He shakes his head. “Never.” A possessive hand gives my backside a sleepy squeeze. “How are you feelin’ this mornin’? Sore?”
Heat curls up my neck to my cheeks. “A little tender.”
“I should’ve let you get more sleep. I got a bit carried away after the first time.” He kisses my elbow and drops back onto the pillow. “How do you feel about me this mornin’?”
“The same as last night.” I toy with the hair on his chest. “Maybe I love you alittlemore.”
“I treated you good, huh?”
“You always did.”
He smiles softly at that, his fingers combing through the dark hair spilling over my bare shoulder. He looks…happy. The way he stares up at me loops around my heart and pulls me closer. I peck a kiss on the tip of his nose.
“What do you have planned for today?” I ask.
“The same thing you’re goin’ to have planned for the third Sunday of every month.”
I arch my eyebrow.
“The cafe opens early for a group of us to catch up,” Sawyer says. “Just a tradition we started a few years back when Freya was havin’ a hard time at work. You don’t have to come if you don’t want to.”
“Do you want me to?”
“Of course I do. Cain would’ve insisted even if I was feelin’ a bit precious about you turnin’ me down.”
“You can’t possibly believe I’d turn you down.”
“I did, Elsie. I’m still expectin’ you to come to your senses and change your mind.”
“I won’t change my mind unless you treat me badly.”
“No chance. I meant what I said that day on the way to Launceston. I’m goin’ to enjoy worshipin’ you.” He kisses my cheek. “Get on with you now. Have a quick shower, and we’ll get goin’.”
I gather my hairin my hand, ready to braid, but I pause. The mirror has fogged up again, obscuring the best part of the view. I swipe my palm across the glass.
Sawyer catches me immediately. His eyes meet mine in the reflection. “What are you lookin’ at?”
“Oh…nothing…”
He smirks. He knows I’m peeking at him as I finish styling my hair. And who can blame me? The shower water drips over the taut muscles of his back and his delicious tattoos. He’s comfortable naked, even though he barely fits in my tiny shower, and he doesn’t mind the hungry way my gaze eats him up.
“Aw, shit. I forgot to bring my gear up.” He rinses the shampoo from his hair, white suds sliding over the hard planes of his tanned chest. “I left my bag in the truck.”
“I’ll grab it!”
“Elsie, I don’t want you waitin’ on me.”
“I’m basically ready to go. I’m just standing around ogling you because you’re rather nice to look at.”
“Am I?”
“Oh yes. So, if we actually want to get to this breakfast, it’s probably best if I…” I nibble on my lip as my gaze follows the bronze hair trailing down from his belly button.
“Jesus. You and those looks. Get goin’ then, or I’m throwin’ you back in bed.”
I lean into the shower, and Sawyer grins before giving me a peck goodbye. Leaving him to finish up, I grab his keys from thekitchen counter and race downstairs. I cut through the alley and around the corner.
Fantastic.
