“As I was saying.” He made a production of rubbing his head. “Welcome to the new world, where we all use American slang. You need to trust me on this—no matter where the term comes from, you are definitely my baby.”
Magenta stared at him for a minute before blinking. She didn’t know what to do with him. He wasn’t fighting by any rules she knew. There was only one option. When in doubt—run.
“I’ve had enough of this. Time to get ready for work.” She moved to throw back the covers but remembered she was only wearing her underwear. “Throw me a T-shirt, will you?”
He cocked an eyebrow at her. “Why? I’ve seen it all before.” His grin was lascivious. “I like the pink lingerie. It was a nice surprise to find a Disney princess under Xena the Warrior Princess.”
“You are such a geek.”
“And proud of it.” He waggled his eyebrows while he reached for his T-shirt. Of course he was going to be all macho and dress her in his clothes, even though she was in a room full of her own.
Magenta shrugged into it. Some arguments weren’t worth the effort. She threw back the covers and strode past Harry. His arm shot out to stop her. She glared at him.
“You’re forgetting something.”
“What?” She let out a long-suffering sigh.
“Our morning kiss.” His eyes twinkled with mischief.
“Harry, we’re not in a relationship.”
“Whatever you want to believe. Kiss me good morning anyway.” He pulled her close until she was standing between his knees. His arms wrapped tightly around her waist. “I’m not letting go until I get my morning kiss.”
“Fine, you stubborn pervert.” Magenta put a hand on each of his shoulders, leaned forward and pecked him on the cheek. “Good morning, Harry,” she said with fake cheer.
His eyes narrowed and she almost laughed. She’d forgotten about this. Forgotten how much fun it was to play with him.
“I want a real kiss,” he growled.
“That’s as good as it’s getting. Take it or leave it.”
“Coward.”
“Bully.”
“Scaredy-cat.”
“Man-whore.”
He cocked an eyebrow. “Man-whore?”
She shrugged. “I heard all about your many relationships over the years.” Each one had chipped away at her soul. “It kind of makes a mockery of your claim that I’ve always been the one for you. Your string of girlfriends says otherwise. Who knows where those lips of yours have been.”
“I thought you didn’t want me, then someone told me otherwise. Those women were nothing but placeholders.” He gave her a slow grin. “You’re jealous.”
“Am not.”
“Oh, you are so.”
“I’m going to thump you in a minute.”
“Now, now, Magenta, you need to work at controlling that temper of yours. What would happen to your reputation if it got out that Invertary’s badass was too scared to kiss her man because she was in a snit about the other women he’d dated? That doesn’t sound like a badass to me. That sounds like a big old cowardly chicken.” He started making chicken noises.
Magenta dug her nails into his bare shoulders. It didn’t stop the clucking. Or the grinning.
“You’re not my man. Stop making a fool of yourself,” she ordered. He didn’t.
His tight hold meant she couldn’t get away from him. His mocking was driving her nuts. “I swear, Harry, stop that stupid noise or I’ll stop it for you.”