She laughed. "I've slept with other men, so I know all about morning hard-ons."
"Good. Then you won't mind taking care of the problem for me like you did last night."
"Mm-mm, no can do." She sat up and stretched, making her gorgeous tits lift and jiggle. "One time only, Damian. Last night was amazing, but we will never do that again."
Oh damn. I'd hoped making love to her, really making love to her, would banish that stupid idea. She'd broken her celibacy vow, but only for one night. Yeah, right. I'd believe that on the day Bigfoot walked out of the woods and introduced himself. He'd have a southern accent. Why not? It was my stupid fantasy.
No, my fantasy had unfolded last night, with Heidi.
But she wanted my body and nothing else. Well, she thought she did. I knew it was bullshit. We'd talked and shared personal stuff before we had sex, before last night when she ran after me to ask me to fuck her. She liked me, but she was terrified of getting hurt again.
I had no idea how to convince her I wouldn't be like her douchebag ex.
"We like each other," I said. "It's not a crime, and you don't need to run away from me because of what happened last night."
She slid off the bed, standing on the top step. "Thank you for the mind-blowing orgasms, but we will never have sex again. We are not dating."
"But we're friends, right?" Friends with the best benefits ever. I wanted more than that, but I wouldn't push. Heidi needed gentle nudges in the right direction, though.
"No, we're not friends." She hopped off the steps, bending over to hunt around on the floor for her clothes. "I'm a guest, and you're the concierge. That's it."
Okay, last night had freaked her out even more than I thought.
I jumped off the bed and over the steps, landing a few feet from Heidi.
She startled and yelped.
"Didn't mean to scare you," I said. "But I don't want you to leave until we've talked about this. Please, Heidi, let's have a real conversation like we did before."
"I'm hungry, and the food is in the dining hall."
"Stay here. I'll go get some food for us."
"No, Damian," she said firmly, managing to look resolute and stubborn while she was naked and struggling to get her bra clasps hooked.
"At least let me help you with that." I moved closer and reached for the back of her bra.
She batted my hand away. "I can do it myself."
"Okay, fine." I raised my hands. "I surrender."
Heidi's gaze swept over me from head to toe. She licked her lips when her focus landed on my groin.
Yeah, the morning wood had arrived.
She cleared her throat and tore her gaze away from my dick. "Get dressed, please."
"I know nudity doesn't bother you in general. I mean, you used to be a naturist. So I'm assuming you want me to get dressed becausemynudity bothers you—in a sexy way."
"Don't flatter yourself." She finally got her bra done up and started pulling on the rest of her clothes. "You aren't so hot that I can't keep my hands off you, or my eyes off you."
But she had watched me lately. A lot. Especially when I was naked.
I wouldn't point that out to her. Only an asshole did something like that.
"Get dressed," she said again, notably without the "please" this time.
"Yeah, okay, relax." While I found my clothes and put them on, Heidi hurried out of the wagon. I called out, "Your clothes are wrinkled, Heidi, and I think your shirt is on backwards."