5
THORNE
This is a bad idea.
The thought shouts at me as I dig through my closet for a sweater that’s comfy enough for Aria to sleep in. Then I check the bathroom cupboard, coming up with a spare toothbrush that’s still sealed. Aria thanks me, disappearing into the bathroom with her things while I get a fire going in the bedroom hearth.
A really bad idea.
I grit my teeth, stoking the fire until the chill melts from the room. Then I strip down to my boxers and climb into bed. My heart is thumping in anticipation, threatening to burst out of my rib cage.
A really fucking terrible idea.
All day, I’ve been trying to stay away from the beautiful young woman in my cabin. I distracted myself with work. Poured all my focus into trying to fix my truck so I could drive her home. I silenced every screaming impulse telling me to stay by her side. Fought like hell to stay in control. But then she looked at me with those big brown eyes and suggested we share a bed.
And just like that, everything snapped.
I reach under the covers and squeeze my throbbing cock with a groan. Aria would definitely have second thoughts about sharing a bed if she knew how fucking hard I am right now. She’s not even under the covers yet and I’m aching already.
God knows how I’m going to make it through the night.
I hear the bathroom door open, and a moment later, Aria appears. She looks painfully adorable. My dark green sweater hangs to her knees like a dress, but I can still make out the outline of her thick curves beneath the wool. She’s coated her pretty mouth with lip balm, her black hair tucked behind her ears.
She turns the light off. I can still make her out in the dim glow of the fire, my throat tightening as she approaches the bed and slips beneath the covers. Her weight shifts beside me, body heat radiating against my side. The groaning springs sound so damn suggestive, and I can’t help imagining how the bed would sound if I were on top of Aria right now. The loud rhythmic creak, drowned out by her moans.
Fuck, I’m already losing it.
I can hear Aria’s breathing over the low crackle of the fire as she says, “Goodnight, Thorne.”
My heart jumps at how close her voice is. She sounds sweeter than honey every time she opens her mouth.
“Night, princess.”
There’s a beat of silence before she adds, “I should probably warn you…I’m a kicker.”
“I’ll take my chances.”
Aria lets out a breathy chuckle then falls quiet. But her body is restless beside me. She tosses and turns for a long time, her bare leg repeatedly brushing mine, making my body jolt with adrenaline. My skin still burns from the contact long after Aria finally settles, her breathing slow and heavy as she drifts off.
But I can’t sleep.
And it has nothing to do with the fact that Aria keeps kicking me.
Sleep was a big part of my military training. As a sniper, I learned to survive for days on a few snatched minutes here and there. Whenever there was a chance to rest, I was trained to fall asleep fast—not wasting a second. But as I blink up at the ceiling, tension bubbling in my veins, it feels like all my training has deserted me.
A soft groan escapes Aria’s mouth. She rolls over with a sigh, her hand brushing my hip, and I clench my jaw tight. The space between us feels charged. Dangerous. All I want to do is reach across the danger zone and pull her on top of me. Press those soft curves against my chest. Grind her body against my cock.
Fuck.
I’d have slept better on the couch. Hell, I’d have slept better if I were freezing to death in my truck right now. Anywhere but next to this sweet angel.
She kicks me again as she rolls closer in her sleep, muttering something I don’t catch. I can feel her hair brushing my shoulder. My cock is painfully swollen, and when Aria lets out another sleepy moan, I’m done. I can’t take another second of this torture.
The clock on the wall says it’s four in the morning as I ease out of bed and head for the bathroom. I slide off my boxers and hop in the shower, letting the hot water rush over my tense muscles.
It feels good.
I close my eyes and grip my hard cock—pumping fast. In my mind’s eye, I picture Aria riding me, bouncing on my lap. She throws her head back, sobbing my name. “Yes, Thorne! Yes!”
