She giggles. “That’s not what I’m doing.”

“Yes, that is what you’re doing and it’s …”

She takes a slow, seductive lick of the frosting off the top. “It’s what?” I swear she purrs the words.

“Nothing.” I shake my head.

Vivian cocks hers to the side. “Does watching me eat this doughnut turn you on, Oli?”

“What’s with the Oli? And what do you think?” I gesture to my erection straining against my briefs.

She wets her lips and grins while pushing me back on the bed. I see the mischief dancing in those alluring eyes as she frees me from my briefs. Straddling my legs, she sits up straight and swipes her tongue through the frosting on her doughnut again.

THUMP, THUMP, THUMP!

Then she sticks her finger in the hole and pulls out a glob of cream filling and wipes it on my dick.

“What? Ah, don’t do that—” I start to protest until she licks me and … oh God … sucks … it … off me. “Yes, oh … do that … please … do … that …”

* * *

We sit in bed and finish our coffee, and Vivian finishes her doughnut like she didn’t just lick and suck half of it off my dick. There must be some serious health code violation that just happened, but she left me with too big of a smile on my face to really give a damn.

“I fell into the smoldering embers of a campfire my senior year. It was an accident. I lost six inches of my hair and had third-degree burns.”

Um … okay. I guess we’re talking about this.

Speechless. I didn’t think she’d open up so soon. In a way relief washes over me. My mind had conjured up so many different scenarios, some of them involving abuse.

“Skin grafts were an option, but they weren’t needed to prevent infection so I chose not to have the procedure. The donor tissue would have been from my legs, leaving a whole new area of scaring.”

I take her cup and set it down next to mine then pull her between my legs so her back is to me. She gathers her hair and pulls it to one side in front of her shoulder, and I feel this whole new responsibility.

Trust.

Vivian has let me into her life and shown me a part of her that very few people have ever seen. She’s given me her trust and now she’s showing me everything because she trusts that I will accept her and protect the most vulnerable part of her.

I trace my fingers along the branches and over the blossoms, feeling the uneven terrain from her scars. She turns and looks at me. A hint of uncertainty still lingers in her tensed eyes. I smile and kiss her shoulder.

“No take backs,” I whisper.

* * *

Vivian freshens up in my bathroom while I clean up the pillow disaster and assess the damage to my phone. It’s amazing that she’s still here. My behavior yesterday had to be a little frightening to someone who hasn’t known me for long.

“You working today or buying a new phone?”

I look up to see her coming down the stairs in her very short shorts, a tank top, and her hair tied back into submission. “Both.” I hold up my shattered phone. “This isn’t me. What you saw yesterday … I’m not usually a violent person.”

She shrugs and hops up on the counter, grabbing my shirt while pulling me between her legs. “This morning, what I did…” she grins “…I don’t usually lick Boston Kreme filling off my neighbor’s cock.”

I devour the skin on her neck, working my way up to those lips, the same lips that, yes, were wrapped around my cock an hour earlier. My hands can’t resist cupping her breasts and when she moans and leans her head to the side inviting more of my touch, I realize I’m starting something that I don’t have time to finish, and said cock is not going to be too happy with me.

“We should get going.” My words don’t sound very convincing.

She wraps her legs around my waist. “Are you sure?”

I grab her ankles and free myself from her suggestive proposition. “Unfortunately, yes, I’m sure.”

“Dinner later?” Her hopeful eyes widen.

“I have dinner with my parents later. Maybe you could come over after I get back.”

She purses her lips and nods once. “Actually, it slipped my mind. I have plans tonight.”

“You do?”

She hops off the counter. “Yep.”

“Okay, well I’ll be at the Boat Club with my dad in the morning, but we could do something in the afternoon.”

She stretches up on her toes and kisses me. “Sounds good. So I’ll see you tomorrow unless we run into each other before then.”

“You taking the T this morning?”

She opens the door. “I catch a ride with Alex on Saturdays.”

I nod, a little perplexed by her aloof attitude.

Chapter Nine

All in the Family

Vivian

Never underestimate a woman whose goal in life is to be the next Amazon. Oliver is smart and has the paper certificate from Harvard to prove it¸ but I’m driven and right now that trumps his law degree. The most successful people in life know there’s more than one way to get invited to the exclusive events. Today, that’s me.

