to let me go. “You’re with me now. With us. The hard part is over.”
He pulls me into his embrace and wraps his sexy tattooed arms around me. I breathe in his warm comforting scent as I rest my cheek on his hard chest, just for a moment. I know it’s unprofessional, but I can’t seem to stop myself.
“Whatever you want is yours. Just ask and you’ll get it.”
“I don’t want anything,” I say, letting him hold me. “I appreciate the clothes and everything else, but I don’t need it. I just need you.”
I gasp when I realize what’s just come out of my mouth. I was so caught up in the emotions and the release of tension after telling him the truth, that it just slipped out.
His strong hands slide down to my waist and he pushes me back, pinning me against the wall.
It sends a rush of heat down from my core that pools between my legs. Feeling his strength and not knowing what’s going to happen is making my breath come out all rushed and choppy.
He leans in, his huge muscular frame towering over me. My body freezes when I feel his hard chest press up against my aching nipples.
His delicious smell is filling my head and making me all faint and dizzy in the best possible way. His hot breath tickles my neck as he leans in close to my ear.
“I need you too, Avery,” he whispers in a low growly voice. It makes my pussy ache. “Ever since I opened that door, I’ve wanted you.”
The hallway feels like it’s charged with a thick heat. I can’t breathe. He’s so close. His strong body is surrounding me, pinning me against the wall. I couldn’t leave even if I wanted to.
My sexy boss has me right where he wants me.
He’s breathing heavily. I can feel his heart beating hard against me.
It’s so quiet in the hall, but it sounds so loud with the thrashing of my heartbeat in my ears.
His eyes drop and his jaw tightens as he looks down the top of my dress. My nipples tighten even harder as I wonder how much of my breasts he can see.
“I like the dress.”
“I wore it for you.”
He lets out a low deep groan. “I want you to wear something else for me.”
I gulp, knowing what he wants.
But I’m not about to give in so easily. Big strong men like him enjoy a chase.
“Anything in particular?” I ask with a grin.
His grip on my waist tightens and he pushes me up against the wall a little harder. A moan escapes from my throat when I feel his hard cock press against my stomach.
Oh, god. He’s so big.
“You know what I want,” he growls.
The tension thickens in the air until I can barely breathe.
“You put it on when you’re ready. Tonight. Tomorrow. Next month. Next year. Never.” He winces at the last word. “I’ll be waiting.”
He kisses my forehead softly and then lets me go.
I’m gasping for air and my blood is burning as I watch him walk away. He disappears into his study without looking back.
God, my heart is pounding…
I think of the black lacy lingerie that’s hidden in the top drawer of my dresser and my pussy aches in anticipation.
I want to wear it for him, but screwing the boss could screw everything up.
What the hell should I do?
Chapter Eight
Noah
I pour myself a scotch and slam it down, but my hands are still trembling.
I’ve never felt this way before. I think I’m in love.
Seeing Avery with my boys and how emotional she got with everything was making my chest flutter and it hasn’t gone away. The house finally feels whole with her here. My life finally feels whole. I didn’t realize how empty it all was without her—how much the three of us were missing.
I don’t care that she gave me a fake name. I don’t care that she lied.
I can see the goodness radiating off her. She’s a good person. She can’t lie about that.
With a sigh, I refill my glass and put on some music from my collection. November Rain by Guns N’ Roses.
I remember getting the CD when I was a teenager and blasting this song with my friends while driving my dad’s shitty old pickup truck. We were looking for girls, but I never found one that got my engine revving like Avery does.
It took me forty-two years to find her and although every cell in my body is screaming at me to go claim her, I’ll wait.
I’ll wait until she’s ready.
I’ve waited this long to find her, and although it’s going to be torture, I’ll do it. For her.
The scotch is smooth and feels good as I take a big sip. It doesn’t calm any of the intensity I’m feeling, but it’s the only thing I’ve got.
