Page 87 of Love, Lacey Donovan
I sat up and pulled the sheet up to my neck. I opened my mouth to tell Beckett I wasn’t ready to talk about next time, but the words wouldn’t come out. My eyes raked over him, taking in his disheveled hair, the shadow of beard darkening his jaw, the soft fullness of his mouth. A red mark stood out against the pale skin of his shoulder. My heart leaped to my throat as I remembered sinking my teeth into his collarbone while he’d plunged inside me earlier this morning.
Beckett leaned over me, placing one hand on either side of my hips. “What’s going on in that head of yours?”
I blinked and looked away from his probing eyes. Even without his glasses, his gaze was intense, burning through me.
“Nothing.” I forced a smile. “I just need to get out of here before you distract me any more. I’ve got dogs to walk before I go to Hyperbole’s to meet Fake Miranda.”
Beckett frowned. He leaned forward and curled his hand around my neck, fingers sliding into the hair at my nape. “I’m not going to push you, yet,” he said. “It scared me at first too.” He kissed my jaw. “But I’ve had more time to get used to the idea of us. I knew from the moment I saw you that I wanted to make you mine.” His mouth claimed mine, and he kissed me with barely restrained passion. “I’ll give you whatever you want,” he said when we parted. “My heart. My soul.” He grinned, making those delicious dimples pop. “My words.”
My pulse raced as he stood, grabbed his glasses off the nightstand, and started toward the bathroom. I watched the sinuous muscles in his back ripple with each step. He turned around and caught me staring.
“By the way—” One eyebrow cocked over the black frames of his glasses. “I finished.”
“Huh?” I was concentrating so hard on keeping my eyes on his face instead of dipping down to devour the rest of him in his naked glory that I couldn’t think straight.
“I finished the book last night while you were sleeping.”
“Oh!” My skin flushed with excitement. “When can I read it?”
“It’s in my editor’s hands right now.” He leaned an arm against the doorframe, and my eyes wandered down the length of his body. “But if you come get in the shower with me, I might consider letting you read the first draft early.” He casually fisted the base of his cock. It was one of the sexiest things I’d ever seen. “You gonna leave me to take care of this by myself?”
The temptation of Beckett’s gorgeous body and the luxurious shower was too much. I couldn’t resist. I was already slick from wanting him, and watching him slowly stroke up and down made flames of desire heat my blood. I threw off the sheet and climbed out of the bed. What the hell? I needed a shower before work anyway.
Chapter 36
“Good morning!” Thatcher called as I passed his office.
I peeked in the open door to see him running a comb through his damp hair. He whistled a tune as he finished tucking his shirt into his jeans.
“Why are you so cheerful this morning?”
He raised an eyebrow at me. “Late night?”
My cheeks heated as I thought back on the previous two nights. I’d spent both of them with Beckett and hadn’t done much sleeping.
Thatcher read my mind. “How’s the boyfriend?”
My cheeks burned hotter. “He’s not my boyfriend.”
“Tell that to Summer.” Thatcher came out from behind his desk. “She says her uncle is a lot less grouchy now.”
My cheeks were going to catch fire. “Since when are you hanging out with eight-year-olds?” I asked.
“She likes to read in the nook. What am I supposed to do? Kick her out?”
“She’s cutting dance class to come here and read,” I said. “Pressly’s gonna freak when she finds out.”
“So don’t tell her,” Thatcher suggested. “Geez, Lacey, when did you turn into such a stick-in-the-mud?”
“I’m not…”
“Let the kid read, will you? The only good things in her life are Aslan and reading. And you. She’s obsessed with you.” He grabbed my arm and steered me down the hall. “She wants to be you when she grows up. Tattoos, nose ring, and everything.”
I pushed open the door to the café, pointing at Thatcher. “You have a tattoo.” Tweety Bird rode high on his right shoulder.
Thatcher glared at me. “You know that’s only because I lost a bet.”
“I need coffee,” I said.
