Sixteen
Dash must’ve felt something similar, since he didn’t seem to want their time together to end. Groans from Molly and John when the run extended too long eventually turned to serious whining. After a shared glance, Dash and Norah turned toward home.
“Next time, we should run the north trail. It has those neat little hills that feel like a baby roller coaster,” Molly said as they all stretched in their backyard, hiding from Mr. P’s view.
John grunted from where he was flopped out on the grass, not stretching anything from what Norah could see. “I thought we agreed we’re never running with these two again.”
“I don’t know.” Molly switched legs to work on her other quad. “It’s not so bad now that we’ve stopped.”
“That’s the problem,” he grumbled, eyes closed. “They never stop. They just keep running and running and running—”
“C’mon,” Molly interrupted, rolling her eyes. “Let’s go to your place to shower. Our water heater will beg for mercy if we try to take four showers here.” She offered John a hand up, and Norah immediately saw the flaw in that plan. Sure enough, John accepted her hand with an innocent look before immediately pulling Molly down on top of him.
“Stop!” Molly was laughing as she tried to avoid being pinned. “No sparring! No fair! You know I’m not at my best on the ground!”
Watching the two with a small smile, Dash moved closer to Norah. “You weren’t kidding about them always being like this.”
“Not at all.” Norah shrugged and headed for the house. “They’re either fighting or…uh…making up.” For the millionth time, she cursed her fair skin that showed every hint of a blush.
Dash chuckled, and the rare sound made her embarrassment worth it. “Thanks for letting me clean up here. Davies’s shower is tiny.”
“Least we can do when I was probably the reason your place is currently uninhabitable.”
His frown returned. “No, the only ones to blame are the…ones who did it. You’re an innocent victim.”
He left her side to jog to his car, and she felt his words poke at a mental bruise she didn’t even know was there. As he popped his trunk and grabbed a gym bag, her thoughts firmed into a resolution. She didn’t want to be the innocent victim—or even an innocent bystander—anymore. These past few weeks with Dash had shown her that as terrifying as being in the middle of the action could be, it was also exhilarating. She didn’t want to go back to her quiet, peaceful, boring, Dash-less existence. She wanted…more.
He jogged back over to her, slowing as he took in her expression. “You okay?”
“Yes. Better than okay. I’m wonderful .” Driven by her new resolve, she grabbed his hand and towed him toward the house. He followed for about two steps before moving next to her, but he didn’t let go of her until they reached the front door.
When he held out his hand, she unzipped her shorts pocket and pulled out the house key. Not quite sure why he wanted to be the one to unlock the door, she mentally shrugged and went along with it. It was likely one of Dash’s weird rules of etiquette. Once they were inside, she relocked the door and silenced the warning beep of the alarm, resetting it to occupied . Turning from the control panel, she saw Dash was prowling toward the kitchen as Warrant wandered out to greet him. Giving the dog an absent pat, Dash glanced at her and gestured silently for her to stay where she was. At least she was pretty sure that was what his hand motion meant.
Leaning against the wall, she waited as Dash checked the kitchen and even the garage before soundlessly climbing the stairs. It wasn’t really a chore, since she could watch him move in that jungle-cat way for hours. Warrant meandered over to sit next to her, and she scratched behind his ears without taking her eyes off Dash. Once he disappeared upstairs, she got a little jittery, imagining him being ambushed by fortune-hunting burglars hiding in her sisters’ closets. Tense, she stared at the ceiling, straining to hear any creak or hint of sound to indicate where he was and if he was in trouble.
“It’s clear.” As welcome as they were, his words made her jump.
Relieved, she grabbed the bag he’d dropped by the door and crossed the living room to meet him on the stairs. She expected Warrant to follow, but he headed for his doggie door instead. Handing over Dash’s things, she gestured toward the second floor. “Bathroom’s up there.”
“I saw.” There was a teasing glint in his eye as he moved over to let her pass and go in front of him. “You can shower first.”
“Um…” Resolutions were all fine and good when she was making them in her head, but their execution was a lot more terrifying. Still, she was determined. “You can too.”
