Page 101 of All This Time

“Yeah.”

He pulls me around to the front of the chair and onto his lap, making me gasp as I instantly feel the reason. Looking me dead in the eye while holding my hand, he says, “Because you’re making me fucking hard, Laney.”

Jesus, take the wheel.

“You didn’t need to tell me that,” I whisper, even though I feel like a hypocrite because heat is pooling between my legs as we speak.

He presses his nose against my cheek. “Fuck, you’re making me want things I shouldn’t.”

My response comes out breathless. “You should get help with that.”

“You’re right. I should.” When his face moves to the right, our lips brush ever so gently, but then he cups the back of my head and pulls me to his lips, deepening the kiss.

You’re not supposed to be kissing him, Laney. Remember?

But I don’t pull away. I let Fletcher tease my mouth with his own, swirling our tongues together as shivers race through my body. When we part, Fletcher rests his forehead on my shoulder.

“Being back here, with you…” I can hear my heartbeat in my ears as I wait for him to continue. “Thank you for letting me vent tonight,” he finishes as my heart breaks from the sound of pain in his voice. “I should be past this shit, right? I shouldn’t let him affect me anymore.”

“I’m beginning to realize thatshouldn’tis a dangerous word.”

Chapter 19

Laney

Frozen, a New Bike, and a Plea

“Auntie! You gotta hurry. Elsa is about to sing!” Ellis calls for me from the living room as I finish dumping popcorn into the bowl. Our sleepover ritual is about to begin, and of course my niece choseFrozenfor the movie tonight.

Being an aunt is one of my favorite parts of my life. Even though helping my brother has added another level of responsibility to my plate, it’s never felt like a burden. Watching Ellis grow up and become her own person is incredible, and I only hope that I get to do that one day with my own children.

“I’m coming, Ellis,” I call, tossing the empty popcorn bag in the trash just as the doorbell rings. I glance at the clock, wondering who on earth could be here at six on a Friday. Dilynne is working late at the garage tonight on a project for a high-profile client, and besides her, I can’t think of anyone else who would stop by unannounced.

Grabbing the bowl of popcorn, I head for the door. But when I pull it open, I freeze. Fletcher stands there with a Cheshire grin on his lips, holding a grocery bag.

“Fletcher? Wh—what are you doing here?”

“You said you were watching Ellis, and I figured you could use some help.”

I tilt my head. “I’ve watched her by myself numerous times, thank you, so what’s the real reason?” I take a step toward him and lower my voice. “If you were looking to get lucky, tonight is not the night.”

He leans toward me. “I love that you think so highly of me. But just know, Laney, that if I was expecting to get lucky tonight, I would have told you I was on my way and for you to be naked when I got here.”

“Uncle Fletcher!” Ellis shouts as she runs up behind me, launching herself at him. Luckily, he recovers from his shock in time to catch her, settling her on his hip. “Why should auntie be naked? It’s not bath time.”

“Ellie, girl. I heard you were having a sleepover and I got jealous.” He glances over at me, winking. “Do you think I could join you?” he asks, avoiding her earlier question, thank God.

“Yes!” Ellis turns to me. “Can Uncle Fletcher sleepover too?”

Fletcher clears his throat. “I can’t stay the night, but I do want to hang out with you girls, if that’s okay?”

“Can he, auntie? Please?”

Leave it to Fletcher Adams to recruit my niece to guilt-trip me. “I guess.”

“Yay!” Ellis yells before wiggling out of Fletcher’s arms the second “Let It Go” starts playing from the television. “Come on! We have to sing!”

Fletcher steps inside, eyeing me curiously before joining Ellis in the living room and belting out the few lyrics that he knows to thesong at a godawful, tone-deaf pitch. Stifling my laughter, I watch the two of them put on a performance, complete with hand gestures and everything. Fletcher winks at me at one point, cracking through the shell around my heart even further.