17. Sophie #2
Clover’s head pops up from that small pink pillow. “Why would I be scared? That is just something unnecessary in our situation.”
“Oh, you’re quite wrong.”
“And why’s that?”
“Because married people sleep together, you know.”
“Yeah, I’m aware, but we are not that kind of married.”
“Well, Gracie doesn’t know it. So, unless you plan to clue her in on our scheme, you better get in the bed.”
Clover props up further, leaning on his elbows. “What does Grace have to do with where I sleep?”
“She likes to pop into my apartment at any given time.”
“You’re lying.” He narrows his eyes at me.
“Want to test it?” I arch one eyebrow.
Clover rolls then purses his lips, then sighs and with a whole lot of muttered curses, he swings the blanket off his body. “Fine, I’ll be there in a minute.”
Smiling victoriously, I turn and get back into my bed. A minute later, like he promised, Clover walks around to the other side of my bed, and by the way it sounds, sets a glass of water on the nightstand before he gets under the covers.
I grin, satisfied with myself .
“Stop gloating,” he mutters flatly, and my grin grows tenfold.
“How do you know I’m gloating? I’m not gloating.” I am most definitely gloating, but he can’t know that with my back facing him.
Clover snorts. “Yeah, right. I can smell it in the air.”
I can’t hold it in, letting out a laugh at his matter-of-fact tone.
“See? Gloating,” Clover states dryly, and it makes it even worse.
I’m practically wheezing when my leg bends backward and accidentally brushes against something warm and hairy. My laugh cuts right off as I freeze for a second before probing with my toes further, dragging it against that warm and hairy thing.
Leg! Clover’s leg!
“Where are your pants?” I ask, still not turning around.
“Mind keeping your legs to yourself?” He pushes away my leg with his. “I don’t sleep in pants, Sophie.”
“What do you sleep in then?”
“Nothing.”
It takes a second for the word to register and then I shriek, “Nothing?” My body finally turning around to face his as my hand flies out toward his upper thigh without a single conscious thought to see if he’s serious.
But in my shock, I over-swing and my palm lands hard, right on the bullseye—also known as Clover’s penis!
Semi-hard penis. Semi-hard, large penis.
Theè mou…
“Agh,” he grunts, trying to shield away from my punch, and I retreat my hand quickly.
Cloth. There’s cloth there. And so much more…
“What the fuck, Sophie?”
I clutch my panting chest. “I needed to make sure what ‘nothing’ meant!”
“Jesus Christ.” He sighs. “I wouldn’t sleep completely naked!”
“Yeah, okay. I knew that,” I tell him, settling back into my spot, but the question is burning inside my head. After a few beats I can’t hold it in anymore. “Wait, so like ever?”
“Like ever, what?”
“Sleep naked.”
“Fucking hell,” he groans. “We’re back to that?”
“Well, I need to know these things.”
“Need or want?”
“You need to get used to this, Clover. We need to seem coupley.”
“Coupley?”
“Yep.”
“And how’s knowing if I ever sleep naked is going to help that?”
I turn around, finding him lying on his back, eyes closed. He asked me something, but my train of thought left as soon as my gaze fell on his bare chest.
Bare, beautiful, and powerful, with some hair dusted around, chest.
Oh God …I haven’t seen him without a shirt before, and logically, I knew he was built well, but I never expected this! Not this level of defined, impeccable body. Add in the tattoos… oh God!
“So?” Clover prods, and I shake my head, glad he didn’t catch me ogling him.
I swallow hard. “It’s all part of the package. We also need to be all affectionate. Hugs! We need to hug and hold hands. Oh, and kisses.”
“Kisses?” His eyes fly open and swing over to me.
“Yeah, you know the thing couples do, especially newlyweds in love.”
“And how many times do we have to do it?” His brow furrows.
“Wow, don’t you sound excited to kiss your wife.”
“It’s not you. I just don’t like kissing. Anyone, period.”
Huh…what does that supposed to mean?
“Could’ve fooled me today,” I mumble, and then louder I add, “I don’t know. I guess as much as it takes and when the situation calls for it.”
“How am I supposed to know when it calls for it? I don’t have that phone number.”
“Oh my gosh, my husband, the jokester.” I roll my eyes playfully and fall back onto the bed. “Don’t worry, I’ll kick you when you need to kiss me.”
“Fine. ”
“Fine,” I repeat and snuggle into my bed, only to turn a minute later. Then turn again. And again. The sheet gets tangled around my ankles and I kick it out, but I still can’t get comfortable.
“Sophie! For the love of…can you stop tossing?”
“I’m sorry, I can’t sleep when my feet are cold. Everything bothers me then.”
“Jesus.” He sighs heavily. “What a little menace,” he mumbles.
“I am not.”
“Oh, yes you are.”
Before I can snark back, a large hand wraps around my ankles, startling me, and I let out a small squeak as Clover drags my feet over to his side.
“Wh-what are you doing?” I ask, the words rushing out fast.
“Trying to get some sleep over here,” he grumbles as he throws his warm, powerful leg over my cold feet, covering them completely.
“You…” I start but no other words come out.
“Wow, I think I deserve a medal,” Clover says, humor laced thickly through his tone.
“Why?” I ask, skeptical of his suddenly happy mood.
“I’ve rendered the mighty Sophie Lovinski speechless.” My heart skips a beat at the use of his last name again and even though I secretly like it—a lot—I need to set it straight.
“Levidis. I think you meant to say Levidis.”
Clover is silent for a second before I feel his body move just an inch closer.
“No. It’s Lovinski now. Better get used to that, little menace, we need to seem all coupley and shit.”
For the second time tonight, I’m glad it’s my back he sees, and not the dopey smile I’m wearing. When I woke up with a blasted headache and a dry mouth this morning, I never expected to have the day I did.
I never expected to have this grumpy sheriff ask me to marry him, let alone to actually enjoy this marriage so far. And my new husband, who’s not all that bad underneath all the scowls, tight jaws, and grunts.
“Hey, husband? ”
“Yeah?”
“Thank you for the best wedding night.”
There’s no answer from Clover. Not that I expect one, but then his leg slides over mine just a bit farther, covering nearly the whole of mine and my heart thumps loudly in my chest as warmth cocoons it.
Thankfully, only the pillow and my closet wall bears witness to the smile I’m wearing.
I expect to toss and turn like I always do. For my body to fight sleep with all it’s got, but only moments later a different kind of warmth wraps around me. It’s soothing and comforting and the last thought I have before sleep claims me like a thief is that it is him…