I light the stone fireplace and sit down in my leather chair by the shelves of books that line the walls. Just as I take another sip, she walks in.
My back straightens and my breath catches in my throat when I see that she’s changed outfits. The big thick housecoat I gave her is wrapped around her tiny body and she’s got a nervous look on her face.
Her dark brown hair is half-spilled over her face, hiding her blushing cheeks. My heart starts drumming in my chest when I see a flash of lace underneath the big thick housecoat.
“Fuck,” I whisper as I stare at her. “You’re so beautiful.”
She nervously lingers in the doorway. Not daring to step any closer.
“What’s the matter?” I ask her.
She hesitates for a moment, fidgeting with the belt of the housecoat as she looks at the floor. “I don’t know what to do.”
My dick aches at her innocence. Damn, this girl gets me so fucking hard.
“I’ll tell you.”
She swallows hard and her eyes widen a touch.
“Pull on the belt.”
She looks nervous, but excited. With a deep breath, she pulls on the belt and the knot unravels.
I hiss in a deep breath as I lean forward, trying to get a look, but the stubborn housecoat remains mostly closed.
“Open it,” I command.
She grabs the thick lapels and slowly opens it.
Fuck. She’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.
Truly.
There are no words…
Fingers tingling, I hold my breath as I watch her slide the housecoat over her shoulders and let it drop to the floor.
It’s only then that I notice she’s wearing matching black high heels. I start at her ankles and slowly work my way up.
Her legs are covered in black stockings that stop halfway up her thighs. Thin suspenders attach the stockings to her black lace bustier.
It’s agonizing, but I slowly take my time, dragging my eyes up and over her smooth skin to the lacy panties covering her pussy. I lick my lips as I wonder what she’s hiding inside there.
The bustier starts just above her belly button and is all sexy lace up to her tits that look beyond tantalizing. I take a deep breath through my nose and shift in my chair when I see the outline of her hard nipples through the black lace.
“Come closer,” I command. “Close the door.”
She turns and closes the door and I wince when I see how good her ass looks in the high-cut underwear.
It’s
over too soon and she turns back and walks into the dimly lit room. Only the light over the bar is on with the flames from the fireplace. If I had my way, I would turn every single light on to see every inch of her body, but I don’t want to scare her off. Plus, if I’m being honest, it’s much sexier like this.
The song ends and Don’t Cry comes on next.
“Turn around,” I tell her.
I can barely breathe as she takes a step in her high heels and turns around, showing me her young supple ass.
I’m so hard and I’m fighting back groans as I rub my dick over my jeans. I can feel pre-cum leaking out all over my thigh as I watch.
“Sway your hips to the music.”
She starts to move her sexy body and my hands ache with desire. I want to touch her. I want to take her. Fuck her. I want to do everything to this girl.
Instead, I just grip onto the armrests of the chair and watch the show.
“Good,” I say in a low throaty voice to encourage her. “Now turn back around.”
She’s still moving her body and hypnotizing me with those slim hips as she turns back around as I commanded.
“Run your hands up your ribs and cup your tits for me.”
Her thick pink lips fall open as she does what I said. I slowly shake my head, cursing under my breath when I watch her grab her tits with her little hands. Her fingertips go straight to her nipples and she starts playing with them as she gets into the sexy song.
“That’s it,” I say, shifting in my chair. “Now play with your hair.”
Her hands slide up to her hair and she threads her fingers through it as she lifts it up. Is there anything sexier? I doubt it.
I can’t fucking breathe as I watch. My blood is boiling.
She lets it fall back down as she swings her hips from side to side and dips down low.
“Lick those sweet lips for me.”
I’m rubbing my dick over my jeans as I watch her pretty little tongue dart out across her bottom lip, leaving a wet trail of saliva over the lush pink surface. All I can imagine is having those soft lips wrapped around my cock.
“You’re killing me, Avery. You’re so fucking perfect.”
Cherry Poppins Page 4
