Page 22 of Call Out
His mouth tightens to a firm line. “So are cars. The bike is non-negotiable. Meaningless sex ended the second we met.”
“Does that mean we’re getting to know each other?”
He strokes my jaw and hums out his approval. “It’s a casual thing.”
“Casual?” I feel unsure about that choice of word.
Danny tugs me closer. “Will you stay over tonight?”
My belly swoops. “Like a casual sleepover? I don’t have a toothbrush.”
He rises to a stand. “I’ve got a ton of spare brush heads for my electric toothbrush. Will that work?” Danny saunters to the bathroom next to his bedroom. “I’ll set one on the counter. It’s yours now; you can use it every time you stay,” he shouts out. “I’ll put the pizza in the refrigerator, unless you want a bedtime snack?”
“As enticing as that sounds, I’m exhausted.” I giggle.I hear him pad barefoot down the hallway and return a few minutes later.“Are we having a casual affair, is that it?” I ask when he strolls back in. Damn, he’s magnificent. All my swollen, sensitive parts tingle and ache like a greedy sex monster. It's him, he does this to me. “Like dating without the commitment?”
He crawls over the bed with a wolfish grin spread across his face. “Oh, I’m all in.” Danny sinks down beside me. “My alarm clock goes off in five hours, and I need sleep.” A muscular arm cinches my waist, and he jerks my spine to his chest. “Are you comfortable?”
“A bit too comfortable,” I confess.
He nuzzles into my hair and splays his fingers out on my belly. “Me too.”
“What part of Texas are you from?” I ask.
“It’s my turn to ask questions,” he shoots out almost instantly. “Why did you live with your grandmother?”
“Well—she’s actually my legal guardian. I was thrown into the foster care system when I was three. Some homes were okay and a few not so much.”
“Was Nonna your foster mom?” he asks, pressing his lips to my shoulder blade.
“The last foster family I had lived next door to Nonna. I would help her hang out washing and carry her groceries home from the store. We bonded over cups of sugary sweet tea. Then one day, out of the blue, my foster family told me they were moving to another state, without me. I was more upset about leaving Nonna than changing families again. That’s when she asked me if I wanted to live with her. She adopted me when I was twelve, and everyone just assumed I was her granddaughter.”
“Sounds like she came into your life at the right time.” He snuggles closer.
“Yeah, Nonna was strict and old-fashioned, but a blessing. We were really close. I miss her.” My eyes drift closed. His breathing settles to shallow puffs, and just before I fall asleep, I tell him the rules Nonna taught me. “I’m not allowed to fall for bikers or gang members,” I titter with a sleepy sigh. “It’s a long list.”
He sighs out a slow, sleepy breath, and I kiss his hand goodnight.
I fell asleep with Viv in my arms and woke up to her plastered on my chest like a body warmer. A swamp of hair maps my arms, tickles my chin and weaves around my fingers. We’re connected in so many different ways, but this is off the charts. I’d rather not move. Scratch that, I’ll happily move inside her when the time is right.
Sliding out from under naked warmth, I make sure her head rests sideways on the pillow and smooth fawn hair down her back instead of covering her pretty face.
She’s sound asleep, murmuring softly when I draw the cover to her waist. It amazes me how relaxed she is in my bed and how content I am with her in it. This is a rare moment, a completely unknown anomaly of Vivian Swann-ness. I’m sorely tempted to wake her with a kiss, but I must stick to my schedule.
I run before every early shift—no slacking. It freshens me up, mentally and physically, ensuring I’m ready and alert for whatever emergency we face.
Long eyelashes fan her cheeks, fluttering when she shifts onto her side. Bare breasts greet me, her lips part, and she mutters, “How long have you been staring at me?”
“Not long enough.”
She blinks open her eyes and giggles. “Are you leaving? Is the dream ending?”
I drop my lips to her nipple. “It’s not over yet.” I hum and nibble. Fingers plow into my hair, and she squirms.
“Can I tempt you to stay and eat cold pizza for breakfast?” Her back arches as her torso lifts to greet me.
“Everything about you tempts me.” I palm her fleshy breast, so she moans for me. “But I’ve got a schedule to keep to.” Drawing back, I exhale the desire to climb all over her. If I waver from my routine, things fuck up.
“Did I do okay last night?” She gnaws on her lip.
