She frowned at him so he pecked a quick kiss on her lips before getting out of the car. He hurried around and opened her door before she could figure out that she was just sitting there doing nothing.
She blinked at him some more. “Hmph.”
“Right.” He held out his hand, curling it around hers when she accepted his offer. He gave a little tug and pulled her out of the car. In the next move, he lifted her off her feet and into his arms. He waited for her reaction.
“If you think I’m going to complain, you’re wrong.” She snuggled into him.
“Good.” He dropped a kiss on her forward and walked to the door. It wasn’t exactly easy, but he thought he managed to unlock and open the door with a minimum of awkwardness and a modicum of sexy romance hero. Her twinkling eyes suggested otherwise, but she didn’t say anything, so he didn’t either.
He set her down on the bed and went about the task of getting her naked. He was proud of himself for remembering to start with her shoes. Luckily they were just slip-ons. “Now, what was that about a job?”
“Hm? Oh, that. I was wondering what you told Brenda about you working.”
He waited for her to lift her butt, then pulled her slacks down. “Well, she asked me if I was working, and I said not yet. Then she asked me what I was looking for, and I said nothing, yet.”
“That was it?”
“Pretty much word for word. Why?”
“When I talked to her, she said something like you mentioning you hadn’t been able to find work yet.”
He’d been unbuttoning her blouse but stopped at that. “Seriously?”
“Yep. With this sweet, sympathetic tone.”
He snorted. “Well, the good news is, I don’t think you have to be worried about anyone wanting to offer her a place in our pack. Nobody seemed to be impressed with her. And,” he said, holding up a hand to stop her from interrupting him, “I truly believe everyone did give her a chance.”
She shrugged out of the top. “Okay. If you say so, then I’ll believe it and let it go. Without guilt.”
“Believe it.” He leaned forward and kissed her forehead.
“Nope.”
“Nope?”
“Nope with that forehead nonsense, I seem to be finding my second wind.”
“Is that right?” He trailed a finger down her neck, across her shoulder. “You were pretty tired a minute ago.”
“True, but then my sexy mate got me naked. He should go about getting himself naked, now, too.”
“You think so?” He trailed his finger from her hip to the side of her breast, watching as her nipple started to pucker, though he wasn’t really close to it.
“I do,” she sighed. “I definitely think so.”
“Whatever you say.” He stopped touching her, backed away. She watched him closely. She might have even whimpered. He had excellent hearing, but he wasn’t certain.
He unbuttoned his own shirt, not hurrying, but not going slowly, either. When he took it off and tossed it to the floor, her gaze never moved from his body. His tidy mate was definitely in the mood if she was ignoring him tossing his clothes on the floor.
His belt soon followed, then his pants. He stepped forward so he was at the end of the bed. “Come here, woman.”
“I’m right here.”
“I thought you had your second wind?”
“That means I need to come to you? Why don’t you come over here?”
“I’ll help,” he offered, and snaked a hand out to grab her ankle.