“So my brain’s a little fuzzy. Let me just see if I have this straight.” Alex watches me water the fruit trees while she sips her drink and lounges in one of the display Adirondack chairs. “Oliver swooped in and took you away from Chance last night to take your virginity himself. And now you’re crazy about him, but he didn’t invite you to dinner at his parents’ tonight so you’re going with Chance since he did invite you?”

“Basically.”

“How did you get Chance to agree to still take you?”

“I baited him. I called and apologized for last night and as expected he said he’d see me tonight, naturally assuming Oliver would be bringing me. When I told him I hadn’t received an invite he reminded me that I had received one from him at dinner last night. I acted unsure about going, but he insisted and said Oliver sometimes needs a little nudge.”

“I’ve gotta say, I underestimated you, Flower.”

“Everyone does.” I throw her a sly grin.

“Do you think Oliver is going to be mad when he finds out?”

“Maybe, but I’ve got that covered.”

Alex rolls her eyes. “I expect a full report tomorrow.”

I spray the water at her and she squeals. “I expect you to get off your ass and help out today!”

“Okay, okay, okay!” She leaps out of the chair and scurries off.

* * *

Chance picks me up at the end of the street. Of course I am secretly thrilled he wants this to be a surprise to Oliver as much as I do.

“Hey, Viv, has my bonehead brother left yet?” Chance asks as I get in his truck.

“No, his car is still in the street. Did you two get along today?”

Chance laughs. “Yes. I didn’t even give him shit about cock blocking me last night, but you really should have told me about the two of you.”

I grimace. “I know, sorry. He’s just so …”

“Stubborn? Frustrating? Bullheaded?”

I giggle. “Yes, yes, and yes. Yet, I like him … a lot.”

Chance gives me a quick sideways glance and smiles. “He likes you too. The idiot looked like the Joker from Batman today with a stupid smirk plastered to his face.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

We arrive at their parents’ house and a bad case of nerves creeps up on me as Chance leads me up the cobblestone drive to their all brick two-story hidden by a forest of tall trees. My heart pulses in my throat and my palms are sweaty—great for first time introductions.

“Don’t be nervous. They’re going to love you, and when they find out you’re really with Oliver they’re going to love you even more.”

I squint at him. “Why would that be?”

“He needs you more than I do.” Chance opens the door and ushers me in before I get the opportunity to say anything else.

His parents are out back sipping wine and relaxing in an outdoor oasis that resembles something I’ve seen on Home and Garden TV—a jungle of flowers, ivy, bird feeders, and illuminated lanterns hanging from tree branches.

“Hey, this is my friend, Vivian. She works at The Green Pot where I get most of my supplies. She also lives across the street from Oliver.”

His mom greets me first as they both stand. “Vivian, lovely to meet you. I’m Jackie and this is my husband, Hugh.”

She curls her blond-highlighted chin-length hair behind her ear. Her tall, lean frame resembles mine, and her blue eyes match both her sons’. Hugh smiles down at me from his even taller stature. He has a completely bald head and hazel-gray eyes.

I shake both of their hands. “You too. You have a lovely home. Thanks for having me.”

Jackie waves off my comment. “We’re so glad Chance invited you. It can get a little boring around here with my three guys talking baseball and rowing. This place could use a little more estrogen.”

I laugh as the nervous tension evaporates.

“Can I offer you some wine?” Hugh holds out a glass of red wine.

I take it. “Yes, thank you.”

“Please have a seat, dinner will be ready soon.” Jackie gestures to the circle of floral pillowed chairs surrounding a stone-masoned fire pit.

“Ah, here he comes.” Hugh stands and walks into the house leaving the porch door open.

“Your brother brought a mutual friend, she’s out back.” I hear Hugh say to Oliver.

“Who’s that?” Oliver comes to an abrupt halt at the back door when his eyes meet mine.

I smile and try to read his face, but tonight it’s void, not a hint of emotion.

Chance hands him a bottle of beer and pats him on the back. “Yesterday I invited Viv to dinner. I assumed she was coming with you tonight, but when we chatted on the phone earlier she said you hadn’t mentioned it. I assured her it was an oversight on your part and insisted she come.”