Page 132 of Statler

His breath caught.

Eliza was here.

A smile grew slowly across his face.

Curled up on her side—laying atop a puffy comforter that Statler recognized instantly as the one from his bed—and with her hands in prayer position, cradling her head, she was sound asleep.

Statler had never seen anything more beautiful.

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

Eliza awoke slowly, but sighed happily.

She wasn’t alone. The unique scent of pine and leather she’d come to associate with Statler, teased her olfactory receptors.

She hadn’t planned on falling asleep, but the long night had finally caught up with her. The steady breathing beside her told her that Statler, too, had succumbed. When he’d actually shown up, was beyond her, but by the position of the sun, it was now mid-morning; probably ten or eleven o-clock, and she felt…refreshed.

Refreshed and sassy.

Eliza knew she should let Statler sleep, but…

She ran her nose up the side of his neck.

She breathed him in, then nipped his earlobe.

When he didn’t flinch, she sent one hand across his chest, stroking the impressive muscles which lay just beneath his shirt.

His nipples hardened under her palm and she giggled.

Statler snuffled and stretched, his eyes still firmly shut. “Okay. I get it. I’m awake.”

“Good,” Eliza responded, then floundered.

What should she do now? Try to seduce him?

Eliza wasn’t sure she possessed those skills, but she was also determined not to let this opportunity pass her by.

Then she remembered.

She’d looked in Statler’s bedside drawers before leaving the cottage, and had found…

Eliza fished around in her pocket and withdrew the small packet she’d purloined.

Holding it up, she waved it in front of his face.

“Open your eyes,” she ordered.

He cracked a lid.

He opened the other.

His mouth gaped slightly when he saw exactly what she had.

“A…condom?” he rasped.

Right then and there, Eliza fell in love all over again; this time with his gruff, morning voice.

“I hope you don’t mind,” she giggled. “I took it from your room.”