Annalise shrugged with a smirk. “Guess you’ll have to wait and see.”
Chuckling, I flipped on the TV and cued up the movie she’d requested. “Well, I’m glad I passed this first one.”
“Oh, that wasn’t the first one. But don’t worry, you passed that one with flying colors, too.”
My head twisted to the side, and I raised an eyebrow. “What test was that?”
“Seeing you interact with my pups. I could never love a man who didn’t love animals—” She froze, and her expression looked like a deer in headlights. “Not that—oh my gosh—I didn’t meanlovelove—I mean—I shouldn’t have said—what I meant was—”
I laughed and leaned over to cup the back of her neck and bring her closer so I could give her a thorough kiss. “Relax, gorgeous. You’re not going to scare me away.”
She looked dubious for a few seconds, but after I kissed her again, she just melted back down in her seat.
Once the movie was playing, I picked up one of her feet and began rubbing it with smooth strokes. Annalise groaned and dropped her head back, her face awash with bliss. Which forced me to raise her foot up higher so she didn’t feel the huge bulge in my jeans.
“If you keep that up, I’m never going to leave,” she sighed.
“Sounds like a plan,” I mumbled.
If she heard me, she didn’t comment, so I let it go.For now.
About halfway through the movie, Annalise fell asleep. Wanting her to truly rest, I turned off the TV and carefully scooted out from under her. Then I picked up a blanket from the other end of the couch and spread it over her.
For the next few hours, I got caught up on some work, did my PT exercises, and took a shower. As I dressed, I glanced at the clock and realized it was long past lunchtime.
Quietly, I padded into the living room to see her stirring. As I walked over to her, she yawned and stretched like a sexy littlecat. I was starting to think that there was nothing this woman could do that I wouldn’t find appealing.
“Hey, gorgeous,” I murmured as I sat on the edge of the sofa beside her and brushed the hair out of her face. “How’s your head?”
She smiled and leaned into my touch. “Never better. Guess I just needed a little more rest to kick the last of the headache.”
“Still, I think you should take it easy today,” I insisted. “If you push too hard, it will come back.”
Annalise’s mouth curled up at the corners. “If you want to pamper me, who am I to say no?”
I laughed and leaned over her, forcing her to lie back again, and captured her mouth with my own. Once we were both breathless and I was seconds away from ripping her clothes off, I forced myself to pull back.
“It’s pretty late for lunch. But how about I make you a snack and then we’ll have an early dinner?”Then early to bed.I shook off that thought. My body and heart were moving at warp speed, and I had to keep reminding them that I didn’t want to scare Annalise away.
“Okay.”
“We can finish the movie if you’d like.”
She smiled brightly and snuggled deeper into the couch under her blanket.
When I returned with the food, Annalise put her feet on the floor and patted the cushion next to her. As we ate and watched the movie, I was acutely aware of her body heat, especially when she squirmed around like she was trying to get comfortable, and it brought her even closer.
After we finished eating, I took off my brace, then sat back and propped my feet on the small, oval table in front of the sofa. Annalise began to curl up in her previous position, but then she paused, took a deep breath, and shifted so she cuddled up to myside. I’d had my arm resting along the back of the couch, so I dropped it and curled it around her. She tucked her legs beneath her and rested her head and a hand on my chest.
I was acutely aware of every single place we touched. Even through two layers of clothes, our skin seemed to sizzle. A little bit later, she yawned and clutched my arm so she took me with her when she lay down and stretched out on the couch. She grasped my other arm and wrapped it around her as well, resting my palm on her stomach.
There was no way for me to hide my reaction to her when she wiggled her perfect little ass and scooted back against me. When she felt my hard-on, she sucked in a breath but didn’t attempt to move away. No, the little minx pressed herself deeper into me. I put my mouth by her ear and rasped, “You’re playing with fire, gorgeous.”
She stilled, and I started cataloging the parts to every one of my weapons in my head. When the movie finally ended, Annalise’s breathing was steady and even. I didn’t want to wake her, and I’d gotten very little sleep the night before, so I shifted to get a little more comfortable and drifted off.
9
Kade