sent out the mass text with instructions to pass it on to anyone who might be interested.
It was enough to set my mind at ease so I could get some sleep.
This morning I woke up to a shit load of texts and was forced to peel my body away from hers and hit the shower. Thirty minutes until I’m supposed to be there and I’m finding it impossible to leave her.
Her legs shift beneath the single white sheet, kicking it further off her body so that the smooth, tanned skin of her hip is exposed to the light. I groan as she rolls from her side to her back, the full mounds of her breasts illuminated by the sun cascading through the window.
My shorts grow tight, and I make an adjustment so that I can cross to her without limping. Her thick black lashes flicker to life as I drop to the bed beside her.
“Good morning.”
A slow, lazy smile pulls her lips, and her blue eyes are brighter than I ever remember seeing them. “Morning.” Her voice is rough with sleep as her gaze rakes over me. She frowns. “You showered without me.”
I run a hand through her silken hair and down her neck to rest against her breastbone. Her pulse flutters beneath my palm. “I considered dragging you in there with me, but you were sleeping so hard I didn’t want to wake you.”
She stretches, arching her back, and unable to resist the invitation, I dip my head to suck on her nipple until it forms a firm peak. Her hands sift into my damp hair and hold me in place. I chuckle at her eagerness, but reluctantly pull back and cover her with the sheet. She gathers the covers to her chest then rolls to her side. “You have somewhere you have to be?”
“Unfortunately.” I smooth her hair back from her face. “Order breakfast. Take a long hot bath. I should be back by the time you’re done.”
She runs her teeth along her lower lip. “And then what?”
“As much as I’d love to spend the day in bed with you, I made plans for this afternoon.”
Clouds of doubt pass through her sky-blue eyes. “I can just go home. I need to get my car anyw—”
I press my thumb to her lips. “You haven’t even been up for five minutes and you’re already at it.” I run the pad of my finger along her lower lip. “Don’t waste your breath; you can’t push me away.”
“I’m not pushing you away. If you have plans, I’ll get out of your hair.”
“My plans include you, if you’re interested.”
Her brows drop low, but the unease in her eyes is gone. “They do? What are they?”
“Turns out I’m staying in Vegas and have no place to live so…”
“You want me to help you find a place?”
Nerves coil in my gut, but I promised her honesty and that’s what she’s going to get. “No, I want you to help find us a place.”
“You…” She blinks up at me. “You want me to move in with you?”
“I want you to marry me, but I figure living together is a good first step.”
“But—”
“I know what you’re thinking—this is me trying to take care of you—and your new empowered self can’t stomach that, but just hear me out okay?”
She presses her lips together and nods.
“You were right; we’ve both changed over the last year. I look at you and I love what I see. You’re making your own way, standing on your own two feet. I have no desire to get in the way of that.” I lean over her, bracing my weight on one arm. “But I will continue to do everything in my power to protect you. It’s in my nature. I can’t change that just as I can’t change my love for you.” I dip down and press a kiss to her lips. “I don’t want to smother you, Ax, but I can’t back off either. I hope you can understand that.”
“Hmm…” She chews her lip, and my skin prickles with worry. Shit, what if she tells me to go screw myself and leaves. Then you’ll chase her back down and make things right.
“Okay fine.” Her face breaks into a brilliant smile seconds before she throws herself into my chest, knocking the breath from my lungs. The sheet falls to her hips, and she pushes it away to crawl into my lap, and my arms wrap around her waist to hold her close. “Does this