Page 61 of Score on You

“My gentle giant,” I sigh.

“Uh-huh, sure. Back to the no trespassing cactus,” she prods.

A laugh escapes me as I study the goofy picture. “What about it?”

“Is there a reason you’re making such a statement? Should I be concerned about safety in Knox Creek?”

“No, I think it’s a joke.”

She pauses. “You think?”

“I didn’t buy it.”

Her head shakes. “Who did?”

“I’m not sure. It just showed up one day.”

“And you didn’t think to question who put it there?”

“Not really. It’s cute and adds charm. Besides, the message is punny.”

“That’s one way of looking at it.”

My narrowed stare turns to her. “How do you see it?”

“This”—she gestures to the rug—“is the work of a certain neighbor turned boyfriend marking his territory.”

“Really?”

Harper gives me a slow once-over. “We better get you to the doctor sooner rather than later. Ridge is going to manhandle your entire landscape once he gets a whiff of your blooming garden.”

I grind into the softness beneath me. Pressure builds as the promise of relief nears. Just as I’m cresting the peak, something strange prods at the blurred edges of my brain. That nudge bleeds to awareness and I groan into the pillow.

My blissed-out state fizzles, taking pleasure along with it. I roll flat onto my back while simultaneously stretching. Several joints creak and pop in the process. Then it’s silent.

The remnants of the dream taunt me. A hollow pang replaces the warmth that consumed me moments ago. My arm flops into the empty space beside me, confirming Callie isn’t in my bed. The sheets are cold and untouched rather than tangled between a shapely pair of legs. I long for the day when she’ll be cuddled against me every night.

Rather than dwell on wishful thinking, I grab my phone and unlock the screen to open our thread.

Me:good morning, sweetness

Callie:Hey, boyfriend. Right on time. You’re more reliable than an alarm clock.

Me:damn straight

Callie:Your texts are the best way to start my day. I always wake up with a smile on my face. Thanks for that, along with everything else.

Me:no need to thank me. it’s an honor I take very seriously

Me:how’d you sleep?

Callie:Very soundly thanks to my new favorite nightgown.

Callie:*image attached*

The phone slips from my grip and smacks me in the forehead. I barely register the sting as I straighten to get a better look at the picture. It's her under the covers, with just the hint of my jersey visible. I bite my knuckles to muffle a grunt, as if I’ll disrupt the scene. The rush of heat in my blood demands that I palm my cock through my boxers. A rough squeeze makes me dizzy, and I need more.

I stare at the photo Callie sent. My arousal stirs from slumber and I’m instantly hard again. Not that I’m surprised. There’s an unfulfilled hunger gnashing inside of me whenever this woman is involved. It’s been less than ten hours since I kissed hergoodnight and held her in my arms where she belongs but it feels like a week of tortured separation has passed.

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