Drawn Deep (Afternoon Delight 2)

“What else?”

“It makes me happy to work at the sanctuary. I even enjoy—” She bit her lip, thinking of the brightly colored bird she would be losing too.

“What?”

“I was thinking about Telly. He’s Sara’s. She’ll be taking him with her too.” She closed her eyes. “It’s all right. I’m all right.”

“Of course you are.” He eased the cup out of her hand. “Tomorrow you’ll have a plan of attack for all of this. Right now, you’re reeling. Lots of changes all at once.”

She smiled and turned her head toward him without opening her eyes. “Are you trying to sweet talk your way into my bed?”

He shifted on the cushions, easing away. She felt the wall going up between them and for once, she wasn’t the one adding the bricks. “After my screwups with you, I wouldn’t presume I had any right to do that.”

“But you would have if you hadn’t lied?”

“I might’ve. I’m not perfect.” The exasperation in his voice made her grin. “What?”

“Those words are very appealing to me. Know why? Because I’m not perfect either. And you look like my kind of mistake.” She forced up her heavy lids and stared at his handsome profile until he gave into her silent command to look her way. “Would you like to spend the night?”

There was no missing his rapid intake of breath. “On the couch?”

“No.” She leaned closer and palmed his scruffy jaw. Five o’clock shadow had turned into midnight and it gave him a rakish appearance she greatly appreciated. “In my bed. To sleep. They recommend a solid eight for optimal functioning the next day, you know.”

His lips twitched. “Who’s they?”

“Just work with me, Montgomery.”

“Working.”

“Can you sleep in my bed and, I don’t know, give good spoon like you did last night?” She let out a shaky breath. “I have a feeling I might need it.”

He reached up to caress the side of her face, his thumb tracing under her eye. God, her lashes actually fluttered from his touch. “I can do that.”

His cock hurt.

Michael inched open an eye, peered around at the unusual surroundings and slumped back into the pillows. Just because, he glanced down the length of his body. As expected, a prominent bulge lifted the sheet. And no wonder. He cast a sideways glance at the woman sprawled on her stomach beside him, one pale arm tossed carelessly across his stomach. He’d worn his boxers to bed to ensure her comfort while Kim wore a skimpy little red nothing with spaghetti straps that didn’t stay up. Her dark hair spilled in every direction, including over his face.

Before he blew it away, he took a quick sniff. God, that summery scent had made him hard in his sleep. The full breast tucked against his arm hadn’t helped the cause either.

A quick look at the alarm clock told him it was almost five a.m. He didn’t have to work today since he usually had Saturdays off but that didn’t mean lounging in bed was a smart idea. This wasn’t his bed, for one. Seeing his boss across the breakfast table didn’t really do much for him. Besides, he’d fulfilled his promise to Kim. He’d held her for most of the night. His arms still tingled from the incredible feel of her body pressed close.

He needed to get up.

Squaring his shoulders, he eased Kim off him and swung his legs over the side of the bed. Fuck, it’d be a miracle if he made it into the bathroom with the boner he was sporting.

“Going somewhere?”

His breath hissed out between parted lips. “It’s almost morning.”

The mattress shifted an instant before soft lips skated up his spine. “You have to work?”

“No.” He almost wished he could say yes because this woman, this bed, represented a landmine. Pleasure lurked in its depths—if he survived the initial blast.

“Got a hot date?”

He couldn’t help smiling at the sleepy huskiness of her question. “A wise woman last night told me she didn’t date, just screwed around. I’m thinking that might be a plan for me too.”

“Hmm. Then we should practice, don’t you think? I’d hate for you to go out into the world all…inexperienced.”