He wasn’t certain if he’d spoken aloud or if the thought just resonated in his mind until she slipped back and smiled. “Nuh uh. Not unless you promise to stay in bed with me all night. And if you feel that familiar urge to prowl,” her fingers closed around his cock, “wake me and I’ll chase that urge right out of you.”
“I don’t make promises.”
No matter what, he didn’t lie. He kept secrets, but he didn’t mislead with his words. Or at least he tried not to. With Kelly, he found himself straddling the line between his desire to make her happy and the truth.
She shrugged. “Then I don’t sleep in your bed.”
“There is another option, you know.”
“What’s that?”
He cupped her cheeks and brought her mouth right back to his, where it belonged. “We don’t sleep.”
Kelly let out a helpless laugh. “We’re both going to crash and burn if we keep up this pace. No one can survive on sex alone.”
“Let’s try.” Staving off tomorrow seemed like an excellent plan to him. “I want you alone in my bed tonight. No one watching, no one but us.” He stroked his tongue over her top lip. “I want you in every damn way you’ll give yourself to me.”
“I’m going to need that week apart to recover.” With a sigh, she drew away and turned toward his car. When he didn’t follow, she glanced back and grinned. “If you don’t make it snappy, I’ll get the party started without you.”
He made himself smile. What good did it do to dwell? He’d stated his feelings on the subject of long-distance relationships at dinner. This was too new, too perilous to risk altering his plans. For all he knew maybe the week apart would blow out the flames between them completely.
Sure it would. Too bad there weren’t any bridges to perdition he could purchase for a song while he was buying that load of crap.
He got in the car and flicked the A/C on high before pulling out of the lot. It was still stiflingly hot though he’d been so wrapped up in his thoughts he’d scarcely noticed.
Halfway home he glanced over at her, wondering why she’d gone so quiet. His heart knocked against his ribs as he saw her slumped against her door, her cheek smushed to the glass. She was out cold.
Spencer let out a long breath. Guess there would be no staving off tomorrow after all.
Chapter Fourteen
Kelly woke with a start, the unfamiliar surroundings jolting her awake. These weren’t her sheets. This wasn’t her soft, well-worn pillow under her cheek.
She lifted her head, realizing she wasn’t sleeping on a pillow at all, but a chest. Spencer’s chest.
When she let out a surprised grunt, his big hand cradled the back of her head and pulled her back down. “Shh. Sleep.” His slurred voice lulled her into closing her eyes. Her fingers curled into his bare stomach. “It’s not morning yet.”
She smiled and settled in.No, not morning yet.
The next time she woke she couldn’t make the same assertion. Sunshine streamed through the slats of his partially open blinds, warming the bed where she sprawled like a lazy kitten. She yawned and stretched, reaching for Spencer though she already knew she was alone. She already missed his long, solid body, his muscles under her hands, his smell. He was better than any pillow.
After dozing a couple minutes more, reality filtered into her brain. She bolted straight up in bed.
Bright sunlight? What the fuck time was it? It wasn’t her day off.
She glanced at his alarm clock and did a double take at what she saw.Eleven fifteen?
“Oh my God.” She jumped out of bed. Yet again, she had only club clothes to wear. Hardly suitable for work. She also didn’t have a vehicle. For a full minute she stood in the center of Spencer’s bedroom and held her head.
Why hadn’t he awakened her?Why?
A folded piece of paper on the nightstand caught her eye. She snatched the note and read Spencer’s message with building anger.
Relax. You needed your sleep. I’ll say you called sick but will be in later. Call me when you’re ready and I’ll take a break and come get you.
Already he thought he could tell her what to do in bed and out, even when they were off the clock. Hell no. True, she’d been the one who’d overslept but he’d never set the alarm. He hadn’t even tried to wake her. It was nice he was concerned but still, it wasn’t his place. This was her job. Nothing ranked before that, even sleep.
Even him.