Page 27 of Holidate Fail
Her back straightened, and she blinked a couple of times, even though she avoided looking at him. Should he put on a shirt? “No, that’s silly. We’re adults.”
He hid his smile at her show of confidence. Did she have to compel it, or was it becoming more natural? He’d love to help her learn to shine.
“Wow, how cliché was that? Like in a rom com. I left my satchel in the room. It has my other shirt, but I’m not going back in there.” She gave a laugh that sounded like it had been squeezed through a vice. “You don’t happen to have a pair of pajamas that we could share in that go-bag from your trunk, do you? And then we’ll have to get fishing line and hang a blanket to divide the bed.”
“No night clothes.” He normally slept in his boxers anyway. These moments of confidence and boldness were intriguing, but he’d been equally charmed by how she’d been shyly content to follow the crowd, until she had something to say. Add to that her sensuous curves, her brilliant mind, and how good she felt against him, and he was in big, big trouble. “I promise to stay on my side.”
“And I promise the same.” She yawned. “I’m just really tired. Is it okay if I lie down?”
“Yeah, of course.”
She nodded and stepped to the far side of the bed, but didn’t get in.
Kelly waited, but she didn’t move. “Dahlia?”
“It’s just that I really want to take off my jeans.” Her voice was thick with fatigue and frustration. “But then you’ll see me in my underwear. It’s rainbowed and cotton, not sexy or lacy or a thong, which I thought about wearing today but have to practice wearing around my house first because they feel weird. Just a good serviceable pair of briefs.”
Without thought, he pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her shoulders and letting her mold against him.
She clung to him like a dryer sheet. “And you’ll see my big thighs and maybe I didn’t shave above my knees yesterday,” she mumbled, vibrating against his body.
“That’s okay. I didn’t shave above my knees yesterday, either. “ How could he tell her that she was perfect just like she was? That she felt so good in his arms? That stubble wasn’t a dealbreaker? He moved his hand up and down her back until she settled. “Better?”
She nodded, stepping away from his embrace, though he kept his hands on her upper arms. “I think so.”
He kissed her forehead, breathing in her sweet, warm scent, then released her before he did something stupid like try to kiss her while she was vulnerable. “Tell you what. Go use the bathroom. I’ll turn out the lights. Then when you come out, I’ll go in, and you can take off your jeans and get under the covers and your thigh stubble will be nobody’s business but your own.”
She locked eyes with him and didn’t move.
His gaze made its way to her full lips. He wanted to brush them with his own, just a whisper of a kiss, before plundering her mouth and claiming her.
“Dahlia?”
She nodded and wiped her eyes, then shuffled off into the bathroom.
Thankful for the shower he took earlier, Kelly breathed into his hand and wasn’t repulsed by the scent that came back. Not that he was planning to breathe on her.
Dahlia came out of the bathroom, her face pink from scrubbing. “Thanks for this.”
“It’s all good. Ready for me to turn off the lights?”
She nodded, so he flipped the switch and went into the bathroom, pulling on his t-shirt while inside. Staying true to their plan, Dahlia had tucked herself under the covers by the time he came out.
He looked at the silhouette of her body and crawled into bed. “Heh. Our first time sleeping together.”
“I wouldn’t want to be the one to tell this to Wayne.” She snorted out a laugh. “You don’t have to put on a shirt for me. I mean, I’ve seen you shirtless before.”
In truth, it would be a lot more comfortable for him to have his shirt off. “You sure?”
“Afraid I’ll take advantage?” she asked.
“Maybe I’m afraid you won’t.”
He heard her sharp intake of breath before she released it on a laugh. “Good night, Kelly.”
***
Warmth encompassed the length of Kelly’s body, but not from any blanket. Small fluttering against his chest, soft as a feathered wing, stroked a deeper heat inside him. The feathers skimmed his skin, sending sparks of arousal through his blood. They raked as they explored, and he grasped and caressed the sweetness by his side, murmuring his appreciation.
