The Healing Touch - Apryl Baker Page 0,29

yes.

“Yeah, you do. You pay attention to all that shit. Tell me you don’t.”

“I hate you.”

“You’ll love me again in five minutes.”

They worked in silence after that, but it wasn’t forced or awkward. Another first for him. Usually, women felt the need to fill up the silence with useless chatter. This was so comfortable, it started to make him uneasy. He’d check tomorrow to see if they had a room open up.

He tossed down the last of the vile paper a few hours later and noticed Becca had fallen asleep, slumped against the chest of drawers. Her mess looked more organized, with the empty boxes now lined up and bags laid out, Post-it notes on the top one, and he assumed each bag would have one. She’d done a hell of a lot of work, more than he had. All he’d done was sign some paper.

Cracking his knuckles to help relax his fingers, he stood, pulled the blankets down, and picked her up, careful not to jostle her too much. She never so much as roused or even murmured. The girl was dead to the world. He smiled when he pulled the blanket up and she flopped onto her side, her blonde hair spread out behind her. God, but she was magnificent.

His watch confirmed his suspicion. It was a little after seven. The sun would be coming up soon. He put the “do not disturb” sign out then did his business in the bathroom. The small couch was the only other place to sleep. His legs would murder him if he even tried.

Grinning like the devil himself, Dimitri made up his mind. He might yet decide to resist the temptation that was Rebecca Rhodes, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t enjoy the ride until it came to a stop. Pulling the blackout shades closed, he turned off the lights and got into bed.

She’d kill him when she woke up, but it would be worth it.

~*~

Becca cracked open blurry eyes, burning up. Had she forgotten to turn the heat down last night? For a cheap apartment, her heating and cooling was better than decent. She preferred the cold to the heat, and it helped to keep her bills down in the winter. She’d better turn it down before the place got so warm she’d be dying later. Even though it was still early May, they’d been having some really warm days in Chicago.

When she tried to move, she became aware of the heat source currently surrounding her. It wasn’t her thermostat. No, it was one Dimitri Kincaid wrapped all around her, his leg thrown over hers and one arm around her stomach, his hand curled right beneath her breasts. What the hell?

“Dimitri!”

He didn’t move. She wiggled and tried to throw his arm off, but he only tightened his hold.

“Dimitri, wake the hell up!”

He muttered something, and instead of moving, his lips found her throat. Warm kisses trailed up until they met her jawline. Becca shivered as the same desire from yesterday rolled back up and parked, her subconscious flipping her off and saying, “Screw you, Becca, we’re content right where we are.”

Dimitri’s hand uncurled, and those long fingers of his flattened against her stomach, inching upward. Asshole. “Dimitri, please…”

“Shh, Krasivaya.” His questing fingers found her breast, and she let out a low moan when he pinched her braless nipple. She twisted, trying to get away, but his other arm, which her head had been resting on, anchored her in place, his leg immovable. “Stop moving.”

The sleepiness in his voice confused her. Was he dreaming? Or did he assume it was one of his other women in his bed? But he’d called her Krasivaya. He had to know it was her. Or he called them all that. It was a new word to her. She didn’t know what it meant. When his fingers left her nipple, she let out of sigh of relief. Only it kept traveling downward. Oh, hell no. She caught his hand in both of hers.

“Wake the fuck up, Dimitri.” She all but screamed it at him, and she felt him go completely still, his fingers already at the top of her underwear.

“Fuck.”

“Fuck is right,” she snarled at him. “Now, let me up.”

He didn’t release her right away, and it only pissed her off further. She dug her fingernails into his arm, and he groaned.

“Don’t do that.” His muscles tensed up under her hands. “That’ll get you good and fucked this morning, Rebecca, so unless you want to end