CHAPTERTEN
Rousingfrom a deep and dreamless sleep, Drew rolled over, immediately smacking into something, or someone, in her bed. Her eyes flew open, but it took a couple of blinks to clear her blurry vision enough to make out the naked body beside her.
Maisie.
Memories of the night before came flooding back. Drew snuggled closer, wrapping an arm around Maisie.
“Morning,” Maisie’s voice was coated with sleep, making it gravelly and sexy as hell. Drew had a moment of panic that the woman would bolt out of the bed and go running the moment she’d fully come to her senses, but was relieved when Maisie stretched and then settled in again with a sigh of pure contentment.
“You sleep okay?” Drew asked, stroking Maisie’s hair.
“Like a rock. You?”
“Probably the best night I’ve ever had.”
“Do you not sleep well normally?”
“I sleep fine.” Drew couldn’t resist letting out a wicked little laugh. “I was talking about something else that made the night so good.”
Maisie rolled over, her smile doing things to Drew’s insides that made a repeat of the previous night shoot to the top of her wish list.
“What exactly were you talking about?” Maisie asked, acting coy.
“Did you want a play-by-play?” Drew ran a finger down the side of Maisie’s face, enjoying the flush of pink that splashed across Maisie’s cheeks.
“I have a pretty good memory of the particulars.”
Drew knew for a fact she’d replay a lot of what happened between them in her mind, especially on those cold January and February nights when everything on her sprawling ranch seemed cold and dead.
“What time is it?” Maisie asked.
Drew raised an eyebrow. “Trying to ditch me already?”
“Not at all,” Maisie replied with a laugh, pressing her body closer as if to prove her point. “Just wanting to know how much time I have before reality ruins everything.”
“I hate reality.” Drew supported herself on an elbow to see the clock on the nightstand. “Not quite six.”
“We have time then.”
“For?” Drew gave Maisie an exaggerated waggle of her brows. “I’m not sure we could recreate last night in its entirety, but I’m open to a recap of the best-of list.”
“Too dangerous. We’d never leave.” Maisie propped herself onto her elbow. “I was thinking we had time to chat. I’d like to hear about your competition.”
“What do you want to know?”
“Are you nervous?”
“Nah,” Drew bluffed. “Between you and me, I’ve got today’s event in the bag.” Drew hoped her grin hid the fact she wasn’t quite as confident as she was pretending to be. She’d been playing the part since they’d met, and there was no doubt Maisie had been attracted to that part of Drew’s personality, so she felt the need to keep up the facade.
Maisie studied Drew for a long second. “Are the other competitors shitty?”
“Not at all.” Drew was being completely honest now. “It’s the toughest group I’ve gone up against.”
Again, Maisie took her time, drilling her gaze into Drew’s. “You seem pretty confident.”
“That’s my middle name, darlin’.”
“What’s your secret?” There was an almost wistful quality to Maisie’s tone.