Chapter 12 #2
With a sigh, Wayne walked around me, back to the front door, and turned the deadbolt before slipping the chain on. “Don’t forget this part,” he said. “It’s kind of important.”
I gulped and my nervousness grew.
“Hey,” he said, touching my arm lightly as he walked back around me. “I’m only here to keep you safe. Nothing will happen that you don’t want to happen, okay?”
How could he have known that was my fear? Not that he’d rape me or something. But the man was beyond hot, and so sweet. He made me smile and feel all gooey inside. I wanted to kiss his face off, yet smack the smirk off of it at the same time.
To say I was conflicted would’ve been an understatement.
I gulped and walked farther into the living room.
“I’ll take the couch,” Wayne said. “Or I can go get my air mattress tomorrow.”
Oh, my gosh. I hadn’t given the first thought to where he’d sleep. I had a guest room, but it was set up as a studio. No bed in sight.
My bed, however, was a king. There was no reason in the world why we couldn’t share my bed. I could even build a fort of pillows between us if it got weird. “No,” I choked out. “My bed is plenty big. We’ll both sleep in it.”
He raised his eyebrows. “Are you sure?”
“I’m not saying we’re having sex. Or even sleeping together,” I said with air quotes. “But we can cohabitate my king-sized bed for a few days until we figure out what the hell Andre is going to do.”
“More like what we’re going to do about Andre,” Wayne said darkly. He cleared his throat. “But yeah, I’d rather sleep in a big comfy bed.” He turned his gaze down to me and breathed deep, like he was inhaling my very scent.
Hot damn.
“If you’re sure you don’t object,” he said. His dark voice turned husky.
Shit, shit. Shit. “Nope,” I squeaked and hightailed it around him. “I’m thirsty, want some water?”
His chuckle chased me into the kitchen, dancing over my skin. “No, thanks,” he said as he stuck his head in the kitchen. “Would you care if I wash the campfire off, though?”
I nodded rapidly. “Of course. You can use my shower or there’s another bathroom off the guest room you can use.” I wanted a shower myself, but if he used my bathroom, I could wait. “And there’s plenty of room in the closet in the guest room if you want to use that one.”
He smiled and slung his duffle up on his shoulder before bounding up the stairs.
Holy shit. Just knowing he was going to sleep in the bed beside me had me giddy like I’d never damn been kissed before.
After giving him plenty of time to take a shower, I tiptoed up the stairs and poked my head in my bedroom.
He was in my shower.
Oh, geez. I’d totally forgotten that there were no toiletries in the other bathroom, just a ton of makeup and skincare products. But I didn’t have regular soap or body wash or even shampoo in that shower.
Or a shower curtain.
Whoops.
The first chance I got, I’d go get some pretty things for that bathroom, as well as a damn twin bed to go in the corner of the room.
Even as I thought about it, I glanced at my big bed. It looked awfully small. And I knew that if I’d had a different bed he could’ve slept in, I would’ve been disappointed.
I was actually looking forward to him sleeping beside me, even if I did put pillows between us.
My mouth went dry at the thought of his long frame crowding half the bed. I turned to grab my water, but realized I’d left it downstairs. Damn it.
As I whirled around to go get it, I realized the shower had cut off. I moved forward quickly to get out of the room. I didn’t want Wayne to think I was in there spying on him.
But he walked out of the bathroom at exactly that moment. I squeaked, unable to scream in fright. My throat was too closed up with nerves.
Holy shit, he just had a towel around his waist. And water dripped from his hair, rolling down his expansive, smooth, tanned chest.
Oh, no. Nope. I really, desperately wanted to lick that drop of water off his pec.
“Are you drooling?” he asked with a laugh. And then, that dirty, scheming motherfucker twitched his pecs, making them dance at me.
If I wasn’t drooling before, I sure as hell was now. “Shut the fuck up. I’m not.”
I turned to leave, but Wayne reached out one hand, so I looked him in the eye. His gaze burned into me.
“You can’t look at me like you want to devour me when we sleep in the same bed.
Not after making it perfectly clear nothing would be happening between us.
” His gaze moved to my lips as his thumb traced along my jaw and my breath left my body in one betraying whoosh. “Don’t objectify me,” he whispered.
Then he smirked, and laughter bubbled up my throat. “You are ridiculous,” I shouted as I shoved him away from me.
Touching his shoulder, so close to the firm pec, wasn’t the best idea. I let go quickly.
“And you, Miss Bee,” he said mockingly. “Are a pervert.”
That made me laugh harder. “Whatever.”
He pressed a kiss to my forehead and walked out into the hall. “If I use your bathroom and the guest room closet, get used to seeing me like this,” he called over his shoulder.
Fucking hell. Not only would I buy stuff for the other bathroom, but I’d also buy him a damn robe.
Tucking tail, I ran into the bathroom and locked the door behind me. I needed a shower myself.
I took my time, exfoliated, shaved, and used my luxurious oil. When I got out, I lotioned and did all my skincare routine. I’d normally do it with the door open, but I had no idea where Wayne was, and the idea of him watching me put niacinamide and vitamin C on my face felt deeply personal.
When I finally opened the door, wrapped tight in my fluffy robe with bunnies all over it, he was lying on my bed and looked asleep with one arm slung over his eyes.
Moving quietly, I walked into my closet and pulled the door almost closed behind me.
I didn’t shut it completely so it wouldn’t click and make a noise.
Hanging my robe, I changed into my least sexy pajamas, a plaid number with long sleeves and baggy pants.
It was early to go to sleep, but Wayne lying in my bed drew me.
There wasn’t anything wrong with an early night, and I had a romance novel downloaded on my phone I could read.
I tiptoed out of the room and double-checked the locks on my downstairs windows and the front door.
The sliding glass door in the kitchen that led to my patio was also locked tight with the bar along the bottom.
Wayne had done that, because I distinctly remembered it being propped up from when I had stepped out this morning to throw my coffee in the grass after it had gone cold.
I’d locked the door behind me but hadn’t replaced the bar.
No more of that. Not with Andre being such a dick.
I headed back upstairs and tiptoed into the bedroom. It had just gotten dark out, but he was asleep with the lamp on his side of the bed on. I moved as quietly as I could, but the moment I put my hand on the switch, Wayne launched up and snatched me into his arms.
I squealed and laughed, kicking and slapping at him, but I didn’t have any real fight to it. He laughed as hard as I did as I slapped his chest. “You jerk,” I cried. “You scared me!”
The sound of his laughter settled deep inside me and calmed me. When he maneuvered us so he could pull the comforter over both of us, I didn’t argue or even think about rolling away. Instead, I settled my face on his chest.
It felt so right. Too right. “What are we doing?” I whispered.
“I messed up the first time around with you. I wasn’t in a place to be what you needed. But I’m not in that place anymore,” he said. “I want to be everything you need. And everything you want. I’m doing what I need to do to claim the woman I want to be with.”
I sucked in a deep breath and tried to ignore the warm feeling his words ignited inside me.
“I’ll move at your pace,” he continued. “Whatever that pace may be. But you know my intentions now. I want you to be mine.”
After that, no jury would convict me guilty for kissing him. I couldn’t stop myself. As I scooted up and pressed my lips to his, my entire body lit on fire.
I opened my mouth, ready to deepen the embrace, but Wayne pulled back. He pressed a kiss to my forehead. “Go to sleep,” he whispered.
After I arched an eyebrow at him, he chuckled and shook his head. Moving even closer to me, he pressed one more scorching kiss to my lips, then laughed again. “Good night,” he said.
“Good night.” I settled down on his chest again and sighed. Was this real life?