window. Sheer, pale blue curtains blew in the gentle breeze. Kate wiped her sleepy eyes and squinted toward the clock. Seeing the numbers, she sat straight up, blinked twice, and scrambled over Ryan for the robe she’d dropped on his side of the bed late last night.
Ryan rolled, trapping her under his muscular arm. “Don’t go,” he groaned.
She pried her way out from under his arm and thrust the red silk robe over her shoulder. “You said you’d wake me before morning.”
A wicked smile twisted his mouth. “You looked too peaceful to wake.” He eased up on his elbows. “Come back to bed.”
“Not a chance, you idiot.” She pulled the robe tight around her waist.
He sat up and tossed his legs over the side of the bed, then grabbed her by the hips before she could get away. Nuzzling her abdomen, he loosened the tie with his teeth.
“Cut that out. I need to get back to my room before anyone wakes up.”
“Our parents aren’t going to care.”
She pushed out of his arms. Why on earth he’d ever suggested both of their parents stay with him was beyond her. She’d been a complete lust-driven fool to sneak into his room in the middle of the night with the house so full. “I don’t need either of our parents thinking I’m easy.”
Laughing, he followed and braced a hand on the door when she tried to open it. “You’re not easy. You’re my wife.”
Her skin tingled, and she turned, trapped between his tantalizing male—very naked—body at her front and the hardwood at her back. Her muscles quivered as his lips brushed her ear. Electrifying sensations ran through her whole body.
There was no reasoning with him when he had that look in his eye. She swallowed hard, fighting back the arousal. “Okay, then, I don’t need Julia knowing I was in here all night. She already doesn’t like me. This won’t make it better.”
His arm came around her waist, and he pressed her back against the door. She felt his erection where he pushed against her. Felt her whole body tighten with anticipation in response. “She’s just going to have to get used to it.”
Her eyes slid shut when his mouth nibbled its way down her neck. Oh, man. If he kept that up, she’d never leave. All she wanted to do was let him drag her back to bed and repeat everything wicked, amazing, X-rated thing they’d done to each other last night.
But she couldn’t. Because there was too much at stake in the daylight with the house so full.
Taking one long, deep breath, she braced her hands against his chest and shoved. He stumbled back a step, and she yanked the door open before he could stop her. “Later, Harrison.”
His sexy laughter followed her into the hall.
The door at the end of the hall opened.
Oh, crap. Kate looked right and left. Sweat broke out on her forehead. She was trapped with nowhere to go. She glanced back at Ryan’s closed bedroom door.
Chapter Nineteen
Angela stepped out of the door at the end of the hall. A pink terry robe was belted around her waist. Fuzzy bunny slippers sat perched on her feet. A knowing smile curled her mouth. “Oh, good morning, honey. You look…refreshed.”
Heat flushed Kate’s cheeks. Crap. So much for hiding. She swallowed the lump in her throat. “Um, I was just—”
Angela motioned toward the stairs. “Come on. Let’s get some coffee before the men wake up. We haven’t had any girl time yet.”
Shit. Shit. Shit. Like Kate wanted that.
With no other option, Kate followed Ryan’s mother down the stairs, the whole time trying to think up a pithy excuse to get out of the morning’s chitchat. Her brain was complete mush after a night of sex. For the life of her, she couldn’t come up with anything clever.
She paused when she passed a mirror in the hall. Her mouth fell open at her reflection and she scrambled to fix her hair. Matted curls stuck out all over her head. Her mascara was smudged under her eyes, her lips swollen from Ryan’s kisses, her cheeks entirely too rosy first thing in the morning.
“Don’t worry,” Angela said without turning. “You just look like a very well-loved woman. I wonder if Ryan has any bagels in that kitchen of his.” She disappeared around the corner.
Kate closed her eyes. This was going from bad to worse faster than she could pray for an earthquake to hit and put her out of her misery.