Claim My Baby (Crescent Cove 2)

Nope, that was due to imminent sex.

Finally.

So fucking finally.

Go to hell, swear gallon.

Oliver squeezed my hand and gestured ahead of him. “After you, princess.”

8

Oliver

I had entertained carrying Sage over the threshold into the suite. Not that I normally did such things. There was a fine line between romance and farce.

But as in all things, Sage Evans was different. She made me want to be different as well. To live outside the box just as she did.

If anyone deserved that extra jolt of romance, it was sweet, untainted Sage.

Not that she’d remain untainted much longer. I had my share of positive qualities, but my saintly nature wasn’t one of them.

I’d tried to keep my distance at different times during the evening. It was simply impossible, no matter how often I reminded myself of my brother’s stern words. I wanted more from her—what, I wasn’t yet certain—but if she needed less…well, I could be what she needed, for tonight or a string of them.

Whatever she would give, I would greedily take.

Beginning her sensual education by carrying her over the threshold was a no-brainer.

I just never expected to do it because she was unconscious.

Oh, she wasn’t dead. Not even passed out in a drunken stupor. She’d just worn herself out like a delirious child who’d sampled all the offerings at the buffet table and hit ground zero against my shoulder in the gilt-trimmed elevator.

My luck.

She hadn’t fully been out, just kind of snore-snorting herself awake as she leaned on my arm, but as soon as I swept her up, she blinked out. Just snuggled right in, her face in my throat, and allowed me to suffer all manner of stares from the few returning late-night partiers also stumbling to their rooms.

Not that I was stumbling. I was quite sure-footed, since I hadn’t imbibed enough to take down a buffalo.

Somehow I managed to maneuver the door open without dropping her. Small favors. As I placed her in the center of her bed, I frowned. She was awfully pale. This wasn’t some kind of alcohol poisoning, was it?

She couldn’t have consumed that much. Though I had left her a few times while she’d been at the slot machine to take care of some business with our secretary, who just loved being awakened out of a sound sleep due to my urgent requests. If she hadn’t dealt with Seth and me for years now, and thought of us as sons—annoying ones—she probably would’ve quit on the spot.

But I didn’t think this sudden slumber was alcohol-related, beyond the natural system-depressant effect liquor had. She’d just run herself into the ground. Soaking up every little bit Vegas had to offer.

I smiled as I fluffed the pillows under her head and carefully worked to free the sheet and covers from beneath her without disrupting her sleep. Tomorrow there would be more fun and exploration. I didn’t know if she’d want to gamble again, or maybe see if we could take in another show. There was also the possibility of driving out to the desert.

Making love on a blanket under the stars.

Whoa. This is not General Hospital. You won’t have sex with the virginal woman and she’ll suddenly decide you two are soul mates. More likely, if you do have sex, she’ll enjoy an O or two and happily bounce back home and act as if nothing ever happened.

I was okay with that. Truly. I had no expectations about getting physical or anything else. Even if my thoughts kept veering to a form of romance I wasn’t used to.

Seth thought I was skilled at the woo, but there had never been another woman I wanted to woo as much as this one. And that was fucking terrifying.

After I tugged the sheet up to her shoulders, I glanced at the nightstand. She should have water for when she woke up. Probably some painkillers too, just in case a headache kicked in. She hadn’t stayed hydrated enough throughout the evening.

I collected two aspirin from my travel case and filled a water glass then double-checked that she was still resting peacefully. No issue there. Her lips were even lifted in sleep. I hoped she was having good dreams. She deserved them.

Okay, that was it. I turned and headed toward the door of my connecting suite. I was going to bed to hopefully banish this sappiness that had overtaken me. As much as I hated leaving her alone, it was probably for the best. Besides, being in her presence had brought something soft out of me I couldn’t identify and wasn’t sure I liked.