I swallowed hard and bent down to scratch the puppy’s ears to keep me from running straight back to the cot and her deliciously warm body. “Good morning,” I said after a moment. “Did you get some sleep?”
“Not much.” Her smile widened. “But I’m not complaining.”
Damn, she was making this difficult, and she didn’t even realize it.
“Jess…” I stood and rubbed my palms on my jeans. “I think we should?—”
“Oh! Summit!”
The puppy had noticed her and had launched his furry little body onto the cot to greet her with big kisses.
Jess laughed as she tried to wrestle the puppy into submission. By the time she had him calmed down, she sat upright, the sleeping bag dangerously close to slipping off her chest completely, the puppy curled up in her lap.
“Sorry about that.” I moved to take Summit from her, but she held him protectively.
“Don’t you dare,” she said. “I finally got him calmed down.Besides, he’s cute, and there’s a rule about not moving when you have a puppy on your lap.”
I crossed my arms over my chest. “I thought that was about sleeping cats.”
She shrugged. “Either way, I probably shouldn’t disrupt him right now.”
I took a moment to gather up her ridiculous white jogging suit, only briefly debating on whether or not I should pull each and every rhinestone off before giving it back to her.
Ultimately, I deposited the clothing in a heap next to her. “Trying to avoid going back, are you?”
She nodded, the smile sliding off her face for the first time since waking. I cursed myself for being the cause of it, but at the same time, it wasn’t my fault. Not really.
“I could go back with you,” I offered before truly considering it.
“Ha!” That made her laugh. “Can you imagine if I rolled up with you next to me? The gossip mill would lose its mind.”
“You mean Tilley Beckett would lose her mind?”
“Isn’t that what I said?” She laughed again before it faded away. She grew quiet, her fingers absently combing through Summit’s fur. The puppy let out a contented sigh and settled deeper into her lap as if he, too, didn’t want her to leave.
“I should go,” she said finally. “I can’t really put it off forever, can I?”
“You could try,” I teased in an effort to bring that smile back. “I’m about to make some coffee.” I’d only brought enough coffee for one, but I’d happily sacrifice my morning cup if it meant she’d stay a little longer.
For a moment, I thought she might agree, but I saw the second her decision was made. She shook her head and reached for her clothes. I turned my back to give her privacy, which seemed a little ridiculous after the night we’d just spent together, but everything was always different in the light of day.
Even if I wished it wasn’t.
I didn’t turn around until she spoke again. “This was…”
She was standing, the puppy on the floor at her feet. The white “Bride” jogging suit looked even more out of place now. Jess tugged the tangle of her hair back as best she could and wrapped an elastic around it. She looked so different with the makeup gone, her hair off her face, and that pink glow on her cheeks that I’d put there.
Even more gorgeous, if it were possible.
I busied myself by tugging my own shirt on to keep from going to her and pulling her into my arms again for one more kiss.
“Thank you,” she said. “For last night and …” She waved a hand in the air, unsure how to finish the sentence.
For not being an asshole.
For being a safe place to crash.
For making me come so hard, I screamed.
