Page 34 of Bad Boy for Hire
“Sorry. Didn’t mean to startle you.” He offered a gray robe. “Thought you might want this.”
“Thank you.” She threaded her arms into the thin cotton robe. It was too big for her, but she gathered the excess fabric and knotted the tie at her waist. He’d put on a pair of jeans but nothing else. She admired his muscular chest, and memories of him over her, driving into her, filled her mind. It’d been so long since she’d been able to let go in the bedroom. Since she’d been so into what was happening between her and the other person…
It was no excuse for forgetting the condom, but it was also not that surprising.
He took her hand and led her into the bedroom. When they sat side by side on the edge of the bed, she was doubly grateful for the robe. Being dressed made her feel less vulnerable.
“That was amazing.” He still had a hold of her hand, and his thumb was brushing her fingers in a soothing motion. “I swear, I never forget…that. I’m always thinking about, you know… Consequences.”
“Right, me too. Always.” She licked her lips, nervous. “I-I’m not sure what happened, exactly. I mean…I know what happened. But I wasn’t thinking clearly. That’s not like me.”
His smoky gaze locked onto her. “I couldn’t think after I’d had a taste of you. My entire body saw nothing but green lights.”
“I saw lights, but they were all different colors.” She grinned, and he grinned back at her. They were going to be okay. She forced her shoulders to relax.
“You want to know what I think?” he asked, then actually waited for her to nod before he continued. “Freaking out about it now won’t change anything. And honestly, what are the chances that the one time we…” He shrugged. “This happens to lots of people who don’t end up pregnant. And even if you do?—”
“Yeah. Yes. I get it.” She shook her head, mostly to dislodge the P-word. She wasn’t prepared to consider that terrifying possibility.
“If you’re worried about STDs, I’m clean. I’m usually very responsible when it comes to this. I swear.”
“I believe you.” She closed her eyes, not wanting to picture him in bed with any woman other than her. The spike of jealousy made no sense. She’d been the one drawing the boundary lines. He’d been obeying her rule. “You don’t have to worry about me either.”
“I’m not. I’ve seen the losers you date.”
She burst out laughing, which further relaxed her shoulders. “Let’s not talk about them.”
“Agree. Let’s not.” He chuckled softly. “So, all good. And next time, we’ll have the presence of mind to be safer.”
“Next time?” she whispered.
“Next time. Until then, I’m not going to worry. And neither should you.” He offered an easygoing Xavier smile—the one she’d come to count on. It was like a lifeline. Part of her knew that everything was going to be okay.
So, she’d take the cue from him and not worry about anything. He was right—worrying wouldn’t change anything. When and if there was an issue with her cycle, she’d handle the consequences. “Thanks for showing me your skylight.”
“Anytime.”
She glanced up at the skylight window where the edge of the moon was visible.
“Listen,” he started. “If you want to?—”
“I should go home,” she said before he made an offer he couldn’t take back. “I have a lot to do tomorrow. The things I usually do on Saturday but didn’t have the chance to because I spent the entire day at a wedding with you. Not that I’m complaining! I didn’t mean it that way. But I have to do laundry. Pack my lunch. I should probably tidy up. I hate coming home from work to an unorganized house.”
While she blathered on, he watched her patiently.
“Sorry. I’m rambling.”
“You don’t have to let me off the hook.”
Damn. Was that what she’d been doing?
The weight of the day pressed down on her as the adrenaline ebbed from her veins into her limbs. She was suddenly very tired.
“You can stay,” he said, and she wondered if he’d noticed her fatigue. “Seriously. It’s cool. I can make you coffee and drive you home in the morning—with plenty of time for laundry and tidying up.”
She rolled her eyes at herself.
“Spare toothbrushes in the medicine cabinet. Not because I have a lot of overnight visitors,” he pointed out, “but because I accidentally ordered a five-pack online.”
