“Do I get tub fun if I say we can date?”
“You get whatever you want.” Dating sounded marvelous, way better than any more casual option. That earned him another kiss right there. And the tub water was cooling rapidly, but I’d brave even the Arctic if it meant more time with him.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Arthur
“It’s too early.” I blinked against the strong morning sun. Not even the prospect of the annual last morning donuts and cinnamon rolls was enough to make me want to leave this bed.
“This is what you get for talking me into round two last night.” Derrick cuddled against my back, and no way was I rolling away from his delicious presence.
“Oh yes, I had to do a lot of convincing.” I nudged his chest with my shoulder. He’d been damn enthusiastic about finishing what we’d started in the tub. We’d quickly discovered that the tub was better for teasing than actually getting off, and had ended up racing back to the warm bed where we’d made out until it was way late.
“Maybe I wasn’t that reluctant.” He chuckled against my neck. “We did forgo a fair bit of sleep, though. I’m too old for all-nighters.”
“And yet somehow you’re all perky this morning, oh ancient one.”
“Years of five hours of sleep and needing to be up and at ’em quickly. No one wants a tech who’s dragging ass.”
“But I want your ass, dragging or otherwise.” I bumped my own butt into his groin to make my case. “How about you skip the getting-up part and sleep in with me?”
But before he could answer, a whistle sounded. “Donut time! Everyone come say goodbye.”
“I don’t wanna say goodbye.” I huffed out a breath, not caring if I sounded pouty.
“We don’t have to. Remember?” Kissing the back of my neck, he gathered me closer.
I remembered. Even in his tender embrace, my muscles still tensed. I still wasn’t sure that us dating was the smartest idea. Not that this fake dating turned real fling was wise either. But it was easy to lose my head with Derrick. He was right. Saying goodbye was going to suck, whenever we said it. We might as well postpone it.
But I had noted that he was only postponing the inevitable. Neither of us were claiming this was a forever-after kind of love. Long-term wasn’t for us, but I was also as reluctant as him to say never again.
So dating it was.
However, I still didn’t want to leave the bed. “You’re too cuddly to leave.”
“And so are you, but we both know that gong is about to sound and we’re not packed.” He tickled my ribs lightly before he sat up.
“Okay, okay. I’m going.” I finally rolled out of the bed as he started the packing. “There better be a coffee. And a donut with sprinkles left.”
“I’ll hunt you down one,” he promised.
“My hero.” I faked a swoon back onto the bed only for him to haul me upright. “Fine. Be the adult. I’ll pack.”
“Me too.” He was far neater than me about it, folding even his dirty laundry and neatly organizing his bag whereas I more haphazardly made mounds of my belongings.
“Oh, hey, we never played my dice game.” I shoved the game along with my chess set into the middle of my bag. I’d sort it all out later.
“We could play it tonight?” he offered absently as he folded a shirt. “After I drop you off?”
“You’re dropping me off?” That was news to me, but he snorted like it was a foregone conclusion that he’d take me into Seattle proper, a prospect that added a fair amount of drive time for him.
“I’m not going to make you take the ferry and buses.” He had the same commanding tone as he had when he’d promised my favorite kind of donut. On anyone else, I’d find the caveman alpha act too much, but on him it was endearing, the way he made taking care of me a personal mission. “Besides, I want to see your place.”
“It’s not much,” I warned.
“That’s okay. I’m used to the barracks remember?” He reached over to rub my neck. “You don’t have to impress me.”
“Good. It’s typical shared apartment chaos, but there is a decent TV. You can come up.” I was still slightly dazed that he wanted to, but I wasn’t going to turn down either the ride or more time with him.
“Okay.” That settled, he zipped up his bag and tossed it near the door.
“Wow. Look at us making plans,” I joked to cover how weird this actually was. “Guess we are dating.”
“Yep.” Waiting for me to stuff my bag closed, he then added it to the pile by the door.
“Next thing you’ll offer to cook for me.” I was only teasing but he nodded all seriously.
“I can cook, actually. Basic stuff mainly, but Grandma made sure I could do more than boil water.”