She didn’t expect him to run his nose along her neckline or press his erection against her stomach.
His eyes stayed closed even as he moved his hand to the hem of her nightgown. Still pinned underneath him, she pinched her lips together and held herself still. He was having a really good dream and inviting her to participate. She’d like to participate, of course, but he should probably be aware that she was an active participant. That required him to wake up.
“I like that,” he mumbled against her shoulder.
She cleared her throat, ignoring the nerves between her own legs pulsing and begging her to open up and just let things go as they may.
“Eli,” she said in her normal voice.
He moaned again, his weight heavy against her, covering her body. For the briefest of moments, she let herself imagine what it would be like to have him inside her again. The safety of him surrounding her, filling her.
“Eli,” she said louder. She squirmed against the wet heat pooling at her core. Her body was now the traitor. “Wake up.”
She couldn’t do this. Not like this.
His eyelids popped open. He had a momentary look of utter confusion. “Mar?”
“Hey.” She bit at her lip, did a little finger wave with her right hand.
“Mar.” He shot up off her, the air suddenly very empty. He pulled the blanket around himself. “What are you doing?”
“I was getting my dog from under your bed, but then you were having a dream and I tried to wake you up.” She sat up, totally averting her eyes from where he lay on the bed. “My bad.”
“Your bad?” He rubbed at his eyes with his fingertips.
“I think Lothario is just going to sleep here tonight if you’re good with that. I’ll go back to bed.” She started to scoot past him off the bed, unable to keep her eyes off him.
Eli sat, confusion clearly written on his face. The blanket slid down to his waist.
Yes, she was all in on bedroom activities with him. But now that he was awake? She started to hyperventilate. Lothario barked from under the bed.
Where was her inhaler? She needed to get to the one she left on the bookcase.
Before she could move farther, Eli placed both hands on her shoulders, centering her. She looked straight into his gaze, her heartrate dropping to normal levels and her lungs taking air in average breaths.
He ran his thumb over her cheekbone. “Did I hurt you?”
What? “No, why?”
“I was on top and...” His expression was totally soft. “Are you sure I didn’t hurt you?”
Her muscles started to relax at the gentleness of his tone. Big, bad Eli Howard was all soft and gooey inside.
She decided to go with honesty. “I was scared.”
“Shit.” He pulled her against his chest, the top of her head below his chin. “I’m sorry.”
“I was scared because I knew I’d enjoy it if we had sex again,” she said. “Even asleep, you could never hurt me, Eli. I know that.”
It was his turn to go still, his hand cupping the back of her head. His Adam’s apple pressed against her cheek as he swallowed hard.
He didn’t say anything.
Not exactly the reaction she’d been going for.
“Well?” she asked.
“I’d probably enjoy it, too,” he replied.