He shook his head, and the thought of him turning down her offer made her chest feel like it was caving in. “It’s your house, your shower. You go first.”
Her first thought was that he would’ve insisted she go first even if they were at his house, but then overwhelming relief swamped her as she realized he wasn’t rejecting her offer. He’d just misunderstood. Despite knowing that, asking the second time wasn’t any easier than the first, especially since she wanted to be very clear about what she was offering.
“Do you want to shower with me?” The words came out in a rush before hanging in the air, so brash and revealing she couldn’t just leave them there alone. “Together. Shower together. If you want. Or we don’t have to. If you don’t want. Up to you. Because I want. But not if you don’t want.”
His eyes widened in surprise, and she was just about to rescind the whole offer—forget those resolutions to be brave and seize the day and all that—when he gave her the hottest, most searing look she’d ever seen. His voice wasn’t much more than a growl as he answered, “Yes.”
“Yes?” Her head was spinning a little, everything moving faster than she’d expected, just like during their first training sessions when she was practicing blocking. For some reason, that memory jarred her out of her shock. Even back then, when she barely knew him, she trusted him enough to not even move when his fist was flying toward her face. Every single time, he stopped it millimeters away, just as she knew he would. It was the same feeling now, that he would never hurt her, would always protect her, and that she could end everything she’d just started with a single word. Somehow, knowing that made her even more eager not to stop. This was what she wanted, and this time, her answer came out sure. “ Yes .”
As soon as the word left her lips, the world swooped around her as he picked her up, lifting her right off her feet with an arm around her hips. She gave an embarrassingly high-pitched squeak of surprise. Still holding her with that one impossibly strong arm, he rushed up the stairs and down the hall.
His eagerness loosened some of the tightly wound strands of anxiety inside her, and she started to laugh. He was normally so stoic that seeing him hustle into the bathroom like he couldn’t wait for their shower made her feel wanted and sexy and like she was the coolheaded one for once…not that her head was especially cool. It was the first time he’d let down his guard enough with her to act this eager, and she really, really liked it.
He set her down in the bathroom, and her worries about awkwardness returned for just a fraction of a second before Dash grabbed the back of his T-shirt and yanked it over his head. Once that happened, her brain turned off all thoughts except the ones admiring his defined chest and abs and arms and… She could go on for hours, since everything about him was absolutely perfect.
Although he stood still, letting her look her fill, there was the slightest insecurity in his expression that she noticed, mainly because it was so unusual for the ever-confident Dash.
“You okay?” she asked.
“Yeah.” His hand rubbed over his collarbone and up his neck to his jaw, all the places where shiny pink patches of scar tissue interrupted the smooth tan stretch of skin. “Sorry. I know it’s ugly.”
“What’s ugly?” She almost laughed at the idea that anything on Dash could be described as ugly. “The scars? I like them.”
“You…like them.” Although he looked a little bemused, he dropped his hand to his side.
“I’ve always liked them. They’re part of you, and I like looking at you. You’re very interesting. I’ve told you that before.” When he just continued to stare at her, she wondered if she’d sounded a bit sociopathic, so she tried to clarify what she meant. “I don’t like that you were hurt when you got them, but now that they’re a part of you… I just really like all this.” She waved her hands, indicating his entire muscled, scarred, gorgeous, protective, manners-obsessed form.
A hint of a smile touched his mouth, and she really liked that too.
“How’d you get them?”
“Pulled my buddy out of a burning car.”
“Did he live?”
His smile grew, softening his expression. “Yeah.”
“Well, now your scars are even more interesting.” She sucked in a breath and, before she could lose her nerve, pulled her shirt over her head, leaving her upper half in just a sports bra. Even though he already knew what her body was like from training together, this was different, more intimate. She felt exposed and vulnerable, but she also felt safe, cocooned in this small, familiar room with Dash.
The way he was staring at her made her catch her breath. “You’re beautiful,” he said, his voice a low growl in his throat.
