“Don’t huh me. It’s been a long night.”
I looked at Taylor Jane, thinking it was a long night, but I wouldn’t have given it up either.
“Wasn’t she sleeping with the cop, oh, what’s his name?”
“Stop acting like you don’t know who, and don’t remind me, just pick our asses up.” Damien grumbled.
“Oh-kay….” Something was definitely bothering Damien because he wasn’t his usual smartass self, but I didn’t have time to get into it with him when Taylor Jane finally stirred next to me.
My empty stomach curdled at the thought of those two invading my sanctuary with their chaos, but I was hungry for a large greasy meal including pancakes and bacon. My girl let out a little snuffle snort in her sleep, making me feel good about bringing her home to my house to watch over her. She was breathing steady, there was no puke in the bed sheets, and I didn’t die of blue balls last night.
We survived, barely, but we made it.
I leaned over and whispered in her ear, “Taylor Jane, our favorite person wants to have breakfast at the diner.”
“Noooooo.”
“Come on, we have to go pick up their drunk asses at the police station first.”
“The what? Why? Oh God, my stomach.” She was pathetically adorable and rolled over, bringing her knees to her belly.
Giving in to temptation, I rolled near her and let my hand slip under the covers to rest on her flat stomach and rubbed it gently.
“My tummy is not a genie.” Her voice cracked and she turned her head back into the pillow.
“Grant me three wishes, Miss Bryant.”
“I don’t want to leave this bed for the foreseeable future.”
That makes two of us, sweetheart.
She pushed my hand away and dug her head underneath the pillow, muffling her words.
“Two?”
“Go away.”
“Is that a wish?” If she saw my smirk, I would have gotten a pillow to the face.
“Ugh.” She moaned.
“I’m not going anywhere, what about three? You just wasted the first two wishes.” Teasing didn’t go over well.
“Wait, the police station?” Peeking her head out, hair tangled, I nodded.
I swore she turned another new shade of green. I was hoping we would be done with the puke by now. Plus she owed me a wish.
“How do you feel this morning?”
Leaning over her, I rested my ear next to the pillow to hear her rumble into the bed with sad eyes.
“Godawful. Better than I deserve.” Her voice was part confession and part lure dragging me stay where we were until the weekend turned to Monday. I’d let the Dynamic Duo rot in the town lockup, but I didn’t want my aunt and uncle getting the call.
“That’s no way to greet the morning, sunshine. Up and at ’em, lazy bones.” Smiling, I shifted from the bed and slapped her ass playfully.
Tensing she turned away, eyeballing me and rubbing her behind, showing me more skin and lace than a man needed to see this early in the morning. Especially one that was only her friend, and for a moment I wondered what it would feel like to do that to her in a much more sexually satisfying way. Let my handprint bloom a pink shade on her fair skin, but I dismissed it quickly. I’d never in a million years want to cause her undue pain even for my own desires. I wasn’t really into hardcore shit, but some playful spanking, sure. It was hard to escape some of the hardwiring that made me who I was. Dangerous thoughts swirled in my brain and I dismissed them quickly. It would never work. We would never work. I convince myself of this and knew the first step was getting out of the bedroom and temptation before anything happened.
“Come on, Taylor Jane.” Gruffly I swallowed down the lump in my throat, her gaze catching me feeling uncomfortable. I shifted my body away from her glare so she couldn’t see the evidence in my sleep worn jeans of just how affected I was. Morning wood could be a real bitch when it was about ten years unrequited.