Thirty-Four
Montana
When my eyes opened, the bright sunlight coming through the shades told me I’d slept later than normal. I could smell bacon and knew I was alone in bed. The lack of a hard, warm body against my back had been the first indication. Trying not to feel disappointed, I threw back the covers and swung my feet off the bed to land on the soft rug that covered a large portion of the room.
Reaching over, I tapped the screen on my phone to see the time. Ten minutes after eight. It wasn’t as late as I’d thought. With a sigh, I stretched and then stood up. Sitting there and sulking over not getting to wake up with Than was not good for my headspace. Last night, I’d gotten caught up in the lust and pleasure. That was all. I hadn’t fallen in love, nor was I falling in love. I’d just enjoyed the things we did.
I was fine.
The door opened before I could make my way to the bathroom, and my eyes soaked in Than, shirtless in a pair of gray sweatpants, holding a spatula. His hair was mussed, and he hadn’t shaved since I’d met him. The stubble on his face was getting a little thick. Last night, I’d felt it between my legs.
“Six, you can’t look at me like that when I’ve got a pound of bacon frying on the stove. The cabin will end up burning to the ground,” he drawled with a knowing smirk.
Trying to blow off the fact that he’d read my thoughts, I rolled my eyes. “The only look I had on my face was excitement from the smell of bacon,” I lied.
He chuckled. “Uh-huh. And does that scent also make your nipples into hard little pebbles?”
I glanced down at my boobs to see they were in fact poking through the silk camisole, then back at him. “I’m cold. It happens.”
He narrowed his eyes. “It’s seventy-two degrees in this cabin. Thin blood?”
A laugh bubbled out of me this time, and I shrugged. “Okay, fine. You’re shirtless in a pair of sweats. I’m fairly certain any straight female’s nipples would get hard when faced with”—I waved my hand at him—“all that.”
His eyes dropped to below my waist. “What about your pussy? Is it wet?”
“You did not just ask me that,” I said, crossing my arms.
He looked back up at my chest. “Mmm, yeah, you’re gonna need to not do that. The bacon will burn.”
I realized I had just pushed my tits up. I dropped my arms back to my sides. “Better?”
He grinned. “You’re a distraction in any pose, Six. Come on. Let me feed you,” he said, then turned and walked back toward the kitchen.
I brushed my hair and teeth before going out for breakfast. Not that he was going to kiss me since he hadn’t done that yet, and I was starting to understand he wasn’t going to. But I still worried about morning breath.
When I entered the room, he looked up from the two plates he was filling.
“Good. You didn’t change.”
I hadn’t on purpose. I was becoming a virgin nympho, if that was even such a thing. But I wanted more of the things we’d done. I also wanted to lick his abs and his…my face heated at the thought of putting him in my mouth.
“Linc is home and wants to meet with me at ten,” Than said, snapping me out of my fantasies.
I blinked and focused on what he was saying.
“Nipples are hard again, Six. And your cheeks are flushed. Please tell me that’s not because I mentioned Linc.” The scowl on his face gave me goose bumps.
“No. I…was thinking about other things,” I replied.
He walked around the counter toward me. “What other things?”
I licked my lips. I wasn’t ready to be blunt about what I had been thinking. But the tent beginning in his sweats drew my attention. He was thinking about things too. At least I wasn’t the only one who seemed to stay in a constant state of arousal.
A sharp knock on the door stopped me from responding as we both looked in that direction. Than immediately turned and went to answer it. When it opened, I could see Bane Cash standing outside.
“Got something,” he said. “You need to come see.”
Than glanced back at me briefly before responding, “I’m not leaving her here alone.”
“I’ll send for Gathe to come.”
“No. Not Gathe. Where’s Oz?” Than said adamantly.
“Home, in bed.”
“Can it wait until we go to Linc’s? She can stay there with Jayda.”
Bane’s glower made me back up closer to the bedroom. “Gathe doesn’t have to come inside. Just watch the cabin.”
“I said no,” Than repeated. “Who else is here?”
Bane was silent, and although I didn’t have a clear view of his face anymore, I was nervous. He was frightening. Nothing like the man who had held his wife so gently and lovingly.
“Sure,” Bane muttered, “you’re not fucking.” Sarcasm dripped from his tone.
“Who else?” Than insisted.
“Just bring her. She can stay in the truck,” Bane said, clearly annoyed.
Than swung his gaze back to me. “Get dressed.”
I nodded and hurried into the bedroom.