Page 83 of Sunrise & Serenity

CHAPTER 21

HOLDEN

Sage stares down at the bed we’ve made, and it doesn’t take a genius to see what’s running through her head. I don’t want her to feel uncomfortable, but spending the night in a drafty barn with a storm outside and no dry clothes will be far worse if we don’t share at least a little body heat.

I approach her slowly, like I would if she were a green horse. She wets her lips as she blinks up at me, and I choke down the completely fucking inappropriate surge of lust that floods my body. Bad enough it’s been simmering in my gut since she walked out of the stall wearing my jacket, her legs bare apart from her boots—like some kind of cowboy’s wet dream.

But in such a vulnerable situation, especially after I kissed her the other night, I need her to know she’s safe with me.

I reach out and brush a few damp strands of hair away from her cheek. “We need to stay warm, sweetheart. But that’s all, okay? I won’t touch you in any way you’re not comfortable with.”

I don’t know when I started calling her sweetheart or why, but it keeps slipping out.

Maybe because it feels right.

Her eyes flutter shut for a moment, then she smiles. “I’m not worried about that. In fact, you might have to worry about me. I can be a bit of a clinger in bed. At least that’s what I’ve been told.”

I clench my jaw at the image of Sage in bed with another man, being told she’s clingy. It was probably that asshole ex of hers. He should have considered himself damn lucky to have a woman like Sage clinging to him.

Any man would.

I roll my shoulders to release suddenly taut muscles, my injured one twinging enough to pull me back to the present. “I’m going to have to get out of these clothes as well, otherwise I’ll just make you wet.”

Her eyes widen, and then laughter bubbles out of her. “That’s confident of you.”

I replay my words in my mind, then tilt my head down and smirk. “I was trying to be considerate.”

“Very considerate.” She raises her hands and shakes her head. “Sorry, you’re trying to be a gentleman. I’m the one being inappropriate.”

My body heats at the idea of finding out just how inappropriate she can be, but even if I were to let myself go there with her, this is not the time or the place.

The humor in her expression fades as she rests her hand on my forearm. “I trust you. I know you won’t do anything.” She frowns and gently rubs my skin. “You’re icy.”

There’s no way I can admit how quickly her touch is heating me from the inside out. Stepping back, I get to work on the buttons of my shirt. “Get comfortable. I’ll join you in a minute.”

Rather than responding, her gaze lingers on my chest. Then, blinking several times, she spins away and tentatively approaches our bed for the night.

She toes off one boot before stepping onto the blanket-covered straw, then does the same with the other and moves them to the side. With another quick look at me, she lowers herself and stretches out next to the wall.

As my jacket rides up her thighs, I cast my attention upward, willing the sudden rush of blood to my dick to disappear, because dammit, I have to take my Wranglers off.

No fucking luck. Though at least I’m not going commando.

I kick off my boots, then strip down to my boxer briefs, doing my best not to focus on Sage waiting there for me like a damn fantasy.

When I glance at her again, she’s staring right where she shouldn’t be. The column of her throat moves, and I swell even more.

For fuck’s sake, how far gone am I that her eyes on me alone, in what should be as far from a sexual situation as possible, are enough to get me rock hard? Her lips part, but before she can make whatever inappropriate comment is on the tip of her tongue, I stalk toward her.

“Anything that comes out of that mouth of yours is just going to make it worse.”

She presses her lips together. “What if I was going to say I’ve seen bigger?”

A laugh rumbles through me. This damn woman. “Still worse. I’m competitive by nature, don’t forget.”

She covers her face with both hands. “Oh god, please don’t tell me this is you actually holding something back.”

“Better change the subject unless you want to find out. It’s hard to be a gentleman when you’re talking about my dick.”