“Anything you want,” Ioffered.
Her eyes caught mine, and to my surprise, she reached out and trailed her nails along my skin.Holy shit.Springing to action, I reached around and grasped her from behind, but Emma abruptly grabbed my wrists and stoodbackup.
No? Okay. I couldn’t read her cuesatall.
“You can sleep in the bed… just so you don’t wake up in agony tomorrowmorning.”
“Justsleep?”
“Yes, justsleep.”
“Oh, Emma,” I said, shaking my head. “Youdisappointme.”
She laughed as I grabbed the extra pillows and brought them with me. If sleeping really was on her short-term agenda, then I would need them. Without a word we both climbed into the bed. Tension hung heavy in the space between us. Mine was of a sexual nature, but it was still unclear what hers was. Emma and I both rolled onto our sides, facing each other. Neither one of us spoke. I lay there for a few minutes, debating with myself. Should I make a move or not? Was she expecting it? Would she be offended if I didn’t? Dammit, I wished Emma came with an instructionmanual.
Fuck it. No risk, no reward. Boldly I reached over and ran my fingers over the warm flesh on her arm. She didn’t move or object, so I keptgoing.
“Finn,” she whispered. “I can’t have sexwithyou.”
“Who said anythingaboutsex?”
I trailed my hand down her stomach, and then lower still. Emma opened her legs to my wandering fingers. Now this was a cue Iunderstood.
* * *
Emma’snot-so-gentle nudge woke me from my slumber. I opened one eye and immediately caught the impatient look on her face. Damn, she was a complicated woman…. a prickly cactus one minute, soft and engaging the next. I had no idea where I had her or what she was thinking. It was fascinating and frustrating all at once. My pulse quickened at just the thought of spending the day with her. Would she even let me? Emma’s current body language definitely indicated that she wanted me gone. Except for her moment of weakness on the Ferris wheel last night, Emma was the opposite of a clingy woman. She was like the guy in a one-night stand, looking for a quick escape. So what did thatmakeme?
“You need to get up,” she said, poking meoncemore.
“Are you trying to get rid of me?” I asked, sleep still heavy inmyeyes.
“I don’t like lying around allday,Finn.”
I forced myself awake and took in my bed buddy. Her panties were back on after I’d slipped them off her shapely hips sometime during the night. Although I’d honored her no sex proclamation, that didn’t mean we hadn’t fooled around, and I’d quickly discovered that Emma was no timid mouse under the covers. The woman I’d spent the night with knew exactly what she wanted and was not shy about taking it. I felt used in the most wonderfully satisfyingofways.
“So would that be a ‘no’ to cuddling?” I asked, in response to her request for me to get the hell out ofherbed.
Emma fought back a smile, and it took the edge off her restless face. She sat on the bed with her arms wrapped around both legs. Her blonde hair was wild from sleep, and as she ran her fingers through her thick tresses, she flipped over an unnatural part and exposed just the hint of dark roots. Her frickin’ gorgeous eyes watched me. I reached out and grabbed her wrist, pulling hertowardme.
“Come on. Just a little snuggle,” I teased, even though I didn’t particularly care for it myself. I only offered it in the first place because I knew her answer would be a big, fat, resounding NO… which, no doubt, made me likehermore.
“Dammit. I knew I shouldn’t have slept with a homeless guy. You people like the indoors too much,” she said, tilting her head and flashing me an adorable smirk. “I’m never going to get rid of you,amI?”
I shook my head. “At this point, it’s notlookinggood.”
We exchanged amused expressions. She didn’t want me gone. I knew that. Emma knew that. She just needed a littleconvincing.
“Are you hungry?” I asked. “How about we get dressed and I buy youbreakfast?”
“Ican’t.”
“Sure you can. Getting dressediseasy.”
“I mean, I haveplans,Finn.”
“Break them. You want to hang with me today, and don’tdenyit.”
Emma sucked in her lower lip, not disputing my claim. “I worry you might be reading more into this. Last night wasfun,but…”
