Anger bubbled inside her.“I guess I’d better get that hotel room.So much for sleep tonight.I’m sorry you had to be bothered with all this.”
He pulled back an inch.“Don’t be sorry.This is my job.”
She chuckled.“Okay, sure.You’re not getting paid right now.”
His eyes sparked with playfulness.“We could work out a deal.”
She twisted her lips to the side but didn’t hide the smile.“I can get you a good price on some crystals.”
He threw back his head and laughed.“Not exactly what I had in mind, but I’ll take it if it comes from you.”His hand reached up to move her hair from her shoulder.“Go sleep.I’ll take the couch.”
Her muscles loosened as all of the tension and dread around finding a new place to stay left her body.“Really?”
“’Course.I’ll sleep better there than I would in my car, that’s for sure.”
She squeezed his hand.“Thanks.I’ll get some blankets.”She went to the spare room’s closet and pulled down a blanket and a pillow.Her spine tingled with the heat of his gaze on her body.
Who was she kidding?She wasn’t going to sleep tonight knowing he was only feet away.
CHAPTER 5
Aiden stretched hisarm above his head and yawned.Tomorrow was going to be a bitch of a day.He didn’t need to look at his phone to know it was well after 1:00 a.m., and although Dez’s couch was a boatload more comfortable than his car, he couldn’t fall asleep.
Maybe it was because his senses were on high alert.Or because every sound in the unfamiliar house made him snap open his eyes and listen for an intruder.
He was bullshitting himself.The real reason he couldn’t sleep was the same reason he couldn’t piss in a straight stream—because his dick was too hard.Desiree.Sleeping soundless in the room fifteen feet away from him.
How the hell had he gotten here?
She was amazing in bed.Probably the best he’d ever had.Tight, slick, her body fitting to his like she was designed by God just for him.His muscles bunched at the memory of her raspy breaths in his ear.Of the pinch of her fingernails digging into his skin.Of her knees hiked high against his sides.
Holy hell.
He reached down and adjusted his cock.He needed a release more than he needed sleep, but he wasn’t going to whack off on her couch like a weirdo.
The bitch of the whole thing was she didn’t want anything to do with him.What kind of lame line had she given him at her shop?That she didn’t like men and it was a small town?
Okay, so she was a business owner and he could understand her concern about getting a bad rap.But he wasn’t going to brag about sleeping with her.Heck, he hadn’t done that since high school and even then, it’d only been to Wes.
He squeezed his eyes shut.
He wouldn’t drive himself crazy with this.If she didn’t want to continue seeing him, fine.He’d respect that.Only here he was, sleeping on her fucking couch because she was being harassed.Which sure as shit wasn’t part of his job description.Oh, no.He was here because he’d been pussy-whipped or some shit and had no shred of dignity left.
A low, exasperated groan left his mouth.There was no room to protect his man card.Not when Dez was being attacked.For now, he’d just have to hang close and find the lowlife scum who was messing with her.
Tomorrow, he’d talk to her more.Maybe there was something she wasn’t telling him.He closed his eyes and fell asleep to the comforting smell of cinnamon sugar that clung to the couch cushion.
Clank
Aiden jerked into a sitting position, popping open his eyes.On autopilot, he grabbed the gun from under his pillow.He swept his gaze around the living room, the feminine décor reminding him that he wasn’t in Kansas anymore.
He’d slept at Dez’s.
On her couch and not in her bed where he should be.
“Sorry.”Dez’s squeaky apology came from the kitchen.“I tried to be quiet.Thought we’d need some coffee.”
He tossed off the blanket and swung his feet to the floor, facing her.“Don’t mention it.I’m a light sleeper.And you’re right.”Boy, was she ever.A thick fog clouded his brain, likely a result of the short and less-than-deep sleep.He rested the gun on the arm of the couch and stood in nothing more than his black briefs.
