She’d gone to bed in her silver silk chemise because it made her feel pretty. It also had a matching sleep mask which she’d pulled up to her forehead. As she dropped to all fours to fish her dog out from under Eli’s bed, she wished she’d gone with the cropped cotton pajama pants with little blue flowers and the matching Henley shirt. Then again, Scotty had bought her that set, so it was definitely a no.
He hadn’t tried to contact her since their tree-decorating event the other night. The only person she’d heard from was her mom, whoreallywanted to take Marlee to coffee. Marlee had replied that she’d be happy to go to coffee once her parents turned her trust fund back on.
Yes, she was a woman on a mission to make it on her own. She still hated that they continued to try to wield their power of money over her head.
Hence the continued stalemate with her mom and dad.
“Lothario,” Marlee whispered.
He didn’t move.
Eli, however, mumbled something incoherent. She stilled, waiting to ensure he stayed asleep—she didn’t want to wake him. Not when things were so weird. Well, weird for her. After the other night when they’d kissed. It was like the kiss had never happened. They’d gotten their ice cream, escaped the clutches of arrest, and didn’t speak of it again.
Except her lips still tingled whenever she thought of how his mouth felt against hers. Which was pretty much all the time. Hence the reason she now turned awkward whenever they were in the same room.
“Lothario,” she whispered louder, swiping her arm under the bed.
Lothario escaped deeper toward the head of the bed with his love-shoe. Unfortunately, he went to the side closest to the wall. She couldn’t fit beside the bed there, so she’d have to climb on the mattress to get to him.
She sat back on her heels. Crud.
Eli grunted and rolled over, pulling the blanket with him and leaving his left side uncovered. His bare left side.
They’d only slept together that one time in Vegas, and neither of them had worn a speck of clothing. But Eli Howard always slept naked? Who knew?
Well, now she knew, and she needed to get her dog and get out of there. Stat.
Carefully, she climbed onto the empty side near the wall, crawling toward Lothario.
She swiped her hand in the air where Lothario had just resided, but he hustled to the other side.
Dammit.
“Mmmm.” Eli made a sound deep in the back of his throat.
Marlee stilled. She’d heard that sound before—the last time she’d been in bed with him. In Vegas.
Careful not to move the mattress, she held herself perfectly still. Her breaths came shallow. Her heart raced.
“Mar,” he said her name in a hushed whisper, his vocal cords scouring the syllable.
She sat up. He was on the other side of the bed, back to her, his breaths still spaced evenly. The air in her lungs seemed to dip.
“Eli? I’m just getting Lothario and then I’m on my way,” she whispered like it was a totally normal thing.
She peered over his shoulder. His eyes were still closed. The blanket covered half of him, and she didn’t dare chance a look at the bare corded muscle.
“Mm-hmm.” He made another sound she recognized.
This was wrong. He was having a dirty dream and she was right there.
“Marlee.” He practically moaned her name.
Okay, enough was enough.
“Eli, you should probably wake up.” She shook his shoulder just a little.
Now, what she expected? She expected him to wake up and tell her that she was being a dippy-do for tracking her dog through the living room as he was intent to spend the night with Eli’s shoe. She did not expect him to roll into her, pinning her against the bed, his eyes still closed tight.
