WELCOME

[Chase Robinson]

"Hmm." While her laugh was endearing, he didn't have anything to say back. There were about a dozen answers to her question, but even one of them would spoil the mood, and this mood was kind of nice. He sort of wanted it to stay.

Chase solved her problem with her hands, or at least one of them, by snatching it in his own to nibble and suck at her fingertips lightly. Strawberry flavor or no, he had to admit that it was pretty nice. And maybe she'd just squeal and laugh and jerk her hand away playfully, or maybe she'd react like he was hoping she would.

He didn't think he could find it in himself to be disappointed either way. This was just nice.

[Lyla Blaire]

At first it was just awkward. She had sticky chocolate-strawberry fingers, and Chase was tickling her a little, but . . . it was sort of nice. There was a sort of intimacy in his being able to just do something like that without her automatically pulling her hand away from him. She just watched, and then she stepped into him. Her unoccupied hand touched his side, rubbing against his waist as she leaned into him.

He could have one hand. His lips felt good against her skin; They always did. The tickling had stopped, and she just wanted to be close now. He had deprived her of that earlier when he stepped away without a word, and she wasn't done with him yet.

She was needy and comfortable, and the dog was asleep. She needed to take advantage of Chase's willingness to stay close while she could command his attention.