Page 82 of Nothing to Deny
She sighed. Whoever was smiling on them, whatever force brought them together, she’d never be able to express the depth of her gratitude.
TWENTY-FIVE
SHE HAD NO memory of him coming to bed, a testament to the stress of the previous day, and his consideration. She’d been out like a light. But as daytime beckoned, she couldn’t remember ever waking with such peace and contentment. She drew in breath and her eyelids opened. The reason for her morning glow was right there at her side, lying next to her, head propped on a fist, smiling down at her.
“Good morning,” he said, exuding the same satisfaction that filled her.
“Good morning, how long have you been lying there like that?”
Not that she minded, unless she was drooling. Her fingertips met her lips, just to check.
His smile grew. “You don’t drool. Though you’d be no less adorable if you did.”
Ah, the charmer at work. Waking up with him wasn’t such a bad deal.
She wriggled closer. “I like this.”
“I like this too. Could get used to this. Are we hanging with the family today?”
“Do you have other ideas?”
“Plenty. I figured you’d want to stick with PG-13, rather than…”
Hanging with the rest of the family may be the best way to ensure that. If they spent too much time alone… Yes, better to keep things family oriented.
“Have you heard from the boys today?” The Claymores were just as important as the Pivens. “How is Abel doing?”
“No hope on the R-rated, huh? You’re all about the family. They’ll survive. I preferred watching you sleep to checking in with them, and I didn’t want to disturb you. Abel’s tough, he can handle things.”
Her palm found his cheek. “I don’t want them to think I stole you away. I understand the four of you are a package deal. I love your family, I would never—”
“If you haven’t figured it out by now, they adore you. Guarantee they’re missing you more than me.”
What a contrast, how she felt spending time with her family versus spending time with his. She wanted more. Normality, day to day, everything in their lives intertwined, was that too much to ask?
Would they ever wake up in his apartment? Go downstairs to have breakfast with the twins and Abel, without the weight of Squires hanging over them? She didn’t hate the agency; it brought them together. She did hate thinking about him with someone else even for a second.
Beyond that, she hated to think of him struggling. The pressure that he was under was immense. All expectation weighed on his shoulders; he had a family to support. If he couldn’t bring in the dough, God only knew what would happen to them. And his mom, what would happen to her? Was that something that played on his mind?
“What were you thinking for today? I don’t know if there’s an itinerary, or if anyone has plans. I haven’t heard about anything being booked at all. That doesn’t mean there’s no agenda. If there’s something specific you would like to do or see…”
“Plenty I’d like to see.”
Easing the covers down her body, he left them at her hips to slide his flat hand back up,underher top this time. It caughton his wrist exposing her skin as it ascended. She caught it in her cleavage, just before his view got good.
“What time is it?”
“You just said there was nothing planned. We have nowhere to be. Right now I like it right here. I’m in no hurry. Let’s just take it slow…” Still beneath the fabric, his palm skimmed over her nipple before his fingers curled in a delicious fondle. Though her grip tightened, she didn’t exactly move to stop him. “You don’t want to play?”
Oh, she did. He had no idea just how much she wanted to let go and give him free rein. He may think he wanted it, but he had no idea. Compared to her, no one on earth understood the meaning of desire. Being in bed with him was a fantasy come to life. With so few clothes between them, it would be easy to surrender to their attraction and let biology lead the way. The same thoughts that danced in her mind, danced in his, she read them in his eyes. They had to get out of bed, away from their cozy intimacy, or they would break the rules on the very first day.
“We can play in the shower, if you want… Hound.” Oh, God, where had that come from? Bad idea? Not according to the spark of blazing desire that seemed to flame around his pupils. “Unless you think we can’t control ourselves.”
She wasn’t sure she had faith in herself, let alone him. Was the shower really a better option? It was, of course it was. Doing it in the shower required effort, and a plan. Surely one of them would speak up for their rules before it got that far.
“If controlling myself means getting you naked…”
When he put it like that…