Although they weren’t touching, she could almost feel the vibrations of that sound, and the sensation made her shiver. His eyes dropped to her goose-bumped arms, and he moved to turn on the shower.
She wondered if he thought she was cold. The idea almost made her laugh. She was the very opposite of chilled, with heat running through her like her blood was on fire. Taking the opportunity to undress while his back was turned, she stripped off the rest of her clothes. From the way his eyes flared when he turned back around, he hadn’t expected her to be naked. Her arms twitched, wanting to cross over her chest, but the stark need and appreciation in his eyes kept her from covering herself. The way he looked at her was clear proof that his earlier words hadn’t been an empty compliment. He truly believed she was beautiful.
The knowledge gave her the confidence to brush by him and climb into the shower. The hot water felt amazing on her overheated skin, and she closed her eyes as she tipped her head back to rinse the sweat from her hair. She could hear the slight rustle of fabric, and she felt her belly warm at the thought of Dash undressing completely.
The curtain rings clattered lightly against the rod as he pulled it closed, making her open her eyes again. She drank all of him in, the entirety of his beautiful, huge, fully bare form. When her gaze returned to his face, she saw he was smirking.
“Well?” he asked as if she were examining a painting and he expected her to give him a full critique.
“You’re even more interesting naked.” She smiled at him, a little surprised that any flush to her cheeks now was due to arousal and hot water. She must’ve borrowed some of his infinite confidence.
“I’m happy to please.” He stepped closer so their fronts were almost touching, close enough she could definitely feel that growl in his voice.
She lifted her hand and let it hover over his chest. When he went still, she glanced up to see his eyes were hot, his face a mask of need, but he didn’t move, allowing her to make the decision of where and when to touch. Without looking away, she brushed her fingers over his pec, feeling a strange sort of power rush through her at his responding groan. She’d done that. She’d caused that reaction with just the smallest touch.
Wanting to explore more of him, she grabbed the bottle of body wash and squeezed some onto her palm. Rubbing her hands together, she started to spread the sweet-smelling foam across his skin.
“Sorry.” Was that her voice, so throaty and breathless? “You’re going to smell like a sugar cookie after this.”
“I like sugar cookies. After this, I’ll really like sugar cookies.”
She felt his words under her fingers and smiled. Even though he was as still as a statue except for the quickening rise and fall of his chest with each breath, she could feel the static tension just under his skin. He felt so alive . It was a strange thing to be surprised about, she knew, but quick hugs and arm pats and even his arm over her shoulders hadn’t prepared her for the way his muscles tensed and released as she swept suds over them.
She washed him almost everywhere, losing her nerve and letting her hands skip away when she drew close to his groin. The difference in texture between his scars and the surrounding unharmed skin fascinated her, but she glanced at his face, her fingers hesitating as she asked, “Do they hurt?”
He gave a short shake of his head along with a strained quirk of his lips that looked more like a grimace than a smile. “That’s not what’s hurting right now.”
It took her a second, but she finally got his meaning and ducked her head—not to hide a blush but to conceal her pleased smile. She, Norah Pax, had aroused him to the point of pain. Standing on her tiptoes, she slid her hands up the back of his neck to urge him to bend down. When he obliged, she kissed him.
It was like she’d shot a starter pistol. Dash went from immobility to motion in a flash, lifting her off her feet and pressing her against the shower wall. She barely noticed the chill of the tiles against her back, too focused on returning his kisses, their mouths meshing almost frantically, clutching at each other as if they were trying to climb inside the other’s body.
Norah moaned, both from the intense sensations and from the feeling that she couldn’t get close enough to him. She’d never really wanted to be physically close to anyone, but now the thought of losing the press of Dash’s skin against hers was unbearable. Running her hands across his shoulders, she gripped him tightly, digging her fingers into the muscles working under her palms, and she knew she’d never grow tired of the way he felt—or the way he made her feel.
When he pulled back and set her on her feet, she gasped, his absence shocking her like she’d been dropped into icy water. She reached for him to pull him close again, but he held her off, smiling wickedly. “My turn.”
