“Well, home’s about four hours south, unfortunately.”
“So that’s right out. What, were you going to get a motel or something?”
Teagan shrugged.
“I guess I hadn’t thought of it. Motel, or maybe the truck. I’m used to sleeping in the truck, and it’s better if I’m here early to observe the birds. Plus, they tend to be a little more docile first thing in the morning, so–”
“Ha. Absolutely not.”
“Beg pardon?”
“You are not sleeping in the damn truck,” she said as if the concept had personally offended her. “For the love of–no. You’re not sleeping in the truck. You’re sleeping with me.”
Teagan’s heart leaped at that, because he became aware of her all over again, his true mate, her body under those shorts and her thin blouse, her curves, herlegs.Then she went bright red, covering up her face.
“In here. Not with me. I meant in here. There’s a second bedroom. Just... Not in your truck.”
He should probably never let on he thought so, but Ros was damned adorable when she was flustered.
“You sure it’s no trouble?” he asked politely, and she flashed him a grateful look.
“None whatsoever. I’ve not aired it out much, but it’ll be better than sleeping in your damned truck.”
The second bedroom was just fine after they got the windows open and the screens pulled down. The sheets were flannel worn to near transparency, and if he was decorating a cabin of his own, Teagan probably wouldn’t have chosen vivid rainbow tie-dye, but with some blankets pulled out of the cedar chest, it was perfectly cozy. When he sat down on the bed, it creaked alarmingly, but it held. He gave Ros a thumbs-up.
“I’m not in any danger of breaking anything as long as I don’t toss and turn too much,” he said, even if she frowned at the noise.
“Hmm. Not too many lumps or bumps? You could always sleep in my bed.”
“Well, I don’t know how much sleep we’d get if I did.” The words popped out before he could stop himself, and Ros went red again, clapping her hand over her mouth.
“I meant I would trade,” she said, just short of a wail. “Oh God, why?”
“Because you’ve had a very long day,” Teagan said diplomatically.
He stood and crossed the space between them, running his hands consolingly up and down her arms until she relaxed. This close, he was struck by the urge to simply kiss her again, and while that wasn’t easy to ignore, there was something else he wanted right then.
“You’ve had a long day,” he repeated softly. “And I mean it when I say we’re on your time, sweetheart. Nothing happens ‘til you’re ready for it, got it? I’m not going to push you. Might tease you a little if you keep feeding me lines like that, because, hon,wow. But in your own time, okay?”
Ros hesitated, and then she set her hand right over his heart. Teagan went still as stone, his entire consciousness focused on her touch, her breath, the way her eyes seemed endlessly deep in the dim light. She went up on her toes and leaned in to him, brushing her lips against his. It was light as sunlight, gone before he quite registered it was there, and then she was pulling back. There was still a hint of red on her cheeks, but he didn’t think it was embarrassment this time.
“Well,” she said quietly. “Good night.”
“Good night, Ros.”
She went to her bedroom and closed the door, and Teagan took several very long breaths before going to the bathroom to splash some cool water on his face.
It was going to be a very long night.
Chapter Seven
∞∞∞
Ros tossed and turned in her bed, doing her best to think soothing, sleepy thoughts.
By all rights, she should have been dead to the world. She'd had a long drive, been confronted by murderbirds, cosplayed as a goose and saved the most handsome guy she knew from death by said murderbirds, and then she had eaten the best pot roast of her life.
And still.