Ignoring how his words made her heart sing, she also ignored how him carrying her made other parts of her come to life.
All the way to the master bedroom, he carried her. It was stacked with boxes, and the bed was set up, but there were no sheets or blankets on it, not even a pillow.
“You think I can just sleep on a mattress? No blankets or anything?” she asked, looking around the room, hating that this moment was ruined by a bare mattress.
“Nope, I’ve changed my mind.” He slowly lowered her to the ground, but he held her close to him. “No nap,” he whispered as his head lowered, and his lips slid from her cheek to her neck.
“What then?” she asked as if she didn’t already know.
“I’m going to make love to my wife so that she’ll remember me when she’s on her date.” His lips moved to hers.
Sighing, she let it happen and slid her arms around his neck. She had wanted Rafferty back in her bed since he’d crawled out of it when she was sixteen. Suddenly, her defenses were lowering, and he had just made it through the walls.
But she needed to think this through before she slept with him again, because sleeping with him back then had been a mistake, and sleeping with him now would be even worse.
Yes, she wanted to sleep with him, but she knew that when she did, she would lose the rest of her heart to him—that little sliver she had been able to hold on to until now would be gone. And then what?
Pushing him away from her, she got herself together. “Rafferty, I’m disgusting. I’m sweaty and dirty and just gross.”
“I happen to like you sweaty and dirty.” He nuzzled her neck.
“I don’t.” She pushed him away.
“Okay, how about you go take a shower, and I’ll make the bed a bit more inviting?”
“Or I could just run home?” she asked, hoping he would just tell her to leave, taking the decision out of her hands completely. Because she didn’t want to leave, not anymore.
“Shower, Mia,” he stated gruffly, and she rushed toward the bathroom, no arguing. But happy for the stall for time. She needed it.
CHAPTER20
Rafferty had never madea bed so quickly in his life. He just wished he’d had the foresight to put sheets on it before carrying her up the stairs. Because he was damn sure that her seeing a bare mattress had reminded her of their very unromantic first time together. Back when any bed would do… or couch, as the case had been.
Once the crisp new sheets were on and the pillows stuffed into cases. He added a quilt and grinned. It was perfect. After shutting down the lights in the house and heading back to his room, he turned off the overhead lights and lit two candles he had found during the course of the day. Those he had thought to put in here.
The shower was still running as he pulled off his T-shirt and socks, tossing them toward where the hamper was going to go. The hamper was someplace else, and he wasn’t going looking for it now. Not with Mia in his shower.
He was starting to worry a little about her, so he stuck his head in the bathroom. The steam assaulted him with her scent, the same one that always got to him.
“Are you about clean?”
“Oh, uhm, just about. Do you happen to have shampoo someplace?” she asked through the shower curtain. Right now he deeply regretted not getting the clear one.
“I do, but I don’t think it’s the same kind you use.” He stepped into the bathroom, dug through the box, and pulled out the shampoo and conditioner. Then he stuck them through the end of the shower curtain and held them until she took them.
“Thank you. This one’s fine,” she said, her voice a little unsure, and he decided the next time he was at her place he would see what kind she bought and order some for their bathroom in case this happened again. He hoped it would happen all the time after tonight.
“Do you need some help with that? I happen to be an expert at using that kind. It might work different from yours.” He lingered in the bathroom, not wanting to leave.
“I think I can manage,” she said quickly, maybe too quickly.
“I was thinking I should shower as well. I might be too dirty for you once you’re clean, you know?” he teased as he unbuttoned his pants. Seeing his wife wet was suddenly going to be the high point of his day.
“You didn’t seem dirty, Rafferty. You just go back to the bedroom, okay?”
“Okay, sure.” He changed his tactics. “I’ll just find you a towel first.”
“Thanks.”