He picked up the body wash as she watched, curious now that the initial wrench of him pulling away had faded a little. Starting on her arms, he soaped her body thoroughly, his hands careful and curious as they ran over every inch of her skin. The way he looked at her, the way he touched her, made her feel like she was the most beautiful and precious thing in the world to him.
Her skin grew hot under his touch as he discovered sensitive spots she’d never known about. She leaned into the contact as he washed her and learned her body at the same time. Her skin was almost humming, so alive under his touch, and by the time he slipped his soapy hand between her thighs, she was so ready it only took the slightest brush to her clit before she was coming. The orgasm was quick but strong enough to soften her knees, the shock of pleasure startling a cry from her. He caught her against him, supporting her as she recovered.
Once she was able to hold herself up again, he reluctantly finished washing her skin and started shampooing her hair. As his fingertips massaged her scalp, her eyes drifted closed, and she marveled at the way her feelings for him could flip back and forth between wild need and comfort. Both were alluring in their own way, the almost platonic head massage just as addicting as his frantic kisses and the surprise orgasm…well, maybe not quite as addicting as that .
“What caused this smile?” he asked huskily, kissing her gently as if he couldn’t resist.
As cheesy as she knew it’d sound, she had to tell him the truth. “You did.”
From the way he kissed her again, deeply and thoroughly, he didn’t think it was cheesy at all.
By the time the last of the conditioner was rinsed from her hair, the water was lukewarm. Norah knew from painful experience the final drop to frigid would happen very soon. She shut off the water, squeezing excess water from her hair as Dash watched with hooded eyes. With the shower off, some of the hazy, dream-world feeling faded, and she felt a little shy under his frank and openly appreciative appraisal.
Dropping her gaze, she gave a small shrug. “Our water heater’s ancient. We have a new one on our wish list, but it still kind of functions, so it’s not a priority.”
“How does that work with five women living here?” he asked, pulling the curtain aside and snagging a towel. She expected him to start drying himself off, but instead he handed the towel to her.
As she rubbed it over her skin, she was struck by what a commonplace action it was, something she’d done almost every day her entire life, but now it was full of lovely tension and undercurrents since Dash was here, watching her as he grabbed his own towel. It took her a few moments to recall his question, and she had to clear her throat before she could answer. “Five women and one man now—Bennett’s staying with Fifi in what used to be Mom’s room. We have a strict shower schedule when everyone’s here. Fifi’s really good at organizing that sort of thing. It’s much easier now that Mom’s gone too.” As she said the words, she was struck by how true they were. It wasn’t just sharing the bathroom either. Everything was easier…except for the mess Jane had left behind.
Pushing away thoughts of bail bonds and treasure-hunting burglars, she pressed the worst of the moisture out of her hair before wrapping her towel around her. Dash wore his low around his hips, and the sight was almost more alluring than when he was completely nude… almost .
She caught sight of her damp mess of a mane in the mirror and reached for a comb. When Dash took it out of her hand, she stared at him, confused, even when he started combing out her tangled hair. He started from the bottom, holding the handful so the motion didn’t pull on her scalp.
“Why are you so good at this?” she asked, allowing herself to relax into the very different sensations of his fingers and the teeth of the comb. Opening one eye, she peered at his closely clipped head. “Did you used to have long hair?”
“No.” He started on detangling another section, intently focusing as if combing her hair was the most important task in the world. “I have a little sister.”
“Yeah?” Although he’d tipped her head forward so he could work on the strands covering her nape, she peeked up at him, charmed by the thought of him caring for a small girl who looked like him. “What’s her name?”
“Daphne.”
“Is she still in Arizona?”
“Minnesota. She’s a doctor at Mayo.”
He finished working through the tangles and ran the comb from the crown of her head to the ends of her hair. It felt so incredible that Norah couldn’t hold in a groan. The comb froze, and she felt Dash go still behind her, his body radiating that same feeling of immobile vibrating tension he’d had when she’d first touched him in the shower.
