“No.” He held up a hand and smiled. “Of course, you don’t. You don’t know me yet.”
She bit down on her lip and nodded.
“I get that. How about if we find a movie to watch? Would you like that?”
Brylee’s shoulders relaxed. “Yes, I’d like that very much.”
Gage nodded. “All right.” He sat on the sofa and picked up the remote. Then he patted the cushion next to him. “Come sit.”
Brylee tore her gaze from his muscular, bare chest and walked to him and sat. There were a few feet between them, but she could still feel the heat from his body and smell the masculine scent that made her mouth water.
Gage laid his arm over the back of the sofa behind her and turned on the TV. He scanned the channels. “What would you like? Comedy, thriller, scary?”
“Not scary. I don’t like horror movies at all.”
“I’m not thrilled with them myself.” He stopped on a channel. “Here’s a Tom Hanks movie.”
“Oh, I really like him.”
Gage set the remote to the side and relaxed back into the cushion.
A few minutes into the movie, he noticed her shiver. He pulled the blanket off the back of the sofa. “Come here, baby. Sit next to me, and I’ll put the blanket over you. You’ll be warm in no time.”
Brylee hesitated for a brief moment but then moved over and plastered herself against his side. She moaned as the heat seeped through the shirt and into her pores.
He tucked the blanket around her and pulled her tighter against his side. “Better?”
Brylee nodded. “Much. Thank you.” She had the strongest urge to move her head to the side and kiss and taste the chest that was inches from her. She’d noticed the small patch of hair in the middle and wanted to run her fingers through it. The hills and valleys of his muscles made her fingertips tingle with the need to feel the difference between his body and hers. She wanted to learn and touch every part of his thoroughly masculine physique.
She turned her attention to the movie and tried to concentrate on the characters and not on the man beside her.
Within minutes, she felt sleep starting to pull her down, making her relax against Gage and lay her head against his side. Her eyelids drooped. She sighed and fell asleep against the man who was quickly changing her life. She had yet to determine if it was for the best or not.
****
Gage grinned when she slumped against him and closed her eyes. He waited until he was sure she was sleeping deeply before maneuvering them both until they lay down on the sofa, clicked off the TV, and then covered them both with the blanket. He cuddled her against his chest and closed his eyes. A grin crossed his face as he felt sleep drag him down.
It was the most perfect feeling in the world, holding her against him. He felt whole. What bothered him a bit was that he hadn’t thought he was missing anything until that moment. It made him more determined to have her.
Chapter Seven
The next morning, Brylee was startled awake when the pillow under her moved and growled. Her eyes popped open.
Her first view was of Gage’s beautiful chest under her cheek.
He was lying on his back on the sofa, and she was tucked against his side and the back of the sofa. One of his hands was curled around her upper arm that lay across his chest, and the other was under the blanket and cupping her bare bottom.
“Do you know how much I’d like to roll you to your back and slide deep into your body right now?”
She jerked her gaze toward his face. The rumble of his rough morning voice and the picture he put into her head made her need spike so fast, she gasped. The ache in her grew as his hand slowly slid over her bottom. Her hand curled against his chest.
He felt her shift against him, unconsciously pushing her bottom into his hand. He used his free hand and tipped her head back. He stared down at her for a moment before his head dipped, and he pressed his lips against hers.
As he pushed his lips harder against hers and cupped her ass to hold her in place when she tried to climb up his chest.
Gage lifted his head.
Her eyes fluttered open. She realized the position she was in and blushed a scarlet red, making him grin.