Breathing hard and filled with gratitude, he gazed down at Mila. “I want to do this all night long.”
“Me, too.”
“You’re not sleepy?”
“Not right now.”
“Alrighty, then. See you in a few minutes.” He left for the bathroom.
He was probably gone for all of five minutes, but when he came back, her eyes were closed and her breathing was shallow. When he murmured her name, she didn’t stir.
As he started toward the bed, his bare foot came in contact with something on the floor and he glanced down. Her dress. Picking it up, he shook it out and laid it carefully over the chair in the corner. Then he located her undies and put them there, too.
Leaving his clothes on the floor, he climbed carefully into bed and pulled up the covers before snuggling in next to her. He’d had visions of turning on the fireplace and cuddling while they gazed at the dancing flames before they made love again.
Didn’t matter. He had a hunch she’d spend tomorrow night here, maybe Monday and Tuesday night, too. As for Christmas Eve….
Could he manage Christmas Eve, too? Could the promise of another night in her arms block out his nightmare once and for all?
He wanted to believe that. Lying to her about his reason for skipping the festivities would be a betrayal. It could destroy the mutual trust they were building.
But finding the strength to celebrate Christmas Eve with Mila wouldn’t be easy. It could be a turning point, though, a golden chance to bury his poisonous memories. Was he up to it? If he wanted a life with Mila, he’d damn well better be.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Mila woke up slowly, cautiously. She wasn’t in her own bed, so where was she?
Oh. Cole lay facing her, sound asleep.
In the pale light filling the room, she studied his relaxed features — the arch of his eyebrows, the curve of his mouth and the shadow of his beard.
Amazingly soft, his close-trimmed beard added a roguish touch, especially when those talented lips were tilted in a cute little half-smile and he gave her a wink. She hadn’t noticed his long lashes until now, when his eyes were closed.
They’d made love two nights in a row, and yet she hadn’t really taken time to admire his solid physique in detail. But she remembered very well how his body felt.
She relived the sensation of his chest hair tickling her breasts as he moved, his gaze locked with hers. She remembered the tension, the tantalizing friction, the way he answered the deep ache within her, his sure strokes bringing her to a shattering climax.
Given the excellence of that experience, how in hell had she fallen asleep? If they spent the night together again, and she figured they would, she’d make sure to stay awake longer.
His lashes fluttered and he opened his eyes. His initial blink of surprise was followed by a glow of anticipation that grew stronger by the second.
She smiled. “Good morning.”
He sucked in a breath. “If this is a dream I don’t want to wake up.”
“It’s not a dream and I owe you an apology. After announcing I was ready to make love until dawn, I conked out. Some hot lover I am.”
He slid his arm around her waist. “Yes, ma’am. Hottest lover ever.”
“Nice of you to say, but?—”
“You had a long day followed by a big party. You did an awesome job singing with the band, by the way.”
“I loved it, loved being up there with you. I’m so glad you talked me into it, but I must have been more tired than I thought.”
He smiled. “Obviously.”
“But I swear, in that moment, I really did think I could go all night.”
