“I got two deluxes with ham. I hope you like ham.” She knew he did of course, remembering his request for a ham sandwich from his mother a few nights before.

“I love ham, and eggs, and potatoes and toast and pancakes. This is perfect.” He put three small chunks of potato back on her plate. “To replace what I stole.”

Snorting, she speared them on a fork and ate them. “Don’t think I’m too proud not to eat them. I love potatoes.”

He laughed. “Roger that. You were gone two hours.”

“You said you had about an hour and half of work to do. I thought I’d leave you alone to do it.”

A woman who willingly gave him space? “I missed you. I thought you could help me in the shower.” He grinned wolfishly.

“Maybe later,” she said dryly and tore into her breakfast.

“I’m beginning to see that it’s dangerous to come between you and your plate.”

She gave him an annoyed look and took a bite of his toast.

The hour and a half drive to Atlanta and back with Maggie was quite enjoyable. Kyle couldn’t get over how funny and vivacious she was. How he could have had a woman like that right under his nose all these years and not noticed was beyond him.

And there was no denying how enjoyable it was to sit and watch her finger lacy and silky panties and bras for the better part of an hour either.

He’d sat in the store, a pile of lingerie on his lap, hiding his erection as he thought of taking each piece off her. With his teeth. The thought of all of those silky scraps laying against her bare skin made him so hard he had to move a few times to keep from injuring himself. As it was, he was sure there would be imprints of the rivets from his button fly on his cock.

He dropped her off at her place with several bags of things he couldn’t wait to see her wearing. Running inside, he checked to be sure the place was okay and made plans to meet her at The Pumphouse later on.

She walked in the front door of The Pumphouse at precisely seven to find Dee and Liv already there with a pitcher and chili cheese fries. After some quick hugs and kisses they got down to gossip.

“So? You were going to tell me about last night with Kyle?” Liv sipped her beer.

“Oh my lands! You know, I go for a year without any sex and when I break the dry spell it’s with Kyle. The man is so unbelievably sexy that I’m all fluttery just thinking about it. Thing is, with Kyle, it’s so much more than sex. I mean, we laugh all the time. He’s so smart and kind. It just feels like we’ve known each other for a very long time. The sex was astounding. I’m talking ice cream coffee in the, um, small of my back at two in the morning, astounding.”

“You go! Speak of the stud himself, he just walked in with Matt,” Dee said, and Liv and Maggie both turned around.

Kyle saw her and a big grin spread over his face. It mirrored the happiness that spread, warm, through his chest. He promptly went to her side, bending to kiss her. And it wasn’t a quick peck either. He couldn’t just take a small taste. He pulled her into his body and set his mouth to hers in a kiss that stole her breath. He wanted to mark her, take up her every thought the way she did his.

When she put her arm up to go around his neck, he saw a flash of the lace edging the pink bra. Oh yeah, the one with the teeny matching thong. His c**k throbbed at the memory. And at the memory he’d be making with her later on.

“Hey, Red. See, pink does work on redheads,” he said softly as he pulled away and kissed the knuckles of the hand that had been around his neck.

“Hey, Kyle.” Her blush matched the tremor in her voice. He loved that he made her feel that way.

“Hi, Matt,” Liv said with a grin.

Matt smiled sexy at Liv. “Hi, Liv. Dee. I’d ask how you were, Maggie, but since Kyle hasn’t shut up about you since he picked me up from work, I already have a good idea.”

Maggie blushed. “We’ve got more gossip to dish here and Shane is scowling and tapping his watch at you so you’d better get over there. I’ll see you at eight thirty.”

“You bet, Red.” He kissed her again and sauntered back to the pool room with a wave at her.

“Oh my god. You two give off more heat than a transfer station. Holy cow!” Liv fanned herself with her hand.

“How did the night end with Matt, anyway?” Maggie asked Liv to change the subject.

Liv sighed. “He’s a perfect damned gentleman! He took me home and we talked in my driveway. I asked him in for coffee and he told me he had to work!”

Maggie wrinkled her nose. “He did? Well, I know he’s sweet on you. Maybe he really did have to work. I’ll do a bit of snooping. Totally subtle, I swear!”

“So how are things with Arthur the stud?” Blushing furiously, it was Liv’s turn to change the subject.

“Good. He put new floors in the hall bathroom and the pantry, they look so nice. We had sex on our deck, outside!” Dee said the last bit in a whisper.

“No way!”

“Well it was dark and we were under a blanket on the glider but still, it felt naughty.”

“Woo, Arthur,” Liv said grinning. “I’m glad you two are getting some. I haven’t had any in a month. Since my last date with Shaun.”

“A month! How do you survive?” Maggie said sarcastically.

“Hey, I like it regular! When I was with Charlie, we had sex at least once a day. Since he and I broke it off, it’s been catch as catch can. I tell you, Matt Chase looks so good I could eat him with a spoon.” She looked wistfully back at the pool table where the Chase brothers were playing.