Then I realized I had no choice but to sleep with a na**d Tack in my bed. And even though he’d been very cool about Elliott, with Lanie and even with me, this annoyed me to an extreme.
He’d said, You don’t fit into all the shit that’s swirlin’ in my life right now unless I can make you fit. That’s all I got to give you and that’s all you’re gonna get. And you’re gonna take what I have to give, Red. You’re not gonna resign. You’re not gonna disappear. You’re gonna be where I want you to be, you’re gonna do what I want you to do and you’re gonna listen to what I have to say and if you don’t do it, I’ll find a way to make you do it.
And when he’d said that, clearly he wasn’t lying.
I decided we needed to have a conversation and when we had our next one we needed to have it when I wasn’t flat on my back with Tack on top of me.
I rolled away from him to my other side, tucking my hands under my cheek and staring into the darkness.
He rolled with me, his arm curving tight around my ribs and pulling me deep into his body as his knee came up, taking mine with it and he leaned in, partially pinning me to the bed.
I’d rather cut off my own arm than ever hurt you.
He’d said that too.
Mixed messages and multiple personalities.
I closed my eyes tight, pulled in a deep breath and then let it go. When I did, Tack’s arm moved out and up, his hand found my wrist, pulled it down and his fingers laced in mine before he tucked both our hands tight to my chest.
Then he whispered in my ear, “Sleep, baby, it’s all gonna be all right.”
He thought I was worried about Elliott and Lanie and he was being sweet about it.
I closed my eyes tighter, took another deep breath and let it go.
Then I whispered back, “Okay, Tack.”
“’Night, Red.”
“’Night.”
I felt his lips touch the back of my neck then I felt his weight settle into me again and a little while later I heard his steady breathing.
A little while after that, mine joined his.
Chapter Eleven
You Forget Somethin’?
I woke and felt the morning, bright Colorado sunshine on my eyelids. I rolled to my back and opened my eyes. Then I rolled to my other side and smelled musk and man.
Tack.
I breathed deep.
Mm. Nice.
I blinked and saw my alarm clock said it was ten to nine and I stared.
Ten to nine!
Damn! I was supposed to be at work an hour ago!
I threw the covers back and scrambled out of bed. My feet hit the ground running but I tripped and went flying, righting myself just before I took a header. I looked back to see what I’d tripped on and it was Tack’s boots.
Then I stared at Tack’s boots beside my bed, liking the sight of them lying there just like I liked the smell of him on my sheets.
Holy hell.