Slater lifted one brow. “Morning.”
She didn’t move, which meant she was still half on top of him.
“Oh,” she repeated, this time quieter as a flush crept up her neck.
He tried not to smile and failed. “Sleep well?” he asked.
She squinted at him while she tried to decide how to respond. “Fine, but…maybe you can move over a little,” she said finally.
“Move over…” He glanced down at the fact that she was fully draped over him. “If I move over any more, I’ll be on the floor. Hell, I’ll probably take you with me the way we’re tangled together.”
That’s when she glanced down and carefully removed her leg. “Um…right,” she muttered. “Sorry. I guess I’ve forgotten what it’s like to have bed manners.”
He bit back a grin. “Bed manners?”
“Yes, bed manners, Slater. You know, spatial awareness. Mattress distribution. Not taking up the whole darn surface. Although, I am a lot smaller than you. You could have nudged me over if it was that big of a deal.” But when she went to move again, he banded an arm around her, keeping her close.
“It wasn’t a big deal,” he said solemnly. “I kind of enjoyed waking up like this.”
“Waking…?” Then it seemed to hit her that the night was over and sunlight was softly illuminating the room. She sat up abruptly, instinctively clutching the sheet to her chest before realizing he’d already seen… everything. But her eyes flicked to his, and he already knew the conflict going on in her mind because it had been there in his too.
But the longer she held his gaze, the more he saw it—the awareness. It wasn’t awkward in a regretful way, just a new and different one.
She cleared her throat. “So.”
“So,” he echoed.
Silence stretched between them, neither of them quite sure of what to say.
She studied his face carefully. “Are we… okay?” The question was light, almost casual.
Only…it wasn’t casual. The answer to that question would forever define them moving forward, and he knew there was only one correct response.
Propping himself up on one elbow, he smiled. “Yeah,” he said gently. “We’re okay.”
Her shoulders loosened a fraction. “Good,” she said. “Because I refuse to lose a friend over… mattress distribution.”
“Well…it was just the one time. It would be a serious issue if you were a repeat offender.” He was playing with fire, and he knew it, but he was wildly curious about how she would respond.
Her smile was slow and sweet at first, but he glimpsed the sexy minx from last night. “A repeat offender, huh? Hmm…it’s hard to say if I can behave myself.”
Groaning, Slater rolled onto his back. “You’re killing me, Evie.”
With a throaty laugh, she rolled toward him. Her glorious breasts pressing against him. “How could I possibly be killing you? I was simply answering your question.”
They were skin to skin from head to toe, and in that moment he knew they could keep up this playful conversation or they could do something far more pleasurable. Reaching up, he anchored his hand in her hair. “I have one more question for you.”
She watched him expectantly, her lips twitching slightly. “And that is…?”
“Are you going to steal my blankets again tonight?” he asked.
Her eyes widened slightly. “Bold of you to assume there’s going to be a tonight,” she shot back, but there was no bite in it. Just the kind of playful banter they’d shared for years.
Unable to help himself, Slater reached out and lightly tugged on a strand of her hair. “I know we talked about that, but…I kind of want to test this mattress distribution and see if you’re a true bed hog,” he said.
She tilted her chin. “Maybe you’ll just have to find ways to make me move over.”
He leaned closer, brushing a quick, gentle kiss to her shoulder—playful, not demanding. “I think I can definitely find a way to make you…move.” He nipped at her shoulder again, causing her breath to catch.
