When we pulled into my driveway, his headlights lit up my porch in the dark evening. As he opened my door to help me out, he paused, with his gigantic body in the opening, keeping me corralled. “Rhea’s interested in you, Goldie. Trust me. I can read a competitor when I meet one. But that’s okay, because now that I know you’re interested in me, it doesn’t matter. You can be interested in whoever else you want to be, Goldie, but now I’m going to make it my goal to win you over.”
My laugh came out softer than I had meant it to. “And you don’t care about the competition, not that I agree there is any, but just in general?”
“Nah,” He shook his head confidently. “I’m not afraid of a little hard work to win the prize.”
I rolled my eyes and pushed him back with a hand on his chest as I stepped around him. I tried to ignore the way his rock-solid body felt under my palm. “You know what, I like a good game too, Officer Brooks.”
His grin deepened as he followed me up the steps and hung back on the porch as I unlocked my door, turning back to look at him.
If he had asked to come in, I probably would have let him. Even if I stunk like moldy sprinkler water, because I was too curious to know what he looked like under his uniform to turn down an opportunity.
“Game on, Goldie.” He replied confidently, stepping back down the first step now that I was standing in the doorway. “I’m going to enjoy this.”
“I think I will, too.” I said with a little wave before ducking into my house and closing the door before I could do something else embarrassing.
Like beg him to come in and fuck me.
Unless he was offering…
Steam wrappedaround me like a blanket. I tilted my head back, letting the water slide over my skin, washing away the ache in my shoulders. The world outside the large shower stall didn’t exist. There was no hum of industrial fans buzzing, no water-logged tables, no wet plaster or ruined bread.
There was just heat, relief, and the sound of falling water.
Which was how I knew it was a dream.
It felt too damn good to be anything but make-believe.
Not that I minded, though. I stretched, feeling the coolness of my sheets under me, proving my point, even as my brain sank back into dreamland. And then the cool cotton of my sheets turned into the soothing warmth of the shower again.
Fine, Sandman, take me back under.
A moan slipped through my lips as the warm water relaxed my tender muscles from cleaning out the mess at Honey & Hearth, and I welcomed it.
When the glass door to my shower opened behind me, I didn’t turn to see who had sneaked into my home, let alone my bathroom, because there was no fear.
No worry.
In dreamland, there was no doubting the impossible.
I felt the air change, a pull low in my belly before strong, rough hands glided over my hips around to that spot that fluttered below my belly button.
Tanner.
I knew him by the steadiness of his touch and the warmth that radiated off him as his muscular body pressed against mine.
“Mmh,” A moan slid from my lips as I laid my head against his shoulder, resting into him.
He pressed closer, slowly, with deliberate moves, grounding me the way he always did—like nothing bad could reach me if he was near. I leaned into his touch instinctively, the rhythm of the water matching the quiet, patient power in his movements.
“I couldn’t stay away any longer,” He murmured against my ear, letting his teeth trace the shell, and a shiver broke out across my skin. “I didn’t want to.”
“I’m glad.” I hummed, reaching up behind me and running my fingers up the back of his head. “God, this feels right.”
I could feel his smile against my neck as his hands started moving, dancing around my stomach before they split up andtraveled up and down my body. I moaned again when his fingers brushed across my heavy breasts, toying with my aching nipples. His other hand dipped lower, pushing rough, strong fingers between my thighs to the place I ached for him the most.
“Mmh,” He groaned when he found me wet and ready for him already.
Dreams were blissful like that.
