After studying me intently for a long moment, she whispers, “It’s been you, Harlen. For months, it’s been you, even when it wasn’t.”
Hearing her admission, I set Dizzy down on the floor, then drop my beer to the coffee table and take her water from her, doing the same with it before pulling her under me. “It’s been you from the moment we met.” I lower my voice. “I’m crazy jealous when it comes to you,” I admit, framing her face with my hands, and her eyes flare but not in a bad way. “It’s irrational, but it is what it is.”
“Okay,” she agrees, sliding her hands around my waist and moving them up my back, under my shirt.
“You okay with that?” I ask, and she tips her head to the side.
“I want whatever it is you want to give me,” she answers, and I press my forehead to hers.
“You sure?”
“I’m sure,” she says, and my eyes close.
“Fuck, I should have made a move sooner,” I repeat, opening my eyes, and when I do, I find hers soft. Seeing that look, I wish even more that I didn’t wait so long.
“It’s late, and I have to work tomorrow,” she says softly, and I turn my head and look at the clock, seeing its already after one in the morning.
“Right.” I touch my mouth to hers then start to move back, but her thighs tighten around my hips and her arms grip around my back.
“Will you stay the night?”
Fuck
“You want that?”
“Yes.”
“Then yeah.”
“Good.” Her hands slide farther up and I dip my chin, kissing her again, this time, deep and wet. Pulling away, I push up off the couch, dragging her with me. “I’ll let Dizzy out one last time and shut everything down, while you go get ready for bed.”
“Okay.” She leans up and presses her mouth to mine, and then I watch her ass until she disappears out of sight.
Looking down at Dizzy, I pat my thigh and he follows me to the door. Letting him out, I order, “Hurry.” And he rushes across the deck and down the steps to the grass, taking care of business before coming right back. Once he’s back in, I lock the door, go to the kitchen, grab him a treat, and give it to him, watching him run off before I hit the lights for the kitchen. Turning off the light in the living room, I make my way in the dark toward the open bedroom door at the end of the hall and walk in.
Seeing the door to the bathroom open, I sit on the edge of the bed and take off my boots and shirt then stand to unbutton my jeans. Pulling down my zipper, I freeze when Harmony walks out of the bathroom, wearing a light blue nightie, with pink lace covering her breasts and more of that same pink lace hitting her mid thigh.
Her eyes lock on mine and I watch her swallow. “I put a new toothbrush on the sink for you,” she says, and I lift my chin, finish shucking my jeans, and then head for the bathroom, wearing nothing but my boxers. Taking care of business, I wash my hands then use the toothbrush she left out, ignoring the fact that it’s hot pink. Once I’m done, I open the door and find the overhead light off but both bedside lamps on. She’s in bed, her back to the wooden headboard, a frilly gray comforter down around her hips. Unlike the rest of her place, I know at just a glance that her bedroom furniture is old. It doesn’t fit in with the look she’s building through the rest of the house, and it won’t be long before she’s searching for new pieces to replace all of it.
“Here.” She holds the remote for the television out toward me. “If you want to watch TV.”
Taking it from her, I pull back the covers and get into bed next to her. “You need to sleep.” I set the remote down on the bedside table then turn off the lamp, seeing her reach over to do the same with the one on her side. Once the lights are out, I pull her across the bed to me. The moment she’s there, she tucks her face into my neck, her hand slides over my stomach, and her thigh lifts to rest over my hip. Perfect, and yes I should have made a move a lot fucking sooner.
“Is this okay?” she asks, squeezing my gut, and I know she’s asking if I’m comfortable. I don’t tell her that I’ve never slept with a woman tucked against me before, or that I don’t cuddle. Instead, I pull her impossibly closer then touch my mouth to the top of her head, letting her know nonverbally she’s good right where she is. “Night, Harlen.”