Murder_ A Sinful Secrets Romance - Ella James Page 0,87

looks back at me. Fuck, she’s sweaty and her lower lip looks raw, like she’s been biting it.

“Are you okay?” I whisper. Fear flares somewhere distant in me.

“Holy hell.” She laughs. “Amazing.” She squeezes her thighs together and grins. “Are you? You look like you just ran a marathon.”

It’s probably true. My eyelids are heavy and I feel sleep blurring my edges even as I stroke her hip one final time and make myself get up.

“Wait here a minute.”

I walk into the kitchen and get a warm cloth for her. I come back to find her curled up on her side.

When I kneel beside the couch, she yawns, then smiles.

I can’t help smiling too.

“You’re fucking beautiful,” I murmur as she takes the towel from me. I grab a blanket from the other end of the couch and toss it to her, then I disappear into the kitchen for a minute. When I return, she’s got the blanket wrapped around her shoulders. She looks half asleep.

I remember last time she was here, she did the same thing: crashed right after. I only hesitate a second before I bend down and scoop her up.

She giggles as I climb the stairs with her, and rests her cheek against my chest as I open the door to my room. I’m glad the lights are off so she can’t see how messy this place is.

I peel the covers down—at least the bed is clean—and lay her on the king-sized mattress. I tuck the covers up around her shoulders and walk over to the armchair where my .338 is.

She doesn’t need to see it…or the pile of Red Bull cans. I lay a throw pillow over them.

“Barrett?”

I step over to the bed and find Gwenna’s eyelids drooping. Fuck, she looks like heaven naked in this bed. I blink as she leans up on her elbow.

“You okay?” she whispers, reaching for me.

Warmth spreads through me.

“Yeah.” I let her grab my hand. My eyes hold hers and for the first time, I hope she can see the way she makes me feel. I rasp, “Are you?” I squeeze her hand and then lift mine to stroke her hair out of her face.

Her smile is soft and bright. “I’m really good.” As my fingers sift through her coppery locks, she grabs my wrist, her thumb stroking. “Get into the bed with me. I’m tired, and I want to snuggle up to you.”

TWELVE

GWENNA

The first thing I notice is the weight around me. Close second: the stinging ache between my thighs—a sensation that throws me back in time so powerfully I almost smell the vanilla condoms Elvie and I used to use.

I blink in the darkness as my stomach churns, remembering. I inhale to quell the nausea, and that’s when I notice something else: a salty masculine scent… The kind of sweat smell that’s illogically yummy because of pheromones. That and…something clean. Like deodorant or aftershave.

Barrett.

I’m in Barrett’s room.

In Barrett’s bed.

Barrett and I…

Holy hell.

I suck another breath in, and my stomach twists with glee and nerves. I have to take another measured breath to keep myself from jumping up and doing cartwheels—or turning over so I can look at him. Instead, I blink and scan the room. It’s still nighttime. This place is pitch black except an “L”-shaped slit of light in front of me. I’m going to bet that’s the light from the en suite bathroom.

Why don’t I know? I don’t remember even seeing this room.

Because I was sleepy when he carried me up here…

I shut my eyes and try to relish the feeling of his body behind mine. He’s totally spooning me, with his left arm hugging me tightly to his chest. God, it feels so freaking good. He’s warm, his body hard and almost twice as wide as mine. The weight of his arm… It makes me feel secure and loved and wanted.

Loved.

Hold your horses, Gwenna. It’s just sex.

My heart pounds, and I turn my head just slightly, wondering why I don’t feel his face against my hair. I get my answer in the form of Barrett’s watchful eyes and gentle smirk.

My mouth drops open. “You…” I turn over onto my back so I can see him, and he moves his arm off me.

“You were watching me. When I was sleeping!” He’s lying on his side, still shirtless, with his cheek propped on his palm. He looks smug and beautiful.

I slap his chest.

He rolls his body forward, so he’s almost but not quite on top of me. His