“Nice hickey,” she says, deadpan.
Sam doesn’t flinch. “Thanks. I’m collecting them now.”
Phern sets her mug down with a clink.
“I was bored out of my mind,” she says, flatly. “I had to make a second pot of coffee, and I organized the spice cabinet. Twice.”
“Well,” I say, trying to keep a straight face, “you did say you were going to take a nap.”
Her glare intensifies. “I was going to take a nap. Then I heard you two going at it like rabbits!”
Sam hums. “Technically, we napped in between rounds.”
I laugh. “Sam.”
He shrugs, unbothered, stealing a leftover piece of toast from the counter. “What? She started it.”
I smack his chest. “I’m never showing my face in this kitchen again.”
Phern rolls her eyes and walks past us toward the hallway. “Don’t worry, I’ll put a bell on myself next time so you two know when I’m in earshot.”
Sam chuckles and slides his arm around my waist, pulling me into his side as she disappears.
“You okay?” he murmurs, kissing the side of my head.
I nod, still flushed. “My legs are jello, your sister hates me, and I’m wearing your clothes.”
He grins. “Sounds perfect to me.”
“Yeah.” I turn so we’re chest to chest, which is quickly becoming my favorite position with him. “So, what’s there to do around here?”
“Not a lot with the power being out.”
“What does one do to entertain themselves with no electronics?”
He snorts at that. “We read. Play board games. There are a lot of things you can do to stay busy.”
His words aren’t sexual by any means, but my libido has other ideas.
“Oh? I’m intrigued, Mr. Stone.”
“Already?”
I grin. “Can’t keep up, old man?”
He lifts a brow, the corner of his mouth tugging into that slow, lazy smirk that’s fast becoming my favorite form of danger.
“Old man?” he echoes, voice low and loaded.
I blink up at him, all false innocence. “Need your ears cleaned out?”
He steps in, closing the space between us until my back brushes the edge of the counter and his hands settle on my hips. “Careful, Charlie. You keep running your mouth like that and I’m gonna have to remind you exactly what this old man is capable of.”
My breath catches. Yep,thatworked.
I lean in, fingers toying with the open edge of his flannel. “Promises, promises.”
His lips brush the shell of my ear. “You wanna test me?”
