Page 120 of Unexpected Heroine

His chuckle is rich and velvety. “Let me dry you off so you don’t get cold.”

Thanks to the power of suggestion, a chill dances over me, causing goose bumps to rise across my damp flesh.

I release him from my death grip, flopping my arms and legs on the bed. “Argh, fine. Dry me.”

He beckons me with a crick of his finger. “Sit up, sweetness.”

Instead of complying, I offer him my arms and bat my lashes at him, silently begging him to help me up.

Narrowing his eyes at me, he clicks his tongue. “You’re getting a little too spoiled for your own good.” The grin cresting his lips makes it hard to believe his supposed annoyance.

I shrug, fully embracing my inner princess. “If I am, it’s your fault.”

After he pulls me up, he starts with my hair, then continues with my shoulders and down. Wearing nothing but a sexy smile, he doesn’t speak as he runs the towel over my whole body, making me feel cherished.

Once I’m dry, he backs toward the bathroom to hang up my towel and returns with his own.

Still feeling cold, I scoot up the bed and get under the covers.

I keep my eyes glued on the Naked Boyfriend Show, loving the view of him dragging the dark towel over his ivory skin.

Sadly, he puts on his boxers.

“Pajamas or a T-shirt?” he asks.

Wearing a five-star pout, I shake my head no and gesture my open palm at his lower body. “What is that all about? I like you better without the boxers. Lose ‘em.”

Ignoring me, he grabs a tank top and panties from my drawer, tossing them on the bed.

Facetiously, I hang my jaw low and feign outrage. “Excuse me? What’s with all the clothes? That’s counterproductive to what I had in mind.”

“If you don’t put something on, I’ll never be able to focus on all the shit I want to tell you.”

I cross my arms, fully embracing my childlike pout. “No talk. Only horny stuff.”

“Arson really gets you hot, huh?”

An unexpected laugh bubbles up from my belly.

Then he smiles again. My heart explodes, blasting unadulterated love throughout the room.

When I finally get a hold of myself, I decide to tease him. Anything to see him smile again. “I’m not sure if it’s the arson that has me revved up or sheer relief.”

He quirks his head in silent question. “Relief at what?” He gathers up his laptop, phone, and power cord and plugs them in to charge on his side of the bed.

“Well, I’m relieved it wasn’t burning a dead body that had you coming home smellin’ like you worked a double shift, tendin’ to the BBQ pit at the Smoky Pig.”

He stops halfway to the bathroom, fisting his hands on his hips and worrying at his lip. “You’re really not mad at me for burning it down?”

Rather than rushing out an answer, I chew it over. “I’m fine with it.” My nods start slow but grow more emphatic. “So long as you don’t get in trouble.”

“While you were having your late-night pig out, I took care of what little digital evidence there might have been.”

“You sure it’s going to be okay?”

“Fires are nearly impossible to prosecute. Harder than murder to get a conviction.”

My head kicks back. “Really?”