She glanced up at him and then couldn’t look away, caught by the ferocious need in his eyes. “Do you…want to see my bedroom?” she asked, her words sounding to her own ears like a corny cliché.
When Dash answered with a growled “Yes,” it felt like it’d been the exact right thing to say.
She led the way down the hall, Dash so close she felt like she was being hunted. Instead of making her nervous, having that solid wall of muscle stalking behind her sent her stomach butterflies into a good sort of wild frenzy, her heart jumping from the thrilling, seductive danger of it all.
It wasn’t until he stepped into her bedroom that she remembered how very small it was, her hobbit-size closet with its extremely tiny bed. She looked back and forth between the bed and Dash, completely unsure as to how things were going to work, logistically speaking, until Dash’s full-throated laughter drew her attention.
Entranced, she stared at him, fascinated by the way his smile transformed his face. Even though she really liked him while he was wearing his usual scowl, there was something about him looking so happy that awakened an answering joy inside her.
“Don’t worry,” he positively growled, although there was still an amused current to his words. He pulled the door closed behind him, making the bedroom seem even more minuscule, which Norah hadn’t thought possible. “We’ll make this work. I want you so bad, I’d make anything work.”
Her mouth dropped open a little at his raw admission, and then he was on her, kissing her fiercely. Her head spun with the intensity of it, and she took a half step back to catch her balance. That was all it took for her calves to meet the edge of her bed, and then she was falling backward.
Dash somehow turned her before she smacked into the wall, instead landing with her head on the pillow. He came down on top of her, taking his weight on his hands, his arms caging her in a way that felt both thrilling and weirdly safe.
“Good thing Warrant didn’t follow us up here,” she said breathlessly, not sure why she was talking about her dog when there was a gorgeous hunk of man currently hovering over her, his eyes positively smoldering . “With him on the bed, you definitely wouldn’t fit.”
Another laugh burst out of him, and before Norah could decide whether seductive Dash or happy Dash was more attractive, he lowered his head and kissed her. Instantly, she was caught up in a whirlwind of want, everything in her focused on Dash and how his lips felt against hers. Since the first time they’d kissed, she’d wondered a few times during moments alone whether she’d exaggerated the intensity of how she’d felt when they’d been together like this, if her mind was putting a romantic sheen on something that had, in reality, been rather ordinary. Now, in the moment, she could definitely say that kissing Dash was even better than she’d remembered.
He lowered his body until his chest pressed against hers, just a single layer of terry cloth separating their skin. Even that one towel felt like too much, and she pulled at it where it was tucked into her side. Although he was just resting a portion of his weight on her, it was enough to trap the towel. She wanted him to stay where he was, but she also wanted to feel his skin against hers.
As if he’d read her mind yet again, Dash pushed off her so she could pull the towel loose. It dropped to either side, leaving her bare. She tugged on his biceps, wanting him to kiss her again, to feel his skin against hers, but he resisted, staring down at her with hungry eyes. His intensity reminded her that she was completely naked, all her flaws exposed to the one person whose opinion in this matter she actually cared about. She gave a shy wiggle, dropping her gaze to the side.
“Hey.” His voice was a low rumble, bringing her eyes back to his. “You’re so beautiful. I didn’t expect… I mean, I thought about it a lot, but actually seeing you…”
His inability to finish a sentence made her smile. She’d managed to fluster the great Dashiell Porter. That was impressive.
He smiled right back at her, not at all embarrassed by his uncharacteristic verbal stumbling. “You’re more stunning than I could’ve ever imagined.”
Even though she could feel her face heat, she didn’t look away. Her heart felt full to the point of being stretched, as if it would burst with one more sincere word from him. Not wanting to risk it, she looped her hands behind his neck and tugged him down. This time, he allowed her to pull him into another kiss.
This one felt different. It was as hot as fire, as usual, but there was a sweetness to it as well. Leaving her mouth, he kissed along her jaw and down her throat, interspersing nips with gentle touches of his lips and tongue. She never knew which would come next, wicked or soft, so by the time he reached her collarbone, she was quivering with anticipation and raw need.
