crick in her neck.
Can’t have that.
I gently peel the blanket off her. She doesn’t twitch. Sliding my arms under her, I lift her to my chest. She resettles in my arms with her head on my shoulder.
Carefully I make my way to her bedroom without banging her feet on the doorway or walls.
Her side of the bed is rumpled and unmade. I was the bed maker in the marriage. Easing her into bed, I preserve the memory of how good she feels in my arms.
She moans and rolls on her side. “Don’t go.”
Did I hear her right? “You want me to stay?”
She pats the other side of the bed. My side. “Don’t go.”
That’s all the asking she needs to do. I crawl in beside her, but over the covers. I drape the comforter over her and she wiggles until her ass is pressed into my groin.
This might’ve been a bad idea. The fabric between us is not enough to hide her curves and how perfectly we fit together.
It’s going to be a long night.
Chapter 9
Simon
When was the last time I woke up this refreshed?
My awareness rises with each heartbeat. There’s a head nuzzling my chest and a leg thrown over my hip. I can barely think with the raging erection sucking up all the blood that should be going to my brain.
I blink my eyes open and inhale the light floral scent of a mass of hair under my chin. My shirt is up and hands are roaming my chest.
I’m in Natalie’s bed and she’s attacking me.
After her reaction to our kiss, I didn’t think she’d be this responsive to waking up and finding out she asked me to stay in bed with her.
She nuzzles my neck and I get painfully harder. A groan rips out of my throat and is met with an approving moan.
She strokes her hands lower and tunnels her fingers between my stomach and waistband. Air freezes in my chest. Her fingertips brush the tip of my cock. My eyelids drift shut and I thrust my hips into her hand.
Her leg tightens around my waist and the move pulls me into her. I’m putty in her hands, except for one really, really hard body part.
“Yes, Natalie.”
She rolls back, her eyes are still closed, but she has a sleepy smile. When she cuddles back into my chest, dread creeps in.
She can’t… she can’t still be asleep… can she?
I shudder when she shoves her hand farther into my shorts. Fuck, it feels so good.
“Natalie?”
All I get is a little murmur.
I catch her arm, but her hand is fisted around my cock. My body’s shaking, wanting nothing more than to jack my hips back and forth until I get off in someone else’s hand besides my own.
“Natalie,” I bark.
She jerks her head back, her eyes bleary but clearing fast.
“Simon!” Her eyes fly wide and she rips her hand away so fast my waistband snaps against the tip of my dick.
“Ow. Shit.” I roll to my back. I can’t rub my crotch to soothe the burn, so I rock like I’m a turtle stuck on my back. The whole effect diminishes my erection. That’s the only saving grace of this moment.
She rolls off the bed and looks down at herself as if she’s afraid she’s without a stitch of clothing. Her scowl gets directed to me. “What the hell are you doing in my bed?”
“You asked me to stay.”
She scoffs and plants her hands on her hips. “When?”
Irritation seeps in. I sit up, wincing at the pinch in my groin. “Last night, when I carried you to bed. You asked me twice.”
“I wasn’t awake.” She says it as if I should’ve known that she has complete conversations in her sleep. She never did with me when we were married. Before kids, we woke up frisky and got busy like this morning, but she was always awake.
“How was I supposed to know? You were talking.”
She shoves her hair off her face, her expression thunderous. “Was I talking this morning?”
I let out a long breath. I can see why she’s upset, but I also don’t think I did anything wrong. I wanted to. “No. When I saw your eyes were closed…” I shake my head and roll off the other side of the bed and start straightening the sheets and blankets. “I slept on top of the covers, okay? Nothing happened.”
Her stance relaxes and she glances toward the open bedroom door. “Good.”
A stab of hurt pierces my chest. She can’t really be