Seconds later we’re both shouting out our release and Tawny’s sagging into my arms, which shake with the power of my orgasm. I pull out, then guide Tawny to stand up, her back against my front.
“Looks like we might need another shower,” I mumble into her neck as I kiss her sweet skin. She makes a sound of agreement and one of her arms drifts up and around the back of my neck to hold my head where it is. As if I would move my lips right now.
Surprisingly enough, we manage to keep our hands off each other while we shower. It’s dark out and my stomach has let out more than one embarrassing rumble of hunger.
Which brings me to this moment, sitting at Tawny’s kitchen counter in a pair of sweatpants I had in my truck and nothing else, watching the love of my life dish up pizza, wearing nothing but some sleep shorts and a thin tank top. If I were to look up domestic bliss in the dictionary, I’m pretty damn sure a picture of this moment would be right there in black and white.
Once our plates are full of thick, cheesy slices of ham and mushroom pizza, Tawny hands me two beers from her fridge and we take our late dinner back into the living room. When we settle on the couch, she fixes me with a stern glare.
“No funny business this time, got it? This couch has seen more action in the last few hours than it has in the last four years.”
I raise my eyebrows at her, unable to hold back from asking, “When did you buy the couch?”
A faint blush covers her cheeks and she looks down at her plate before mumbling, “Four years ago.”
I can’t contain my grin at that, or my relief. Fast on the heels comes guilt. I haven’t exactly been living a chaste lifestyle all these years and I always assumed Tawny had moved on as well. Not that I want to spend even a second thinking about other guys she might have been with. I’m definitely not about to ruin the fucking fantastic vibe between us right now by asking about her exes.
A couple of hours later the credits are rolling on some action movie we put on. I have no idea what it was about, my mind was too busy thinking about us. She’s agreed to give us a month to figure out how this is going to work. I know she’s not about to leave the island, not with the inn and her sisters here, but I’ve got my contracting business well established on the mainland. It won’t be easy to just pick up and move my headquarters, and with the number of jobs I have lined up over there, commuting would be insane. I know my dad was always able to find work on the island doing maintenance and renovations, but that’s not my style. I’ve developed a reputation for leading some pretty massive reno’s in upscale neighborhoods up and down the coast. I’m not a handyman, I’m an in demand contractor with a team of twelve guys who labor for me and a long list of trusted subcontractors. How the hell do I relocate that to Westmount Island?
I’m torn from this stressful line of thinking by Tawny standing up and stretching her hands overhead. The move lifts her shirt up high enough to reveal her toned stomach and the sight of it is making me hard already. She looks down at me with a soft, loving gaze and reaches her hand down to me.
“Will you stay?” she asks, and there’s an innocent and adorable hesitancy in her voice.
I stand up and entwine my fingers in hers, tugging her close so I can kiss her.
“I don’t think my heart would let me leave.”
We walk, hand in hand, back to her bedroom, turning off the lights behind us. She finds a new toothbrush under her sink and the act of brushing our teeth together is a brand-new experience for us, seeing as we’ve never actually spent the entire night together. Tawny must also realize the importance of this, because she keeps casting furtive glances my way as if she, too, can’t quite believe this is really happening.
Tawny climbs into bed first and I walk around to the other side before pulling off my sweats, leaving me in nothing but my boxer briefs. I slide under the blanket, suddenly feeling weirdly unsure of what to do next. She’s lying on her side, looking at me with sleepy eyes, and I realize all I want to do is hold her. It’s a long buried fantasy of mine to fall asleep with Tawny Michaels in my arms and wake up the next morning still holding her. Tonight, that fantasy can finally come true.
Chapter eight
Tawny
I’m surrounded by a wall of heat and hardness and my half-asleep brain can’t figure out why. Slowly, gradually, as my awareness increases, I realize it’s Mac.I slept with Mac…like, slept. Not sex, sleep. It’s weird how big of a deal that seems, but we’ve never spent the night in the same bed before.
Waking up with his arms wrapped around me, my head pillowed on his chest, everything feels perfect. It’s early and I can tell by the steady rise and fall of his chest that Mac is still sleeping. I shift myself slowly so as not to wake him, but I want the chance to look at him.
His features are relaxed and I can see the small differences between the man he is now and the boy he was before. The tiny wrinkles around his eyes that tell me he’s outside a lot, the strong angles of his jaw, and that faint scruff that felt so delicious between my legs last night. It’s thicker now and I wonder if he’ll shave it or leave it. Part of me wants him to leave it…my eyes travel down, over his broad shoulders, roped with muscle, to his chest. There’s just enough hair on his body to be masculine without looking like a bear, and it’s thicker now, too. I like it. My fingers lightly trace down the ripples of his abdomen. The tight, washboard muscles tell me that Mac still enjoys working out regularly. I stop when my fingers reach the waistband of his underwear and simply lay my hand flat on his stomach.Mine. This man, this body, it is as familiar as my own.
“If you wanted to keep exploring, don’t stop on my account,” he rumbles in the sexiest morning voice I’ve ever heard. I smile against his chest before lifting myself up so I can see his face. His eyes are sleepy and hooded, but I can’t mistake the love shining from them. I lean down to kiss him, but he takes over what I intended to be a quick peck.
In one quick move, I find myself on my back with my handsome man, who is clearly now wide awake, hovering over top of me, a wicked grin on his face.
“Morning breath!” I try to protest, turning my face, but Mac grabs my chin and turns it back to meet his. His lips cover mine and he doesn’t hesitate to devour me with his kiss.
“Don’t care,” he mutters in between kisses. I giggle and let myself relax and enjoy this playful morning with the man I love.
After a few moments of kissing and enjoying the feel of each other, Mac rolls away with a groan.
“As much as I want to take this further, I really should get home to my parents. Mom’s got an appointment later today and I promised I would take her.”
I sit up beside him, drawing my knees into my chest and let my head rest there so I can look at him.
“Did you tell them you were with me last night?”
He waits a beat before he answers. “No, I just said I would be staying with a friend. You want this to stay a secret, so it will. For now.” Mac sits up and leans against the headboard. The sheet has fallen away, and his torso is on display, making my mouth — and other parts of me — water. He is so damn sexy. Part of me hates that my duties at the inn keep me from staying in bed all day, but I’ve got to get to the inn.
