Chapter 19 #3
“Yeah, we weren’t the kind of couple that stayed locked in the bedroom.
” Her lips twist into a grimace. “Full disclosure, I’ve only been with two guys.
I lost my virginity to some asshole football player in college.
It was so awful it put me off to sex for a while.
The next time was Jesse and he wasn’t exactly a testosterone-fueled guy.
I’m probably not as experienced as you. I um…
I hope that’s not a problem. I’ll try to keep up. ”
“Keep up? What exactly do you think I’m into?”
“Well, you said you wanted to have me in all these different positions. I’m not one hundred percent sure how bendy I am. But I’ll try.” She gives a slight shrug, her expression unreadable. “You said at House of Blues you just got out of a serious relationship. How long has it been for you?”
I’m certain I never said my relationship ended recently. But I let her draw her own conclusions because I can’t go there. I can’t think about Elise. If I do, I’ll go bolting from this room, leaving Spencer all sorts of confused.
“Longer than six months,” I answer simply.
“Really? But you’re so hot,” she blurts out.
I grin at her compliment as I casually unfasten the top few buttons of my shirt. “Thank you. Is there a certain sex quota ‘hot people’ have to hit that I’m unaware of?”
She laughs freely, breaking a little of the tension. “No, I just figured hot people go at it like bunnies. If I were as good looking as you, I could probably bring a different man home every night if I wanted. Not that I would.”
“Good. Don’t do that. But you know what I think?” I pull off my shirt and toss it aside before undoing my pants button. That catches Spencer’s attention. She freezes, averting her gaze.
“What?” She fists the top sheet, bunching it in her hand like she’s trying to brace herself.
“I think you’re so fixated on your sister, you don’t notice people noticing you. You’re not as ‘good looking’ as me, Spencer. You’re way out of my league.”
She rolls her eyes, unwilling to accept my flattery. “If you’re trying to earn sex, Nate, I already offered.”
It’s my turn to laugh again. A deep, throaty chuckle rumbles from within me as I drop my pants and kick them to the side. “How about I stop here?” I ask once I’m in my underwear.
“Should I—” She tugs on the hem of her pajama top. “I mean, do you want me to?”
“Lie down,” I command as I cross the room to turn off the overhead light.
The bed squeaks as she shuffles. Once she’s flat on the mattress, I climb into the other side, silently cursing the cheap, lumpy mattress.
I mentally add, new bed to my list of to-dos.
Grabbing Spencer from behind, I pull her against me, her back to my chest. I sigh in pleasure at the warmth of her body.
It’s been a long time since I’ve slept next to someone.
I forgot how nice it is to not feel so alone.
She reaches behind and her hand goes searching, but I quickly catch it and gently place it back in front of her. I wrap my hand around hers, holding her curious fingers in place. “We’re just cuddling.” I’m not only speaking to Spencer, but also my cock which seems determined to spring to life.
“Don’t you want to?” she asks.
Yes. But also no. I underestimated what this means to me.
Wanting someone and caring about them are two different things.
Sleeping with my assistant has evolved into a situation with much bigger consequences.
Between her college mishap and lazy-sounding ex-fiancé, one more lackluster guy in the sheets might turn her into a nun.
I have to approach this with a little more tact.
“Of course I do. But sleeping next to you is a novelty, too.”
“I guess you weren’t kidding about being a cuddler.”
I smile into her hair. “I want to take you out first. Spoil you rotten for a night. Let me earn it.”
She turns over in my arms. “I’m not high maintenance, Nate. You’ve been a great friend all night. That’s already earning it .”
Fuck, it’s tempting. The way she smirks at me, the scent of sweet fruit and flowers, and the way her hips swing every time she walks away from me, was enough motivation. But feeling her soft, warm body against mine has me craving my assistant at ten times the intensity.
I roll her back over, punctuating my rejection with a sweet kiss to her temple. “Be high maintenance, Spencer. Don’t settle for what you can get. Demand what you’re worth. Now go to sleep.”
She makes a joke about being unable to sleep with my massive weaponry poking her in the back. I’m sporting a partial, so if she thinks that’s massive, she’s going to be unnerved when I let go of self-control and she really sees what she does to me in its entirety.
In only a few minutes, she’s breathing deeply, chest rising and falling in a pattern.
“You awake?” I whisper. Trying to gauge if she’s faking slumber, I trace the curves of her body from her shoulder, down the slope of her waist, over the curve of her hip.
She doesn’t even flinch. Assured she’s sleeping deeply and won’t hear me, I part her hair around her ear and rest my lips right by her earlobe.
“Spencer, it scares me how much I already like you.”