“Hell in a hand basket,” he burst out. “I’m gonna come.”

Her muffled laughter echoed in the darkness, and she nearly choked on his c**k thanks to the giggles that overtook her.

Darcy had never known true feminine power until this very moment. One teasing suck and she’d utterly destroyed him, turned him into a grunting, shuddering mess as he came inside her mouth. If they were having sex, maybe she wouldn’t have been so pleased with the one-thrust show, but right now, she welcomed the hot pulses that coated her tongue, eagerly drinking in the salty, masculine taste of him. She tightened her suction on his c**k so she could suck him dry, swallowing every last drop of his pleasure.

“Christ. Fuck, Darcy. You don’t know how good that feels.”

He groaned softly as he withdrew from her mouth, then hauled her up and kissed her so deeply she swayed on her feet.

When they pulled apart, they were both grinning like idiots.

“That was…fun,” she remarked.

His muffled laughter tickled her forehead. “Uh-huh. Fun.”

She quickly zipped up her pants, then his, because he seemed too dazed to do it himself. But evidently she hadn’t robbed him of all his faculties, because when she reached for the door latch, he intercepted her hand with a knowing look.

“I know what you’re doing,” he said mockingly.

She furrowed her brow. “Huh?”

“You’ve been doing it all morning. You’re trying to keep me at a distance. Avoiding important topics, distracting me with sex when the conversation gets too serious for your liking.”

Darcy’s cheeks grew warm as he called her out on it. Reed had never come off as very perceptive, so either she’d been wrong about that, or she was way more transparent than she’d thought.

Either way, she felt like a total ass. “I’m sorry,” she said softly. “You’re right, that’s what I’ve been doing. It’s just…I meant what I said when we started this. I don’t want anything more than a fling.”

“Don’t worry, Darce. It’s still a fling.” The hint of a smile crossed his face. “For now.”

Then he opened the door and strode out of the shed, leaving her staring after him in dismay.

For now? Crap. What did he mean by that? What the heck was that stubborn man up to?

And why did she get the most unsettling feeling she wasn’t going to like it?

Or…an even scarier thought…that maybe she’d like it too much.

Chapter Thirteen

“Did you see that?” Devon was grinning from ear to ear as he turned to check if Reed had witnessed the perfect spiral the kid had just thrown.

Granted, the football hadn’t sailed more than fifteen feet in the air—and landed nowhere close to the target they’d set up—but Reed wasn’t about to point that out. Or complain. Because damn, the kid really had mastered the art of the spiral. And after only two tries, no less.

“That was awesome,” he called out. “A few more throws and you’ll be giving Tom Brady a run for his money.”

The eleven-year-old boy bounded across the grassy field toward Reed, sidling up to him as he went to retrieve the football. This was their second official “outing,” after Darcy’s school had gotten in contact with Reed two weeks ago.

Apparently Devon hadn’t stopped raving to his mother about Reed’s defense workshop, so much so that Monique Pearson had asked the school for Reed’s number and called him up out of the blue.

Devon’s mother had revealed she’d recently enrolled her son in the Big Brother program, but that he’d yet to find anyone he really connected with. When she’d asked Reed if he would consider joining the program and being paired up with Devon, he hadn’t had the heart to say no.

And now he was glad he’d agreed. He absolutely adored the kid and found himself looking forward to these Sunday afternoon outings. Their allotted two hours had flown by today, and Devon looked disappointed as they left the football field behind the high school and walked to the parking lot.

“Are you sure you can’t come for dinner?” Devon asked, his bottom lip sticking out.

Reed shook his head regretfully. “Sorry, kiddo, I really can’t. I start work at seven, and I have a few things to take care of before that.”

Devon sighed loudly. “Fine.”

He ruffled the kid’s curly hair and smiled. “How about next week? If it’s okay with your mom, maybe I’ll stop by for an early dinner before work.”

The boy’s face lit up. “Yes! I’ll ask her the second we get home!”

Chuckling at the kid’s enthusiasm, Reed unlocked the car and opened the passenger door for Devon. Once they’d both settled in and buckled up, he drove in the direction of Devon’s apartment building in Dorchester.

Ten minutes later, Reed walked the boy up to his fifth floor apartment, greeting Devon’s mother with a smile after she’d opened the door.

“Did you boys have fun?” Monique asked.

As usual, the woman looked incredibly frazzled. Reed had learned that she worked two jobs—full-time hours during the week for the first one, and a weekend graveyard shift for the second, which meant that Devon’s grandmother stayed with them when Monique worked the overnighters. Reed didn’t envy the woman, but he sure as hell respected her work ethic, not to mention her determination to provide a good life for her son.

“Reed is gonna come over for dinner next weekend!” Devon told his mother. “Is that okay?”