Page 48 of Cowboy of Convenience
She’d been able to get her headboard shipped from New York, but not much else, so her mattress was whatever was the cheapest at the discount store one town over. It was fine, but nowhere near as comfortable as Grady’s.
“As much as I like the thought,” Grady climbed onto the mattress, “I think Gram-Gram would find us and insist on sleeping in my recliner.” He crawled over her, nuzzling along her neck. “And I’m positive you can’t stay quiet enough for a place like this.”
Her eyes slipped shut as his lips traced along her skin. “Whose fault would that be?”
“I’m happy to take full responsibility.” Grady nipped at the spot just below her ear. “But maybe we should test it out. Just in case.” His hand teased along the skin of her belly, dipping under the hem of her T-shirt, the roughness of his skin dragging decadently across her sensitive flesh. “What do you think?”
“I think that would be smart.” Evelyn sucked in a breath as his fingers found the peak of her nipple and started to tease it through the thin fabric of her bralette. “Just so we’ll know.”
“If we know then we’ll know.” Grady plucked at the tip, shooting a sensation of pure pleasure right to her core. “And knowing’s half the battle.”
“Yup.” She wasn’t even listening to what he was saying anymore, just blindly agreeing. The man was skilled at distraction—
Distraction. Shit.
“Wait.” Evelyn shoved at his chest.
Grady went still. “What’s wrong?”
Why did she lose her mind the second he touched her? Never once had a man been able to make her lose focus for a second, much less lose her entire train of thought.
“I had a plan.” Evelyn managed to hook her leg around his, locking tight before shoving against him again. Their entwined bodies rolled across the mattress, coming to a stop with her on top, knees straddling his thighs.
Grady lifted a brow. “What’s your plan?”
That was a good question. She hadn’t really gotten past the ‘distract Grady with something sexy’ stage. But while the list of options was long and diverse, one particular act would always be at the top.
Evelyn dropped her eyes to the waistband of his jeans. “Take off your pants and I’ll show you.”
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
GRADY
GRADY STUDIED EVELYN’S face, trying to figure out where in the hell this came from. “I don’t think that’s a good idea, Ev.”
Touching her was one thing, but letting her touch him was different. As it was now, he had a shot at being able to walk away from all this when it was over, but the window on that was closing fast.
And would slam shut if she put her hands on him.
Evelyn was already working her way into his life in ways he didn’t expect. She was slowly permeating every inch of space he took up in the world, leaving an imprint that would never wash away. If she decided to walk away from him when this was all over, he’d never be the same. But he would survive.
Probably.
Evelyn’s eyes jumped to his. “What?” She straightened, hurt flooding into her gaze. “Why not?”
Grady hesitated. How in the hell was he supposed to tell her that once she touched him he’d never be able to let her go?
Apparently, the answer was: quickly. Because a split second later Evelyn was climbing off him, sliding over the edge of the bed and racing down the stairs.
She was running. Just like she did the night before.
“Ev.” Grady followed behind her, taking the steps as fast as he could before catching her as she rushed across the hide rug toward the front door. He snagged her by the arm. “Stop.”
Evelyn’s eyes wouldn’t meet his as he spun her to face him.
“You can’t keep running away like this, Sweetheart.” He kept his tone gentle. “I want you to talk to me.”
Evelyn sniffed, her eyes still everywhere but his. “There’s nothing to talk about. I just thought—"
