Gesturing to the small appliances, he sent me a flushed look. “This is about the extent of my cooking skills.”
“No worries, baby. I’m happy to cook for you.”
I got into bed, and when he approached, he hesitated, biting at his thumbnail.
“Is this still okay?” I asked.
He nodded, then slipped under the covers and kissed me. In return, I laid kisses on his neck and across his shoulders, until he flipped, facing away as he scooted back against me. I pulled him in close, kissing the back of his ear.
“Thanks for letting me stay over.”
“I love the way this feels,” he murmured. “No one’s ever held me like this before.”
I immediately hated anyone who had shared even a moment of intimacy with him. Who wouldn’t want to hold Rowdy? Who wouldn’t want to watch this man fall asleep and watch again as he woke up in the morning? Whoever those men had been, they were idiots, and I congratulated myself for being smart enough to care for the special man in my arms.
“I’m glad I could be the one to hold you, Rowdy.”
It took us a while for me to settle, mostly because holding Rowdy was one of the most sensual, arousing things I’d ever done. Eventually, though, his muscle tension ebbed, and soon after I was greeted with the softest snores.
God help me, I’m going to marry Rowdy Lockwood if it’s the last thing I do.
21
ROWDY
Fuck,why was it so goddamned hot in here? Did the AC go out again? I blinked my eyes open and shifted, then felt the body draped over me.
Oh, sweet baby Jesus.
Kess stayed over.
I played guitar and sang for him.
And he didn’t sneak away in the middle of the night.
“Mmph.”
Kess’s arm tightened around me.
“Morning.”
God, his voice was so sexy and gravelly.
I shivered, even as sweat ran down my neck. “Morning,” I replied, my voice cracking.
“You okay?” he asked, pulling back slightly.
“Yeah?”
He chuckled. “Suuuure. You sound perfectly comfortable and not at all like you’re freaking the fuck out.”
Jerk.
I flipped around, facing him. “I said?—”
He cut me off with a kiss, then stroked my cheekbones and stared into my eyes like he thought they were something special.The morning sun set fire to his fair hair, glinting silver at his temples.
“Hey, beautiful,” he said, his smile causing his eyes to crinkle.
