When he lifted himself away, she caught at him. “I want you inside me.”
His cock ached for her, but he didn’t want to push her too far. “You sure? It might hurt a bit.”
“After that? Hell yes I’m sure.”
“Baby, you don’t have to do it because I took care of you. I can wait.”
She frowned. She almost looked hurt. “Really? You can wait?”
“I don’t want to wait, Ang. I can wait. There’s a difference.”
She tugged at him. “I don’t want to wait. I can’t.”
He laughed softly. “You just came. Do you really want more?”
“Of course I do. Are you crazy? I’ve been deprived for far too long.”
“Condoms are in the bedroom. I have to get one.”
She reached for his cock, squeezed. Lightning streaked through him.
“What if you don’t? I’m on the pill. I’ve been tested for diseases. I don’t have any.”
His heart skipped. “I always wrap it up. I’ve never gone bare.”
“Do you want to? With me?”
“Fuck yeah I want that. Are you sure?”
She smiled. “I’m sure. I don’t feel like this is a one night stand. Is it?”
He stroked the skin of her belly. Dipped between her legs and into her pussy. She hissed in a breath. He loved the way it sounded. “Not for me. I care about you, Angie. I’ve cared for a long time.”
Her eyes were luminous. “I care too.”
“I want a lot more nights of this. Me and you, nothing but skin and heat and closeness.”
“I want the same thing.”
He lowered himself on top of her. “I feel like there’s a lot more we need to discuss, but I’m not capable of it right now.”
She wrapped her legs around him. “Me neither.”
He slid inside her, bare skin to bare skin. The rightness of it made him groan. “That’s fucking amazing.”
She was smiling. Laughing softly. “It’s incredible.”
He gripped her ass and started to move. “Hang on, babe. This is about to blow your mind.”
They slept naked. Angie loved being pressed up against Colt in the night, feeling the solid weight of him. The heat of his skin. The steady beat of his heart.
She woke a couple of times, confused about where she was in the fog of sleep. It came rushing back each time and she sighed in contentment. She was in bed with Colt, in love with Colt, and they had something between them that was new and beautiful.
They hadn’t talked about the future. They hadn’t talked much at all. Not with words anyway.
There was time for that.
She didn’t know how he felt about her. He didn’t talk like a man who planned to throw her out tomorrow, but she didn’t really know what he was thinking. It worried her if she thought about it. She told herself not to think about it.
She’d thrown herself into this thing. It was too late to back out.
And she didn’t want to back out.
When she woke again, something was chirping. Angie pushed herself up. Colt wasn’t in bed. It was still dark out. But really dark, like someone had flipped a switch on the world.
“Colt?”
“I’m here.”
His voice came from the direction of the hall. She couldn’t see him.
“What happened?”
“Power outage.” A light flickered, illuminating his face as he looked at his phone. He stood near the door. He’d pulled on sweats that hung low on his hips and he held a pistol.
Angie swallowed. “What’s that noise?”
“The battery backup for the alarm. It’s an old system.”
“I’m surprised you didn’t replace it. Don’t you guys have state of the art stuff over there at BDI?” She grappled for her panties and the shirt she’d been wearing. Tugged them on and stood.
Her phone was in her bag. She’d left it in the kitchen. At least he had his so they could see.
“We do. I didn’t replace it because there wasn’t any reason. I’m renting—and I can handle burglars.”
Angie yawned. She wasn’t going back to sleep with that chirp. It was loud. Annoying. “We could make coffee. Oh, wait.” She sighed. “I guess not. I hope the power comes back soon.”
“Me too. Maybe put on some warmer clothes in case it stays out for a while. The system’s probably been overloaded in this cold. Too many people trying to make their houses a balmy seventy-five.”
“I can’t see to find my clothes.”
“Hang on. I’ve got a battery-powered lantern in the kitchen. We’re gonna need it anyway, so let me go get it.”
She heard the solid weight of the pistol land on the dresser with the television, and he disappeared through the door.
Angie waited. The alarm kept chirping. She patted around the bed and over to the chair, hoping her clothes were there. Maybe she could find them before he got back.
She hated being immersed in darkness so complete she couldn’t see her hand in front of her face. She’d never been particularly afraid of the dark. This was enough to make her rethink it.
“Yesssss,” she said as her hand hit fabric she recognized. Her leggings. She tugged them on and patted some more. Her bra was there, but she didn’t care about that. Her fuzzy socks.
Oh thank you Jesus because her feet were cold. She pulled on one and then the other. Her toes warmed immediately.
“Hurry, Colt,” she called out. The darkness had weight to it as it pressed in on all sides. She hated it. He didn’t answer and her belly took a slow tumble to the floor as the silence stretched. She told herself to stop being silly. He was looking for the lantern. Maybe he’d had to step into the garage. He’d be back soon.
She heard something banging in the kitchen. She held her breath, trying to make out what he was doing. It stopped and a light flared in the hallway. Relief made her knees wobbly.
“I’m glad you found it. I can’t see a damn thing, but I have my clothes. They’re probably on backwards and inside out.”
The light beamed into the room, shining in her face. Angie put her arm up to shield her eyes. It