He wasn’t stopping though. He scored the tips of her breasts with his teeth before soothing them with his tongue. Shifting lower, he laid a path of kisses across her belly and then nipped at her hip bone. Norah realized she was making small, needy sounds, and a part of her was surprised. Her default was silence, but apparently not while Dash was exploring her body with his mouth.
Even when he shouldered his way between her thighs, his wide bulk pushing her legs so far apart her muscles ached pleasantly with the stretch, her earlier shyness didn’t return. Despite the newness of the experience, the awkwardness she’d expected just…wasn’t there. All she felt was fiery need and eagerness for the next touch, the next kiss, the next teasing nip as those dark, dark eyes caught hers. She liked this, liked everything they’d done so far, and she hadn’t expected to. It shouldn’t have surprised her so much, she thought. After all, she’d liked pretty much everything she’d done with Dash. He seemed to be the key to her comfort and pleasure.
“You okay?” he asked, his breath hot against her center.
She was pretty sure she couldn’t be any more okay. “Yes.”
His mouth tipped up, his usual crooked smile holding more than a hint of wickedness. “Good.” Lowering his head, he gave her an open-mouthed kiss, showing her how very wrong she’d been. She could be much, much more okay.
Her orgasm wasn’t quick this time. Instead, it lasted for what seemed like forever, a suck or nip or lick from Dash sending her pleasure to crest again just as she thought it was receding. Norah was pretty sure she screamed as she came, but she wasn’t at all abashed by it. Even if the sound made Mr. P call the cops and tell them someone was being murdered at Norah’s house and an entire SWAT team came crashing through her bedroom door, she didn’t think she would care. She felt too good to be bothered by anything.
Dash crawled up her body, and she gave him what was certainly a dopey grin. He looked positively smug as he kissed her quickly and then got off the bed.
“Wait…” Her brain struggled to function in its floaty post-orgasmic state. “Where are you going?”
Leaning over, he kissed her again, a little longer this time. The flame in her belly reignited, jumping back to instant life like a smoldering campfire. “I’ll be right back.”
Grabbing his towel, he wrapped it around his hips and then slipped out the door, moving in his usual ninja-like way. Still feeling like her muscles were all overstretched and floppy rubber bands, she managed to push up onto her elbows, still confused as to why Dash had left. Before she could cover herself with the towel still wedged underneath her or even come up with a few worst-case scenarios to explain his disappearance, he was back, carrying his bag.
Closing the door behind him with his elbow, he dug something out and held it up.
“Ohhh,” Norah said as she recognized the small packet. “Good planning.” She couldn’t believe she’d completely forgotten about condoms. She scolded her practical side for missing that. Although in her defense, she hadn’t expected a group run would turn into a shower together and then sex in her tiny bedroom.
Tossing his bag into the corner, he gave her another one of his crooked smiles—which seemed to be coming a lot more frequently lately—and yanked his towel free. When he basically leapt on her, she made a sound that was shockingly close to a giggle. Then he was kissing her again, their hands roaming freely, and she forgot everything else.
Since he had the condom, she expected him to get right to business, but he didn’t seem to be in any hurry. Instead, he touched and kissed what felt like every inch of her body. Then he flipped them so she was on top and offered himself up for exploration.
Explore she did. She marveled at the differences between his body, so solid and hairy and rough, and hers. At the same time, there were surprising similarities, like the silky softness of the skin of his belly and the way kissing him right behind his ear made him shiver, just like it made her. His obvious desire for her fueled hers, and by the time he rolled on the condom under her fascinated stare, she was more than ready.
Holding her hips, he helped her ease down over him. The feel of him inside her was like nothing she’d ever experienced before—the stretch, the dull ache, the fullness —and she stilled, processing it.
“Okay?”
The word was just a breathless grunt, and she focused on his face. He looked…almost desperate, which strangely made her smile. Experimentally, she moved, lifting her hips a little and then lowering back down again, and he groaned, his fingers working on her hips as his eyes rolled back in his head.
