Southern Attraction (Southern Heart 3)

“Morning, beautiful,” his sleepy voice rumbles from behind me. I feel his lips press against my bare shoulder.

“Morning.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, just thinking about stuff. I am unemployed now, you know.”

“You don’t need to work if you stay here with me.”

“Mike, come on.” He mentioned me staying here for the next two weeks last night and I readily agreed, but this sounds like something else altogether.

“I want you here,” he says, kissing my shoulder again.

I roll over to face him. “You have me for two whole weeks. What are you going to do with me?”

He grins. “I may have an idea or two, but first, I’m serious, James. I want you here. For two weeks, two years, two decades, the rest of our lives. Whatever I can get, I want it with you.”

What do I say to that? His words melt me to my core and I want to tell him I’ll never leave, but that’s not the real world. No, I have my family and a career in Chicago—at least I did. I’m sad that this chapter is ending and another is beginning, but this is my chance to seek out the career I always envisioned. Maybe even running a department. The change causes unease, but it’s what I’ve always wanted.

It’s all falling into place, all except for Mike. I didn’t plan to meet him that weekend. No way could I have planned for the attraction I felt toward him. Only now, that attraction is something else entirely. Something more.

“What do you want to do today?” he asks.

“Don’t you have to go into the bar?”

“Not right away. Liv was there yesterday and has it under control.”

“I really need to call Whit.”

“Why don’t we grab some breakfast, and then we can go surprise her?”

“I think I like the sound of that.” I kiss the corner of his mouth.

He tightens his hold on me. “We have to get up and get moving now.” He kisses me, his tongue tracing my lips.

“We have time,” I say against his lips.

“Nope.” He pulls back. “Now or we won’t be leaving this bed.” He swats me on the ass and climbs butt-ass naked out of the bed to walk to the bathroom, leaving the door open.

I climb out of bed to gather my things to go next and realize my clothes are still out in my car. “Hey,” I say, walking into the bathroom. I’ve slipped his shirt back over my head. “Would you mind running out and grabbing my bags from the car once you’re dressed?”

“I don’t know.” He peeks his head around the shower curtain. “If I don’t, does that mean I keep you naked”—his eyes rake up and down my body—“or in my shirt for the next two weeks?”

“I can go out there like this, I just didn’t want to embarrass you if someone drives by and sees a half-naked girl in your driveway.”

“No,” he practically growls. “I’ll get them. Where are your keys?”

I watch as he tilts his head back and rinses the shampoo from his hair, the suds sliding across his rock-hard body. The shower curtain pulls open, breaking my trance.

“Keys?” He smirks.

Busted. “I… uh, I don’t know exactly. I’m assuming in the living room somewhere.”

He grins. “I’ll find them. Towels are in the closet. We should run to the store and get your shower stuff so you have it here.” He says it like it’s the most normal idea as he runs the towel over his head.

“Yeah, I have some in my bags.”

“Still, I think we should.” With that, he throws the towel in the hamper and walks out of the room.