Page 43 of Sweet Passions at Bayside
His eyes flew open, and he realized he hadn’t been dreaming. One of the kittens scampered off the edge of the bed beside Emery, who was sitting with her back to him. The clock on the bedside table read 2:13 a.m. “Em? Sorry. I thought I was dreaming.”
She glanced over her shoulder, her hair covering one eye. She looked nervous, and sinfully sexy in a silky spaghetti-strap top and matching shorts. “I shouldn’t have—”
His arm circled her waist before she could finish what she was saying, and he pulled her beneath the sheet. A nervous smile crawled across her face.
“I wanted to be with you,” she whispered. “But not to fool around. I mean, not yet. I need to be sure that if we—when we—if we…” Her gaze slid away, and she inhaled deeply. When she looked his way, it was with pleading eyes that made him want to shelter her from the world. “I need to know that if we spend the night together, we’ll still wake up as friends and things won’t get weird. But it was unfair of me to expect you to hold me and not want to do more.”
“I wantyou, doll. I’ll take what I can get.” He locked her within the circle of his arms, bringing them nose to nose. “I want you here, and I can refrain from doing more.” He had no idea if he could or not, but he’d sure as heck try. Even if it meant taking a quick ice bath first. Emery Andrews finally,willingly, in his bed?Heaven.Resisting her?Torture.
“Thank you.” Her hand moved down his back to his butt, and her eyes widened. “You’re naked!” She gasped. “And you’re aroused!” She wiggled her lower half away from him, but he didn’t release his hold on her. “Why do you sleep naked? How did I not know this about you?”
He laughed. “Because it’s comfortable, and you never asked.”
“I can’t sleep with you if you’re naked! I won’t sleep!”
“I’ll remember that.” He sat up on the edge of the bed.
She threw herself flat on her back, staring up at the ceiling. “What are you doing now?” she practically yelled. “Now you’rereallynaked.”
He chuckled as he walked leisurely across the room to his dresser to retrieve a pair of boxer briefs. “I assure you, I was really naked when you woke me up.”
He glanced over and caught her staring. Her cheeks flamed and she shifted her eyes away. As he stepped into his briefs, he caught her looking again, and stopped with his briefs knee high. “Should I leave them off?”
She covered her face with her hand, but her radiant smile was like a beacon lighting up the room. “No!”
He began pulling them up.
“Yes,” she said softly.
He hesitated.
Her fingers parted, and she peeked over at him, then said, “No! Definitely don’t leave them off.Ohmygosh.” She rolled to her side, turning her back to Dean.
With his briefs on, he crawled beneath the sheets behind her, gathered her into the haven of his body, and kissed her shoulder. “Embarrassed or afraid?” He was very well endowed. It was a blessing and a curse.
“Shocked and excited.” She giggled and added softly, “And a little embarrassed. I’m not used to seeing younaked.”
He nipped at her shoulder, earning a sexy gasp. “If I have my way, you’ll not only get used to it, but you’ll crave it, thinking about me and the pleasure I’ll bring you day and night.”
“Dean!” she whispered. “You’re not helping!”
“And if you wiggle like that again, I can’t be held responsible for my actions.”
She turned in his arms and put her hand on his cheek, smiling right along with him. She did that a lot, caressed his face. He wasn’t a needy guy, but the intimate touch made him feel special, and he hoped she never stopped.
“Think we can do this for real?” she asked. “Sleep together and still be okay in the morning? Still be close friends, and more, without it being awkward or different?”
“I think we can stay up all night, make love like bunnies, and fall asleep in the morning closer than we’veeverbeen.”
The air rushed from her lungs. Man, he loved that response. But he was still trying to climb out from under the biggest realization of all. “I thought I blew it tonight, and it killed me to think you might bolt.”
“It’s my job to blow it, not yours,” she said with a raise of her brows.
She’d destroy him with her double entendres, and by the satisfied look in her eyes, he was sure she knew it. “Is your plan to torture me all night long?”
“No. That was just a bonus.” She touched her lips to his, then rested her head on the pillow. “Maybe this wasn’t a good idea. It’s torture for both of us.”
He pulled her closer again, their bodies touching from thigh to chest. “A good test, then.” He lowered his cheek to the pillow and gazed into her sleepy eyes. “I’m glad you’re here.”
