“Up we go.” I lift her in my arms, and she immediately rests her head on my chest.
“I can walk. You don’t have to carry me. But this is nice.”
Laughing, I kiss the top of her head.
Once inside the bedroom, I lower her to her feet and unzip her dress, pushing it down. Her glorious body greets me. She’s wearing nothing but a thong. I can’t help myself and knead one of her breasts, kissing the nipple of the other one.
“Perv, you want to get me naked,” she murmurs, grinding against me. I pull back.
“Usually yes, but tonight I’ll just tuck you in.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re drunk, and I’ve been taught not to take advantage of drunk women.”
“Not even if I want you to take advantage of me?”
“No.”
I tuck her into bed, drawing the sheet right up to her neck, then lean next to her.
“I missed you,” she tells me.
“Even if you were surrounded by sexy butts?”
“You have the sexiest butt.” She says the words with a vehement nod. I want to kiss her senseless. “How was your night?”
“I answered a lot of questions, caught up with my brothers.” I hesitate, wondering if I should tell her everything that happened tonight. I decide in favor of honesty. She deserves it. “Simone won’t work for us for future shows anymore.”
She gulps, her beautiful eyes widening. “What happened?”
“She had someone send me backstage under a ridiculous pretext. She was waiting for me naked back there.”
“Oh.” She makes herself small in the bed, pulling the cover up to her lips.
“It was very pathetic.”
A shadow of fear crosses her eyes. “Did anything happen?”
“No, silly. I wanted to tell you so if you found out from someone else you didn’t think I’m keeping it from you.”
A smile spreads across her face. “I like you.”
“You’d better like me; otherwise, I’ll think you were taking advantage of me, sleeping with me all these months.”
“And I like your family,” she mumbles. “Why can’t I have them too? Your sisters are great. I always wanted to have sisters and brothers.” She’s growing sleepier by the second. “A big family, like yours. Lots of kids.”
“Define lots,” I tease her.
“Mmm, four.”
“That’s not a lot.”
She hugs the pillow under her head, mumbling, “Why do I have to leave? It’s unfair,” before falling asleep.
“You won’t leave,” I whisper to her, even though I know she can’t hear me. “I’ll make you stay.”
I stay up, watching her for a long time. I’ll give this woman everything she wants as long as she remains by my side. She makes me want all those things I dismissed because I lost confidence I’d find a woman to share everything with.