Well, most of him felt at peace. There was one part of him rapidly growing dissatisfied with the nonsexual nature of the situation. His cock hardened further with each passing second of having her body so close to his. Minutes ticked by, and he finally allowed his mind to come to terms with what he’d been fighting like hell against for years. He wanted Shell with every fiber of his being. Wanted to fuck her, wanted to romance her, wanted to sleep next to her, wanted to monopolize all her free time.
Too bad he’d never have it. Despite everything he wanted, needed from her, all he’d allow himself was one night to hold her in his arms as she slept.
Since she was already asleep, she’d never know.
Aside from having the bluest balls on earth, what was the harm?
CHAPTER SEVEN
SHELL WOKE TO a small hand patting all over her face.
“Mommy! Mommy! Mommy! I’m awake,” Beth said, still smacking her hand on Shell’s cheek.
Shell rolled to her back. With a groan, she grabbed Beth’s hand and blew a raspberry on her palm. The giggles that ensued were music to her ears. “Sounds like someone is feeling better this morning.”
“Me! I’m feeling better.” Beth bounced on her knees like she’d just had a few shots of espresso instead of being laid up for the past two days with a virus. If only adults could bounce back that easily.
Shell hadn’t even been sick, and she was beyond exhausted. Of course, she’d lain awake half the night with Copper’s massive arm slung across her waist and the regular up and down of his breathing against her back.
Holy shit! Copper!
She shot up, eliciting another round of giggles from Beth. “Mommy you’re funny,” she said clapping her hands.
“Uh, yeah baby, mommy’s so funny. She glanced around the room. The jeans he’d laid at the foot of the bed were no longer there, nor were the boots he’d discarded before climbing in next to her. “You hungry, Bethy?”
“Starving,” Beth replied with all the drama only a four-year-old girl could display.
Shell blinked. Had she dreamed it? Had Copper even been here? Yes, he’d been here. The memory of him discovering one of her secrets was too strong to have been a figment of her imagination. But as for holding her all night long? She put her hand on her forehead. Maybe she was sick with some kind of brain disease.
“Your tummy feel good?” she asked her daughter.
Beth nodded and flopped down on the pillow Copper had used. “Mmm, this pillow smells good.”
Yep. Copper had really been there.
“Go in the kitchen, Bethy. I’ll make you some pancakes.” She swung her legs over the side of the bed and stretched her arms up and over her head until her back cracked. “Did you go potty yet?”
“No. I don’t hafta go.”
Suuure, she didn’t. “How about this. We’ll have a race and see who can get to the kitchen first after going potty.”
Beth’s eyes lit up, and she sprang off the bed. “Okay. I’m gonna win!” she shouted as she darted to the Elsa-themed bathroom down the hall.
With a chuckle, Shell peeled herself off the bed and took care of her own business. As she passed by her bed on the way to her door, she paused.
Don’t do it. Keep on walking, Michelle.
Of course, she didn’t listen to that little voice in her head. No, she grabbed Copper’s pillow off the bed, held it to her nose and inhaled. Her eyes nearly rolled back in her head. Cedarwood from the beard oil he preferred, a hint of smoke from those cigarettes he pretended not to smoke on occasion, and a zesty hint of soap.
Copper.
Like some kind of crazy stalker, Shell switched the pillow to the side of the bed she preferred to sleep on. A night with Copper’s arms around her might have been a once in a lifetime experience, but tonight, she’d fall asleep surrounded by his scent, and for a few moments she could pretend he was there. She’d hoped feeling his arms around her would have gotten some of the need out of her system. Yeah, she’d been dead wrong about that. All the experience did was make her crave more of him. More time with him, more contact with him, more of anything he was willing to give her. She sighed and shook her head. Why did she have to be in love with a man who didn’t want her?
Lord, she needed help.
“Mommy!”
“Coming, baby,” she called back.
Shell shuffled her way into the kitchen only to find Beth standing on a chair in front of the open refrigerator as she wrestled with a mostly full gallon of milk. “Firsty, Mommy?” she asked.
Yeah, Beth was feeling better.
“Whoa there, Bethy. How about I get the milk, and you get a cup?” she asked as she relieved her daughter of the heavy jug.