Every nerve inside her was awake. It wasn’t just the physical sensations though, as incredible as they were. It was the sense of power, euphoric and addictive, that she was able to make him feel such intense pleasure. Not only that, but her focus was pinpointed on this, how each drag and bump of their bodies against each other felt. All the anxious thoughts that seemed to spin continuously in her brain were just…gone. Everything was so simple, just her and Dash, joined together.
She began to move more quickly, goaded by his grip on her hips, harder and deeper until she was coming yet again. Her body clenched around him, the feel of him inside her driving her higher. It must’ve triggered something in Dash too, since he made a growly sound, and then she was spinning as he flipped them over.
She’d thought her climax was easing, but this new angle shot her right back to the top of the roller coaster. She wrapped her arms and legs around him, holding on for dear life as he drove into her and yet another wave of pleasure crashed over her. His muscles tensed under her gripping limbs, and he let out a long groan. Even in the throes of sensation, she still smiled at the sound. She’d done that. She’d made him feel so good, made his muscles turn to Jell-O just like hers had.
His weight sank her into the mattress, heavier and heavier until she changed from feeling warm and secure to just a bit squished. Her arms were still wrapped around him, and she couldn’t imagine letting go anytime soon, so she patted him lightly on the back, tapping out like they were sparring.
He immediately raised his head, his eyes heavy-lidded but alert enough to figure out what she was silently telling him. “Sorry,” he said, lifting off her.
She immediately felt cold and exposed, and she worried he was going to leave, but he didn’t go far, just settling on his side next to her. The small bed forced them to stay close, and Dash angled his body, gathering her against him so he partially covered her without squashing her into the mattress.
They were both quiet then, but the silence held none of the awkwardness Norah dreaded. She floated in a comfortable daze, drifting but not asleep as one of his hands played idly with her hair. It was just…nice.
Of course it ended too soon. In the quiet, the squeal of the screen door was obvious. Dash stiffened, his muscles taking on that vibrating readiness as he moved off the bed and quickly dropped the tied-off condom into her tiny trash can. Grabbing a pair of sweats out of his bag, he yanked them on.
“Molly?” Cara’s voice carried up the stairs and through the closed bedroom door. “Norah? I know someone’s home, since the alarm’s set for occupied.”
Not wanting her sister to barge into her bedroom, Norah gave a silent sigh and rolled to her feet. Maneuvering past Dash, who seemed to have grown like the Hulk while in protective mode, she cracked the door. “Hey, Cara. I’m upstairs. I’ll be down in a minute.” Closing the door again, she turned to see Dash’s raised eyebrows. Guessing at what his expression was about, she gave a small shrug. “I didn’t want to have a yelling conversation about you. She’ll see you soon enough and figure it out.”
“Want me to go out the window?”
Glancing at the tiny pane of glass that even she wouldn’t fit through, she laughed. From his rather proud half smile, that had been his intention. Forcing her face back into a serious expression, she said, “Would you? That’d be great.”
His eyes widened for just a moment before he gave a teasing growl and grabbed for her. Giggling, she tried to dodge, but the bed tripped her up. He followed her down and immediately started tickling her.
“Sorry! Sorry! I give up!” She’d never been able to win a tickle war. “Mercy! Uncle!”
He stopped but stayed hovering over her, his eyes starting to heat again.
She was tempted, but the thought of Cara one story below them made her give his chest a little push. “Not with Cara here.” Not when she’d just discovered how vocal she was during sex.
Dash actually pouted—a look she found strangely adorable on him—but stood and helped her up. His tug on her hand was strong enough to pull her right into his arms, and she went with it, all too happy to be pressed against his bare chest again.
He kissed her, quick but intense. “I like you, Norah Pax.”
“I like you too, Dashiell Porter.” She didn’t hesitate saying the words. “I also like having sex with you.”
His laugh was a bit rough as he tightened his arms around her. Leaning into his hug, she let herself enjoy the moment. She could deal with nosy sisters and stalkers and skips later. Right now, there was just Dash.