Page 148 of Time To Learn

She just shakes her head at me and turns around to see to Thunder. Ailith has already untied the girth and is struggling to get the saddleoff.

“Careful,” Laura warns her as she topples backwards, probably from the weight of it. “Once you’ve taken it to the tack room, I do believe you have some homework to seeto.”

Ailith frowns ather.

“But, Mummy…”

“I mean it, Ailith Margaret,” Laura warns her in a low tone, “you’ve had all morning off. Now it’s time to get back to the house and do your homework, so you don’t have to do it tonight. Okay?”

Ailith grumbles, dragging her feet, and I have to stifle the grin that’s threatening to stretch across mylips.

“Okay, Mummy,” she sighs as she passes Laura.

“Goodgirl.”

I crane my neck to watch Ailith until she’s out of earshot, before I turn back to Laura.

“Ouch,” I grin at her but she only shrugs.

“I know, but that’s parenting for you—being the bad guy once in a while.”

“I doubt Ailith will ever see you likethat.”

Laura sighs as she takes a brush from the box on the floor.

“Hey,” I call out softly and she looks back at me, her hand resting on Thunder’s neck. “I grew up with a single parent most of my life, remember?”

Her eyes soften and shenods.

“So,” I push away from my spot and walk towards her, keeping our gazes locked, “no matter how much my mum forced me to do my homework?”

As I reach her side, I uncross myarms.

“What?”

“I never saw her as the bad guy,” I finish and put my hands on her hips, pulling her closer. “Neither will Ailith. Annoying, yes,” I grin, loving the cute way she rolls her eyes at me, “but never bad. I promise.”

“How is it you always know the right words to say to make me feel better?”

She wraps her arms around me and moves into my space until she’s flush against me. I have to admit it feels fucking great to have her look at me like that—as if I hold the answers to all her questions. As if all she needs is to be in my arms, and all is right in her world again.

No, not hers. Ours. In this moment it feels like itis.

“I don’t know,” I murmur and take a deep breath as she pushes up on her toes. “But you’re the only woman who’s ever brought that out in me, sweetheart.”

I feel her hands press in on my neck and I lean down until my mouth hovers above hers. The burning need that I always feel when she’s in my arms flares up, and as her tongue comes out to trace my lips, I groan.

“Sweetheart, if you don’t intend to do more than kiss me, don’t teaseme.”

Her eyes flash with the same desire I feel pulsing in my veins, egging meon.

“I want you, too,” she whispers. “But areyou…?”

“Don’t ask me if I’m fine again,” I interrupt as I clamp a hand down on her arse, squeezing it against my cock. “I’m aching foryou.”

“Then help me finish up with Thunder, and then I think it’s time we took a shower.”

My cock twitches with lust at her proposal, and I take her lips in a quick, hard, wet kiss. My breathing speeds up and my whole body trembles at the thought of having her again. On a long moan, she melts in my arms, but before things get out of control, I end thekiss.

As her eyes flutter open, I lick mylips.

“Hell, yes.”