I went home, showered and changed, and were back on the road after a quick dinner, heading toward the date I’d had planned for him. After this morning, though, I worried it wouldn’t compare.
The outdoor venue was already packed, hundreds of locals covering the wide expanse of lush green grass spread before a massive stage.
“No way,” he said as we found a place near the back that was less crowded but offered a perfect view of the stage. “Royal Tusk,” he said, his eyes wide as he gazed down at me. “How did you know I loved them?”
I blew out a breath. “You’re always blaring it during your workouts. Especially that one song…” I chewed on my lower lip, searching my brain for the name of the song. “Aftermath?”
Nixon nodded before he scooped me up, lifting me off the ground to bring me to his level. “You’re incredible,” he said and crushed his lips on mine. “I didn’t know you were paying that much attention.”
I raked my fingers through his hair, never losing his gaze. “I want to know you, Nixon. In every way I can. Of course, I’m paying attention.”
Something heavy churned in his eyes, and emotion clogged my throat. His mention earlier today of the women in his past wanting to go to expensive places or use him for a status on a social media page or his ex trying to trap him with a baby that wasn’t real. Was that all he’d known? No wonder he’d been so harsh and distant when I’d first came to him.
“Thank you,” he said, his voice a whisper between us as he slid me down his body and faced us toward the stage.
I squeezed his hand as the opening act fired up, and I only let it go when Royal Tusk finally took the stage, and Nixon went wild with cheering. He nodded his head to the beat, mouthed the words to the songs, and constantly made sure we were touching in some way as we lost ourselves to the music.
And by the time we made it back to the car, my head was buzzing—that state between excitement and exhaustion. Before I knew it, Nixon was hauling me out of the car, cradling me to his chest as he walked us into his home.
“I’m sorry,” I said through a yawn as he laid me on the bed.
“For what?” he whispered.
“Falling asleep. I didn’t mean to.”
“Not only did we go all day at the market this morning, and all night at the concert, but you’re growing a human inside you, Lib. I’m pretty sure you’re entitled to fall asleep wherever you want.”
I reached for him, too tired to push off the luscious bed he’d dropped me on. He hurried out of his clothes, stripping down to nothing but a pair of tight but soft boxer briefs, and suddenly I was very much awake.
I did the same with my clothes as he came around to settle behind me, his usual spot for the night. “No T-shirt tonight?” he asked as I tossed my clothes on the floor, leaving me in nothing but my bra and panties.
I shook my head. “Too tired to get up for one,” I said, though grabbing one of his tees did sound tempting. I’d taken to sleeping in nothing but that, relishing the feel of the softest cotton against my skin. The fact that the shirts were drenched in his scent was an added bonus.
“I’d get one for you,” he said, nuzzling the back of my neck with his nose. His hand slid over my hip to pull my spine against his chest, and I reached behind me to grip his neck.
“Don’t you dare move,” I said.
He planted soft kisses along the seam of my neck, and I arched against him, shuddering slightly at the hard feel of him against my backside.
“Liberty,” he whispered. “You can go back to sleep.”
“Like hell,” I teased and arched again.
He hissed but pulsed against me as his fingers trailed lower, slipping beneath the slick fabric covering me. I shifted slightly to give him better access, my heart ratcheting up the more he swept his fingers so close to where I wanted him but just missing it. On purpose. The cocky man knew how quickly I was ready for him, how instantly I melted for him.
Two could play that game. I moved my hand from his neck, shifting so I could grip his hard length behind me. His cock twitched as I teased him