There was nothing stopping her except her lack of courage, so she drew another long breath and slipped off her shorts and panties, then pulled her shirt over her head. There. She was naked, and before she could change her mind, she climbed onto the bed and slid up behind him, finding him as nude as she was. Drawing a deep breath, she wrapped her arms around his waist.

He shifted but didn’t wake up. So she cuddled closer, finding comfort in his warmth. She really didn’t want to disturb his sleep, something she desperately needed herself. He’d wake up, find her here, and realize what else she wanted come morning. She’d deal with her mortification at what she’d done then.

She lay her cheek against his broad back, inhaled his masculine scent, and began to breathe slowly, matching his tempo and finally relaxing enough to fall asleep.

Chapter Six

Jason woke up surrounded by heat. Not normal heat, where his comforter was too hot or the temperature was too high, but warm heat covering him. Suspecting but not wanting to assume, he opened his eyes.

He lay on his back, his arm around Faith, her head in the crook of his arm, her knee across his body … and her pussy pressing against his thigh.

She was naked.

And since he normally woke up with a hard-on, it was no surprise that this morning’s was extra … hard. To say he was shocked she was here was an understatement. To find her naked was a sweet surprise he didn’t want to question.

And yet he had to.

He kissed her lips once, twice, and waited for her to wake up.

Finally, sleepy green eyes opened and met his gaze. “Hi,” she said, her cheeks turning an adorable pink.

“Hi?” He deliberately phrased it as a question.

“I guess you’re wondering what I’m doing here?”

He chuckled. “That would be one of my questions.”

“I had a nightmare and I didn’t want to be alone.” She drew a deep breath. “And since you told me you wanted me once and since you kissed me last night, I decided to tell you what I wanted.”

“By getting naked.” He didn’t want to focus on the fact that she had nightmares. The idea of her hurting and afraid gutted him.

“By getting naked.” A sudden playful, wicked gleam flickered in her eyes. “Can you think of a better way to express myself?”

He now had confirmation of both her desire and her consent. He wouldn’t be taking advantage of a woman in a vulnerable situation, one who was relying on him, who was unsure of what she wanted. That’s why he’d sent her to bed last night. So he didn’t act on the raging desire to pick up where they’d left off with that kiss after she’d been afraid. She’d now had an entire night to reconsider. She was all in.

Which meant the mental restraints that had been holding him back were gone. He slid his arm out from beneath her, raised himself up, and covered her body with his own. His cock was cushioned between her thighs, his entire body on high alert.

Hands braced on either side of her head, he pushed himself up and looked into her eyes. They’d grown hazy with need. One that was matched by the pulsing desire thrumming through his veins.

“I take it you’re not mad?” A hint of vulnerability sounded in her voice.

He couldn’t tear his gaze from her full lips. Lips he wanted to devour again. Answering her question was easy. “A naked woman I want crawls into my bed. No, I’m not mad.” He let out a low laugh that came out sounding more like a growl of need. “Besides, does it feel like I’m mad?” He swiveled his hips and ground his cock into her sex.

She whimpered with need, and he dipped his head and pressed his lips against hers. Tasting her filled something inside him, an emptiness he hadn’t been aware existed. Just like finding her on the side of the road felt important, so, too, did this moment.

She opened her mouth and let him in. Warmth and need surrounded him, along with a dizzying sensation that this was right. He kissed her long and hard before lifting his head and pushing his body down lower, needing to taste her everywhere.

“Do you taste sweet, candy girl?” he asked, swiping a tongue over her nipple.

She shuddered and he went to work, teasing the bud that tightened with every lick, suck, and graze of his teeth. She threaded her fingers into his hair and pushed his head down, silently asking for more. He bit down lightly on that pebbled nipple, then licked his way across her chest and over her other breast until he found the other one, giving it the same at times tender, at other times torturous treatment.

She moaned, pulling at his hair. “Jase, that feels so good.”