Preview – Playing House

CHAPTER 1:  Sarah

Sarah grabbed the takeout and grocery bags from her car and walked into the house. “Hey, boys. Can’t pet you. Got my hands full here.” She tried to push past her two dogs, but that was no easy feat. Tank was a Belgian Malinois, a retired military dog, and Sweetie was a pit-bull mix. One of them alone could block the doorway but both together, wiggling and wagging their tails could push her back into the garage.

“You need help?” hollered Nick from the living room.

“No. I got it.” She squeezed between the two monsters and opened the laundry room door, stepping into the main part of the house.

Nick sat on the couch, glancing up from his laptop. “Wow. You got a lot of food. Want some help putting it away.”

“No. Thanks.” She headed into the kitchen. She was the luckiest woman alive. Not only was he gorgeous—black hair, brown eyes and a body she drooled over—but he was the most helpful man she’d ever met, never skimping on doing more than his share of housework.

She dropped everything on the counter and began putting away the groceries. She slipped the dessert she’d gotten from her friend, Maggie, in the back of the refrigerator. She couldn’t have him chowing down on it now. She may need that sugary safety net to assuage his temper after she told him she’d volunteered them to watch Maggie’s three children this weekend.

Nick loved kids. He probably wouldn’t mind babysitting but she should’ve asked him first. It’d been a spur of the moment thing and Maggie had been so excited. She couldn’t back out now. She grabbed the takeout bags, opening the premade salad and dumping it into a bowl. “You ready to eat?”

“Always,” he answered.

She jumped, her heart pounding. “You scared me.”

“I see that.” Nick stood in the doorway, looking sexy as always—hair a little too long and mussed, dark eyes roaming over her. His worn jeans hugged his body, letting her know that he was semi-aroused and making her heart race for an entirely different reason than surprise.

Would she ever quit turning into a quivering mess of desire when he looked at her? She hoped not, but she didn’t have to let him know how he affected her. It was good for him to have to work for it. “I got salad and Thai food.”

“Salad and Thai food? What kind of combination is that?”

“Salad is good for us and Thai…that sounded good to me. Since you wouldn’t tell me what you were hungry for when I called…” As soon as the words left her lips, she knew her mistake and her blood began to hum in anticipation.

“Oh, you know what I’m hungry for.” He prowled closer. “What I’m always hungry for.”

She moved to the other side of the table. They both knew how this would end but the game was always fun. “I meant to eat.”

“Me too.” His grin widened and his eyes darkened as they rested on the juncture between her thighs.

“For dinner. Eat for dinner.” Suddenly, she wasn’t so hungry.

“Dinner can wait.” He stalked her.

“The food will get cold.” She made sure to keep a table or a chair between them. The man was arrogance personified. She couldn’t make her surrender too easy on him.

“Microwaves are a wonderful invention.”

“Yes, they are but—”

“Stop running from me.” He stepped closer and she moved away. “You know, I’ll catch you.”

“I don’t know anything of the sort.”

“I always win.”

“There’s a first time for everything.” She had to admit she wasn’t exactly a loser in these games.

“There is, but it won’t be tonight.”

“It might be.” She kept circling the table, keeping pace with his steps.

“Let’s bet.” His wicked grin made her knees and everything else melt. “Anything and everything. I want you naked and doing my bidding all night.”

“Ha.” Hell, she’d do that anytime he asked, after she’d made him earn it. “That’s not going to happen.”

“I think it will. Bet me on who wins this game.”

“I don’t think so.” She smiled as Tank wandered into the room. “I have reinforcements.”

“Please. We worked out our differences a long time ago. He’s on my side.” Nick stopped at the counter and grabbed two dog cookies from the container.

“No fair. You’re bribing him.”

His hot gaze roamed over her, making her shiver. “I’ll bribe you too if it’ll work.”

“It won’t.”

Tank trotted to the counter and Nick handed him a cookie.

This was her chance. She raced out of the kitchen.

“Shit.”

She heard a cookie drop and then Nick was in the living room, only a few steps behind her. She headed for their bedroom.

“That’s the right direction.” He ran after her. “Don’t you dare lock that door.”

“Oh, I am so going to lock the door.” She flew into the room, flinging the door shut but he slammed into it before she could lock it. She grabbed the handle, trying to keep him from opening it. To lock it, she’d have to let go with one hand and that wasn’t going to work. She was barely keeping him out as it was. “Stop.”

“That is not going to happen.”

Her fingers clamped around the knob but it was no use. He was bigger and stronger than she was.

“You’re cheating.” She laughed as the door slid open a crack. She threw her weight against it but he pushed her backward anyway.

“How is this cheating?”

“You’re bigger than me.” Her feet scrambled on the floor, trying in vain to keep him out.

“I am that. And harder. Much, much harder. Painfully hard.” He gave one more shove and then stepped into the room and pull her into his arms. “Hello.” He kissed her.

His lips were soft and sweet, his hands roaming over her back and ass. She sighed as his mouth lifted from hers, her body boneless, wet and eager for him. “Hi.”

“I missed you.” He kissed her again, this one a little longer and deeper.

“I was only gone a few hours.” She’d gone to therapy today and then the store.

“Don’t care. I missed you.” His lips trailed down her throat and she tipped her head, giving him better access.