Page 76 of Heart Taker

Truthfully, I’d trade sleep for sex any day, but Damien insisted I get a move on because we had training tomorrow and I needed to be well-rested. The man was a total hard-ass, but I had no complaints. The fact that he was more concerned with my training than his sex drive was yet another reminder of why I found him irresistible.

While he came off as brusque and demanding, which he was, he also cared. A lot.

We spent nearly ten minutes on one goodbye kiss, stopping only so I could grab my backpack. I leaned in again for one more taste, but Damien put a hand to my chest.

“You kiss me like that again and you’ll never leave,” he teased.

“And your point is?”

Damien stepped back and shook his head.

“Go home. Get some sleep and be on time tomorrow,” he warned me. “Or else.”

“Or else what?” I bit my lower lip and chuckled when I saw the heat in his eyes. It only made leaving that much harder. “Ooh, what kind of punishment do I get? Does it involve edging?”

“Go on, get,” he ordered and stepped back, leaning against the doorframe, crossing his arms, clad in nothing but those sexy shorts.

His raven hair was mussed, his eyes were bright, and the smile on his face had me struggling to move.

“What are you doing Saturday?” I asked.

“Hopefully spending it with you,” he returned.

“How about I come here and cook dinner for you? Nothing fancy, burgers on the grill. Jo’s staying at his friend River’s for the weekend. I don’t have to pick him up until noon on Sunday.”

Damien reached for me, slipping one finger in the beltloop of my jeans and tugging me closer. “Stay overnight?”

I smiled and nodded. “It’s a date.”

“Text me when you get home.”

Then Damien swatted my ass and let me go. I finally stepped out of his house and got in my truck. As I drove away, I stared at him in my rearview mirror. He was standing in the doorway, his arms crossed, that intense look on his face. I was tempted to hit the brakes. No, more than that; I was tempted to turn the truck around but my rational brain said no.

The drive back home took no time at all, and I thought about how funny it was that Damien lived so close all this time and I never knew. The porch light was on and when I entered the house, I checked on Jo, who was already in his room, fast asleep.

I wandered into the kitchen, ate a protein bar, downed a huge glass of water, and then got my breakfast prepped for tomorrow. Once I checked the alarm on my phone—twice—I padded downthe hallway to my bedroom, plugged in my phone, and slipped into the bathroom to wash up.

When I finally hit the sheets, I was tired but not sleepy. It was like the night before a big game when nerves and excitement battled it out. Only, I wasn’t obsessed with hockey, but with Damien.

I grabbed my phone and sent a quick text.

Silas: Home safe. I had a great time tonight.

Damien: Me too. Now go to bed.

Silas: Yes, Coach.

Damien: Don’t start…

Silas: Next time we’re naked, I want you to wear that whistle around your neck LOL.

Damien: Kinky.

Silas: Fucking right.

Damien: Stop flirting. We’ve got a full day ahead. I expect to see your best.

Silas: You’ll get that and more. And take your own advice and stop teasing me.

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