The Wrong Man (Alpha Men 3)

“This is so fucking good,” he said, his mouth full.

“Glad to hear it,” she said and watched him devour the rest in very little time. After a contented sigh, he finally put his fork down and reached for his coffee.

“So . . . guidelines,” he said.

“What were your thoughts?”

“You know I want you to sleep over.”

“Nope. That one’s not negotiable.”

“Well, if I can’t have that, then I want to be able to talk about shit.”

“What kind of stuff?”

“All kinds. Whatever strikes our fancy. Nothing is off-limits.”

“It seems foolish.”

“I don’t think so.”

“Fine. Although I’d like it stated, for the record, that I think this is unwise.”

“Noted. No more dates while we’re together.”

“Ugh, no. I’m off that for a while.”

“And . . . I’d also like to snuggle after sex.”

“No! Why?” she asked, completely horrified at the notion.

“Because you’re cuddly and because it’s relaxing.”

“I didn’t take you for a cuddler.”

“There’s a lot you don’t know about me,” he pointed out smugly.

There’s a lot I don’t know about me, either, Sam conceded to himself. Such as the fact that he enjoyed a snuggle after sex—where the fuck had that load of bullshit come from? He wasn’t a snuggler. He was a retreat-to-his-own-side-of-the-bed-immediately-after-orgasm kind of guy. Good sex was hot and sticky and disturbingly moist. Not ideal circumstances during which to snuggle up with somebody.

Maybe he just wanted to fuck with her guidelines, and since there was already one he couldn’t touch and the others made sense, this was the only other one he could change.

He watched her shoulders lift as she sighed.

“Fine. But once again, I don’t think it’s a great idea.”

“Stop worrying so much, sunshine, we’ll be fine.” She smiled at his appeasing words, but she didn’t look at all convinced. “Now, what will we do today? A long, lazy Sunday stretching ahead of us endlessly. So many options. We could fuck in the kitchen. Maybe in the living room? Definitely the shower, you owe me a shower shag. Then we could . . .”

“Sorry to throw a wrench in your big plans there, mister,” she interrupted lightly. “But it’s Daisy and Mason’s last day in Riversend, so I’ll be spending the day with my family. Knowing how they feel about you, I’ve no doubt I’ll see you there.”

“Can we at least do the shower thing?” he asked wistfully, and she grinned before cupping his jaw with her hands, leaning over to kiss him.

“Tonight, I promise.”

“Lia, I’m glad we’re doing this again. I’ve missed you.”

“You’ve seen me every day.” She laughed, and he grimaced.

“You know what I mean,” he said gruffly, looking almost embarrassed, and Lia nodded.

“I know. I’ve missed you, too.”

Daisy and Mason left the following morning. The family all gathered at the farm, before work and school, for an early breakfast before the couple hit the road. Lia, Daff, and their mother finalized some plans to meet Daisy in Cape Town in a month’s time for a weekend of bridesmaid and wedding dress shopping. Then, sooner than anyone would have liked, the couple and their dogs were on the road back to Grahamstown again.

“Spence and I have to get to work,” Daff said, her voice curt but husky with unshed tears. “Brand, we’ll drive you back to the cabin.”

“Don’t you have to drop Charlie off at school?” Sam asked, his eyes moving to the young girl, who was already in her school uniform.

“It’ll be tight, but we can do both,” Daff said.

“I’ll drop him off, no need for you guys to rush around like that,” Lia said, and Daff’s eyebrows rose.

“Oh, how accommodating of you, Lia,” Daff said, her voice alive with sarcasm. And Lia’s eyes narrowed.

“I aim to please,” Lia said with a bland smile.

“I’m sure you do,” Daff said smoothly, and Spencer rolled his eyes before taking her elbow.

“Thanks, Lia, ’preciate it,” he muttered. “Let’s go, darling.”

Lia and Sam left soon after Daff and Spencer.

“I’m off to the retirement home later. You joining me?” Lia asked while they were en route to the cabin.

“What time?”

“In about an hour or so,” she said, and he made an approving sound in the back of his throat.

“Want to work off that huge breakfast?” he asked playfully, and she laughed. She had to admit flinging with Sam was surprisingly fun and stress-free. She loved his body and what he could do with it and enjoyed his company. He was a great guy. He was also an expert cuddler—immediately after sex last night he had gathered her into his arms and tucked her close.

Lia had fallen asleep during their first postsex snuggle session. And he hadn’t awoken her. Luckily she had slept only an hour and then, despite his protests that it was too late for her to leave, had gone home. She had to be careful not to do that again.

Her parents had eyed her speculatively this morning, but neither of them questioned her whereabouts. As long as she let them know she was safe. Thankfully, she would be moving into Daisy’s house on the weekend and would no longer have to feel like a teenager creeping upstairs on bare feet.