Chapter 136

Kent stares at me for a moment, going completely still not even blinking. I think he even forgets to breathe.

And then he hauls in a hard breath, choking on it a little as he take a stumbling step back. I can’t help but laugh, thrilled a little at the result. It’s not often that anyone sees Kent Lippert off balance, and I have to admit – I enjoyed the sight. “Seriously, Fay?” Kent asks, raising his eyebrows at me and taking one hand off my waist to cover his mouth as he coughs, recovering from his surprise. “Are you – are you serious?” “You don’t want to?” I ask, frowning a little, pretending to shrink away.

“No!” he says, grabbing at my waist and pulling me back, making me smile, though I try not to make it too victorious. “I mean yes – or -” he takes a moment to steel himself, glaring down at me a little, perhaps figuring out that I’ve intentionally surprised him. “Believe me, Fay,” Kent murmurs, his voice husky and slow now that he’s recovered himself, “there’s absolutely nothing I’d rather to do than teach you this particular skill.” And he takes a moment, then, to let his eyes drop to my mouth, to raise a hand to my face and run his thumb lingeringly over my lower lip. “I’m just…surprised that you don’t want to talk.”

“About what?” I ask, perhaps too innocently, looking up at him with wide eyes.

Kent smirks a little, studying my face, on to me now. “About Natalia,” he says. “I’m not unaware that you weren’t thrilled to see her seated on my lap tonight, feeding me ice cream.”

“Well,” I say with a little shrug, pulling away a bit. “If you’d rather me go get her so that she can blow you -”