Chapter 28
TWENTY-EIGHT
Bennett’s House
Aubrey
A wet nose shoved into Aubrey’s face.
She jerked awake. “Jesus—“
A slobbery tongue dragged across her cheek.
Aubrey squealed and buried her face against Bennett’s bare chest.
Laughter rumbled beneath her ear.
Deep. Sleep-rough. Entirely too amused.
“Good morning, baby.”
Aubrey groaned.
“Oh my God.”
Another enthusiastic lick landed near her temple.
“Moose!”
The huge fluffball took that as encouragement.
His tail wagged hard enough to shake the sofa.
Bennett was laughing outright now.
The traitor.
Aubrey peeked one eye open.
Moose stood over them, looking absurdly pleased with himself.
“You are the least intimidating guard dog in America.”
Moose huffed.
Then dropped all one hundred and twenty pounds of himself onto the polished concrete beside the couch.
Aubrey collapsed backward.
Defeated.
For a moment she simply lay there.
Warm. Comfortable.
And suddenly aware of the central air humming, keeping the glass room crisp against the June heat outside. A thin line of condensation traced the bottom edge of the windows.
Then she realized something else.
Beneath the throw, she was completely naked.
Tangled flush against Bennett’s massive, bare torso.
Heat flooded her face.
She instinctively gripped the edge of the blanket, pulling it tight around her shoulders.
Bennett noticed immediately.
A slow grin tugged at the corner of his mouth.
“Oh, there she is.”
Aubrey narrowed her eyes.
“Don’t.”
“Don’t what?”
“Whatever it is you’re about to say.”
His grin widened.
“Morning-after embarrassment.”
“I am not embarrassed.”
“Mm-hmm.”
“I’m not,” she insisted, shoving his shoulder hard enough to make a point.
It didn’t move him an inch.
His hand settled against her bare hip under the blanket.
Possessive. Automatic. Warm.
He didn’t leave it there.
With a lazy tug, his fingers hooked the top edge of the wool and pulled it down an inch.
Aubrey gasped.
She yanked the blanket back up to her chin.
“Bennett!”
“What?” His eyes were wicked. Unbothered. “I’m just adjusting the covers.”
“You’re trying to strip the management.”
“The management is hiding,” he countered. His grip tightened as he gave another slow, teasing tug. “I spent the whole night with you, Princess. It’s a little late for modesty.”
“It is never too late for corporate boundaries,” she said.
Her heart did a dangerous little flutter as she fought him for the throw.
She shifted, trying to get leverage, bracing her free hand against his stomach.
Her fingertips brushed the tattoo she hadn't stopped thinking about—the sharp coordinates in dark ink disappearing beneath the edge of the blanket.
Without really meaning to, she traced the edge of the numbers with her index finger.
Bennett went completely still.
His grip on the blanket slackened enough for her to secure it against her chest.
Aubrey looked up.
His gold-flecked eyes were fixed on her.
The playfulness was gone.
Heat wasn’t.
His gaze dropped to where her hands held the blanket. Traced the bare line of her shoulders. The curve of her collarbone.
Something changed in his expression. Taking her in with an intensity that stole her breath.
He looked at her like she was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen.
Her breath caught.
“Still curious where those lead?” he asked.
His voice had dropped a rough octave.
Aubrey smiled, emboldened by the jump of muscle beneath her fingers.
“Maybe.”
“Maybe?”
She traced another inch of ink.
“Just a baseline assessment.”
The look he gave her should’ve required a permit.
“Careful, baby. I don’t have a blanket holding me back.”
Aubrey laughed.
The tension cracked.
“There he is.”
“There who is?”
“The vineyard troll.”
Bennett barked out a laugh.
“That’s what we’re calling me now?”
“My friends started it.”
“Your friends know about me?”
“Oh, they know everything.”
His dark brows shot up.
“Everything?”
Aubrey immediately regretted it.
Her mouth snapped shut.
Bennett sat up a little.
Entirely too interested.
A dangerous spark lit his eyes.
“Baby, we are definitely having that conversation. But right now, I’m a lot more interested in taking this blanket away from you.”
Before she could register the threat, his big hand grabbed the edge of the wool and yanked.
Aubrey shrieked.
Her hands flew out, snatching at the disappearing fabric as it went over the side of the cushions.
She scrambled to cover herself.
Too slow.
He caught her by the waist, his warm hands locking onto bare skin, and hauled her down flush against his bare chest.
She landed in a soft, breathless heap on top of him.
Her heart hammered.
Naked skin pressed against the solid heat of his torso sent a sharp jolt straight down her spine.
She braced her hands against his chest, glaring down at him, face flushed.
She didn’t actually try to pull away.
“Bennett McCrae, you are a menace.”
Bennett didn’t laugh this time.
His hands stayed locked around her waist, anchoring her hips against his bare body.
His gaze dragged over her—pale shoulders, the swell of her breasts—before settling on her eyes again.
Intense. Heavy. Unblinking.
“You are beautiful,” he murmured. “You know that, baby?”
Something in her…melted.
Her fingers tightened on his shoulders.
For one perfect moment, the rest of the world stopped existing.
There was only June sunlight spilling through the glass...
A ridiculous dog snoring at their feet...
And the impossible ease of being in Bennett's arms.
It had been so easy to forget the murder.
Almost too easy.
Outside the floor-to-ceiling glass, a blue jay flickered across the valley below, and the quiet silence of the ridge reminded them both that the outside world was still waiting.