I breathe a sigh.“Perfect —”
“I’ll stay with Naomi.” Nathan kisses his daughter on the forehead. “I don’t trust Mason to decorate the tree, and neither should you.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
NAOMI
Ilay still in my bed, snuggle under the covers, my thoughts racing like the midnight storm hammering against my windows. The creaks of the old house echo in the silence, a haunting reminder of the disturbing events that had transpired earlier. Squeezing my eyes shut, I roll onto my side, trying to block out the unsettling feeling making my stomach queasy. It doesn’t work and I scream into my pillow. Knowing a mysterious person lurked around my property keeps me on edge.
Equally, sleep depriving is the man sleeping two doors from my room. I thought spending the night alone would be nerve racking, but I’m wrong. Sleeping alone with the man I crave most just feet away is unbearable.
Each fiber in my being aches to rap on his door and see the needy look in his eyes that matches mine. And I long to cross that delicate line from fantasy to reality.
Groaning, I throw off the covers and swing my legs over the edge of the bed. Slipping into my robe, I maneuver along the dark hallway and down the stairs to my sewing room.If I can’t sleep, I’ll work.
As I reach the sewing room, warm light spills from the crack beneath the door. I push open the door to see Nathan standing in front of the window.
“Did I wake you?” He turns.
He’s wearing nothing but pajama bottoms that hover around his hips. His waist is a wash-board of gentle ripples that enhances his chest and arms. “You didn’t wake me.”
Nathan’s gaze assesses me from head to toe, eliciting warmth everywhere his eyes touch. Stripping me. I pull my robe tighter, wishing I’d worn a sexy lingerie or dabbled perfume behind my ears after showering.
“I’ll leave you alone.”
“Don’t leave.”
“Why?”
“Since we both can’t sleep, I’d like to finish your costume?” I chose Bastet and Anubis, the Egyptian god and goddess, for our costumes. “And I don’t want to be alone.”
A flash of disappointment switches the muscle along his jaw before he approaches me like an Egyptian God making an offering.
“Do you need me to take my pants off?”
“Huh?” I swallow.
“For the costume. Do you need my pants off?”
“No.”Yes!I take a steadying breath and quickly pin and mark the garment for final alterations. Ignoring his muscles coiling and flexing under my hands isn’t easy.
“Shoot!”That’s what I get for getting distracted.
“Let me see.”
“It’s just a pinprick,” I reassure him as I stand.
Nathan takes my forefinger, bringing it to his mouth. “What are —” I bite my lip as he suckles the digit. It’s an erotic dance, feeling his tongue swipe across my finger. Playfully teasing me into arousal.
He releases my finger from the hot confines of his mouth, but doesn’t let me go. “Do you know why I can’t sleep, Naomi?”
I shake my head. “No.”
“Because each time I close my eyes, it’s you I see. And I can’t help wondering what you must look like in your bed.”
My mouth is suddenly dry. “You’re the reason I can sleep. It’s a shame we can’t do something about our insomnia.”
Nathan kisses me. Hard. Hungry. And wet. The kiss is possessive in a way I haven’t anticipated and I lean into his embrace. His hand grips my hair, keeping me close for his taking as he sets my skin on fire.
