“Liar.”
I laugh, planting my hand on his chest and pushing until he loosens his grip. I wriggle free and swing my legs off the bed, my bare feet hitting the floor. I grab his shirt from the side of the bed and pull it over my head. “I need to shower.”
His brow lifts as he props himself up on one elbow, his gaze following me. “So do I.”
“That was not an invitation.” I reach for my phone on the nightstand and take a step toward the bathroom.
“It absolutely was.”
I lift my phone and point it at him. “If you make me late, I will ruin your reputation.”
He grins and stretches back against the pillows. “Worth it.”
The shower heats up fast, steam filling the bathroom. I step under the spray first, letting the water hit my shoulders. A second later, Javier steps in behind me, close enough that his chest brushes my back. His hands settle at my waist. “You got a busy day?” he murmurs.
“Two showings, a listing appointment, and one client who won’t stop texting me.”
He snorts. “Rough life you’ve got there, Princess.”
I tilt my head slightly, pretending to be casual while absolutely not being casual. “You’ve got church tonight, right? With the club?”
“Yeah,” he says. “The meeting is probably gonna run long.”
I shrug lightly. “If you’re tired or end up staying later than you thought, you don’t have to come over after.”
The air shifts. His hands freeze on my waist. Slowly, he leans in closer, his mouth near my ear. “What did you just say?”
I keep my tone innocent. Way too innocent. “I said you don’t have to come over if you don’t want to.”
I feel it when the switch flips. The quiet growl in his chest. The way his grip tightens just enough to remind me exactly who I’m poking. “I always want to come over,” he says low.
I glance back at him, batting my lashes like I don’t know exactly what I’m doing. “I’m just being considerate.”
“Bullshit.”
I bite my lip to keep from smiling. “Maybe.”
His hands slide from my waist to my hips, firm and unmistakably possessive. He turns me just enough that I’m half facing him, eyes dark and narrowed, water sliding over us. “You like starting shit this early in the morning, Princess?” he growls.
“Maybe I like watching you get all territorial and ridiculous,” I admit, smiling sweetly.
His jaw tightens. “You’re mine.”
My pulse jumps and my grin widens. “I know.”
He leans in, kissing me hard enough to steal the breath right out of me, one hand braced at my lower back like he’s proving a point. Not gentle. Not subtle. Just Javier reminding me exactly what buttons I pushed.
When he pulls back, his forehead rests against mine, eyes still dark. “I’m coming over after church.”
“If you insist,” I tease.
He growls, low and very real, and I laugh, completely unable to help myself. “Relax,” I say. “I was teasing.”
He shakes his head like I’m the single greatest inconvenience of his life. “You’re trouble.”
“Your favorite kind.”
His smirk is slow and dangerous.
