11:08 AM…
Like his namesake, Wolf epitomized sleek, swift self-assurance.
He moved with stealth. His expressions remained impassive even when the shit hit the fan. He seemed to think in complete sentences, every word out of his mouth said with forethought and consideration—and with a cutting wit when he chose to wield it. Which was why it was so damned weird seeing the dude all jittery and flustered now.
Romeo frowned at the impatient fingers Wolf drummed atop the table. And when Wolf glanced up from checking his watch for the third time in the six seconds since he’d sat down, Romeo leveled his most considering stare on his business partner and friend.
“You want to go first or should I?” he asked.
“Nothin’ to report on my end.” Wolf shook his head. “Dixon doesn’t know any more than last night and—”
“I’m not talking about Dixon,pendejo.” Romeo leaned forward, making it impossible for Wolf to look anywhere but into his eyes. “I’m talking about you and Chrissy. What happened between you two last night that has you wound tighter than a two dollar watch this morning, eh?”
Wolf was silent. For a moment, Romeo thought it might take a whole pack of ninjas and one very large crowbar to get any sort of answer out of the man.
Then Wolf said, “I’ll tell you what happened with Chrissy if you tell me what happened with Mia. Why’s she offerin’ to bring you drinks while gazin’ at you like you hung the moon and all the stars in the sky?”
Fuck.
Romeo thought he’d imagined that look. Hehopedhe’d imagined it.
When he’d awoken that morning, it was to the feel of a warm woman snuggled next to him. Which, let’s face it, wasn’t unusual. Whatwasunusual—unheard of, actually—was for himnotto have had sex with that woman the night before.
He hadn’t made it through the first chapter ofIn Darkness and Dreamsbefore the hellacious day caught up with him and he fell victim to forty winks. He imagined Mia, lovely lady that she was, hadn’t had the heart to wake him and so had decided to conk out next to him. Except, at some point during the night, she’d sought his body heat in her sleep.
By this morning? They’d been tangled in a full-on lovers’ knot. Her head had been pillowed on his chest. His arm had been around her waist. Her leg had been thrown over both of his.
It’d been the pressure of her thigh against his morning wood that’d caused him to stir. And in that twilight space between waking and sleep, he’d nearly rolled her onto her back so he could cover her mouth with a dreamy kiss. One that wouldn’t have stopped with her lips but would have traveled south to her neck, her delicate clavicle, those perky little breasts that reminded him of scoops of ice cream.
If not for the alarm on her phone jerking him fully awake, he might have done exactly that.
And then what would’ve happened?
He didn’t dare imagine it.
If he imagined it, he’d begin fantasizing about it.
If he began to fantasize about it, he’d want to do it.
If he did it, then—
Like they’d been doing all morning, his thoughts returned to waking up in bed beside her. She’d come out of sleep slowly, and with a cute yawn that ended in a long feline stretch.
He’d gone stone still, fearing the minute she realized she was lying atop him she’d jump out of her skin. Except, she hadn’t. In fact, instead of being scared to death of him, as per usual, she’d simply sat up, smiled at him, and whispered,“Morning, Spiro.Sleep well?”
Some women had bedroom eyes. Mia Ennis had a bedroomvoice.It alone had been enough to turn his morning wood into a morning giant sequoia.
Proving himself a complete idiot, his response had been to leap out of bed like the mattress was on fire. Then he’d made some halting excuses about needing to shit, shower, and shave.Yes,he’d actually said that—’cause I’m all class, baby—before executing his escape.
By the time he’d made it back to her room to take her down to breakfast, he’d convinced himself sleeping with her had been no big deal. That he wasmakingit a big deal. That nothing had changed.
Except, now Wolf had pointed out somethinghadchanged. ThatMiahad changed. She was no longer treating him like he might lean over and take a bite out of her. Quite the opposite, in fact, she was acting like they were…what?Friends?
Thatwas hilarious. Not funny ha-ha, but funnyfuuucckkksince he wanted to snack on hernowmore than ever.
Nowhe had firsthand experience with just how soft she was. With the way her lips looked swollen first thing in the morning. With how well she fitted against his side.
Or…and this was even more concerning, she was acting like they might bemorethan friends. He’d never been more than friends with a woman in his life. In fact, except for his teammates’ wives and girlfriends, the most he’d ever been was friends with benefits. Light on thefriendsand heavy on thebenefits.
