Hestretched his long arms over his head and yawned. “You know what this means,right?”
“Whatwhat means?”
“Weslept together.” He looked quite pleased with himself.
“Well,I guess we did, technically speaking.”
“Nothingtechnical about it. Did you know you talk in your sleep?”
Uh-oh. “I do? What did I say?”
“Yousaid, and I quote, ‘Beckett, you handsome devil, please ravage me.’ Iswear.” He held up his hand in the familiar scout salute.
“Ravage?I think it’s ravish. Are you a seventeenth-century stud now?” She threwa pillow at him, which he caught and threw back, smacking her in the face. Afit of giggles bubbled up and tore loose from her belly.
Witheffort, she gulped them down and swiped moisture from her cheeks. “Thank youfor coming, Beck. I felt horrible about how we left things.”
“It’sspilt milk under the bridge. I’m good. Are you good?”
“I’mgood.” She stood, but he grabbed her and hauled her onto his lap, encirclingher in an iron-armed grasp. She pushed against his chest; she could have beenpushing against a rock wall.
Henuzzled her neck, sending shivers to the tips of her fingers and toes. “Damn.You always smell so good. Can I buy you breakfast?”
“Ican’t this morning. I’ll cook you dinner tonight if you want to watch a game ora movie. And I know this sounds really ungrateful after you rushed over hereand cuddled me all night, but I need to kick you out before Katie shows up, orshe’ll have a heart attack.”
“I’llleave on one condition.”
“Whichis?” She squirmed on his solid thighs, but he held her fast.
“T.J.just got suspended, and he’s headed back, so I’m going to the cabin after aquick trip to Chicago. Come up. Stay the night—all the nights—or not, if youcan’t swing it, but at least come for a day. We’ll go hiking if the weather’sdecent.”
“Why’dhe get suspended?”
“Thistime?” He shrugged. “It’s what he does. So will you come?”
Shetapped her forefinger against her cheek. “Ugh. My schedule’s nuts. Can I giveyou an answer later?”
Helooked her over. “Yeah, you can give me an answer later. If it’s yes.”
“I don’tsee your car. How’d you get here?” Before she’d given it a thought, she pushedhis hair off his forehead. It was soft and thick, and she wanted to weave herfingers through it. He didn’t seem to notice when she snatched her hand back.
“I tookan Uber. I was a little intoxicated.” He squeezed his forefinger and thumbtogether.
“Oh.”She frowned. “I can take you home.” She paused a beat. “Did I pull you from adate? A party?”
Hescratched the back of his neck. “No. Just a solo drunk stumble through Denver.And I’m glad you did.”
.~ * * * ~.
Andie tilted her head, a bemused look on her face. He didn’twant to field any more questions, and her soft contours were messing with him,so he scooted her off his lap.
“Now goon, git. Get ready so you can take me home, woman. I’ll make us coffee.” Heflapped his hand at her.
“Yes,sir, your lordship, sir,” she giggled. He loved that sound; he wanted to hearit over and over. She rose from the couch and kissed the top of his head. “Ilove you, Beck.”
His heartstuttered. “Yeah, yeah. That’s what they all say.”
As shewalked away, he blew out a breath. How could she make pink plaid pants and aT-shirt look so damn sexy? Hell, he’d had to practically shove her off himbecause he couldn’t control his dick, which was growing harder by the second ashe pictured peeling said pink pants off her body. He’d sported wood most of thenight lying beside her as it was. Torture.
Scrubbinga hand over his chin, he laughed at himself. Andie’s get-up had a far morepowerful effect on him than the combo what’s-her-name had worn last night. Thechick’s face flashed through his head—her mouth had swung open when he’d saidhe had to go. She’d looked at him as though he were certifiable. But he’d neverbeen saner.
It wasas he prepared those powdery lines that fragments of his life had ricochetedaround his brain and coalesced into one miserable mass. A sobering epiphany hadflared on like a floodlight, exposing everything with its blinding beam. Wherethere had been a sexy siren in his mind’s eye, the light exposed a gaunt,overly made-up woman who reminded him of flashy costume jewelry: gilded andfake. And the perfectly parallel white lines of oblivion had stirred his ownwords—words that sliced through him.
I’llnever do coke again.Had he just been blowing smoke up his own ass?
As thechick had stuffed a furled twenty up her nose and bent over the glass, herknobby spine protruding like a sprawling chain of peaks, a far more pleasingform—compact, curvaceous, and real—had slammed to the forefront. Everything hadcrystallized in an instant: he didn’t want to get high; he didn’t want to rollaround naked with the woman next to him. So he’d shot to his feet, mumbling anexcuse before he’d run from her, finally breaking free from his old life. Whichhad left him clueless as to what came next.
Howlong had he been wandering the streets when Andie’s text reached him? No idea.
Butshe’d fucking saved his life.
Minuteslater, Andie emerged from her bedroom, clean and dewy and smelling of flowersand vanilla. He leaned over and sniffed her hair. It caught light as thoughgold filaments were woven into the dark cinnamon strands. Her pale green eyessparkled with mischief, and her smile exposed that covert dimple of hers, thattiny dent in her perfectly smooth, creamy skin. She was flawless.
Hehanded her a fresh mug of coffee. “Are you wearing makeup?”
“No.Why?”
Heshrugged. “Just curious.”
“Do Ineed to?”
“OhGod, no!”
Sheblinked at him before her smile broadened. “Okay, then. I won’t.”
Anotherrevelation rattled him, and he gulped scalding coffee. Whatever form theirrelationship took, he wanted to be where she was, breathing her in, luxuriatingin her brilliant smile, taking in whatever she’d let him. Because being withher made him feel decent. Needed. Worthy. Alive.
He’dnever been in love before, but God help him, he was in
