Page 94 of Some Kinda Romance

46

SERENITY

After another marathon of a night with Dash, I woke up smiling but unable to believe everything that had happened last night. I was also happy that, for once, we didn’t have to worry about who saw him leaving.

By now, at least some of those reporters who had witnessed his apology last night would’ve run their stories and everyone who’d seen it already knew he was here. It was a novel feeling, knowing we really didn’t have to hide anymore.

In the past, we’d said we wouldn’t hide, and yet, we’d actively gone out of our way to avoid being seen together. We hadn’t wanted to fan the flames, sure, but ultimately, that had been part of why I’d doubted him.

What he’d done last night was to eradicate every last shred of doubt I’d had. He was with me, openly and unashamed. That distance he’d been keeping was gone and everyone knew it. He’d chosen me, loudly and proudly. Although that didn’t mean we didn’t have any other issues to work through, it’d been a damn big first step to have taken.

He woke up to me staring at him, his eyes opening slowly at first. As my bedroom came into focus, he blinked before his eyes widened as if he’d been sure he was dreaming. Then his gaze dropped to mine and he smiled.

“Good morning,” he murmured sleepily, his voice still rough and slightly husky. Lifting his head, he kissed the top of mine before he tightened his grip on me and lay down again. “It was all real, huh?”

“Yep. Are you regretting it yet?” I asked lightly, but I was also genuinely worried that in the harsh light of day, he was going to think differently about what he’d done.

Daytime had a tendency to do that to people. Everything seemed different at night. Easier. Like a better idea. Then the sun came up and you were left thinking, What the hell did I do last night?

Dash looked deep into my eyes and shook his head, though. “No, I don’t have any regrets, Serenity. I did what I had to do and I could never regret that. Why, do you have any regrets?”

It was perhaps the most vulnerable he’d ever been, asking that question, and I didn’t make him wait for an answer. Scooting up slightly, I kissed him right on the lips and shook my head. “Not a one, but you might change your mind once you realize that you’re stuck with my morning breath now.”

He chuckled, sliding his hand around the back of my neck and pulling me to him once more. “Nah, I can handle morning breath. I can handle anything you’ve got, except another breakup.”

My heart fluttered. I smiled and groaned softly as I rolled out of his embrace. “We should talk and we’re not going to do that if we keep kissing.”

Dropping his head back down on the pillow, he scrubbed his hands over his face as he nodded. “We’re also not going to do it if we don’t get any clothes on. You’re naked.”

I laughed. “I know. I’m getting a robe. Don’t worry. You can look again in a minute.”

Darting into my bathroom, I put on the robe that hung on the hook behind the door and wrapped it around me, securing it with the belt. More than anything, I just wanted to fall back into bed with him, but I couldn’t.

Last night had been bad enough. Well, no, it wasn’t bad. It was amazing, but I can’t just keep hooking up with him.

I wanted more, and in order to get more, I needed to keep my legs shut. For, like, an hour. That should be enough.

Snorting softly, I shook my head at myself and walked out of the bathroom to find him covered up as well. The naughty bits, at least. He was still shirtless for the moment.

He smirked when he saw me drinking him in. “Eyes up here, baby cakes. I thought you wanted to talk.”

“Want isn’t exactly how I would describe it. It’s more of a need,” I muttered distractedly before I finally forced my eyes away from the washboard abs to look at his face, which wasn’t a bad sight either, but damn. That body was going to be my undoing. “Baby cakes? That one isn’t going to work for me either.”

“I’ll keep trying.” He shrugged, giving me a smack on the ass as he strode past me to the door. “If we’re satisfying the need to talk first, can we do it while also satisfying the need for caffeine?”

“If we have to.” I pouted at him. He playfully lunged at me, and I laughed and danced out of his reach.

“Hey, you’re the one who said we had to talk!” he called, laughing now too as I jogged out of the room.

He came after me, but we quit messing around once we got to the kitchen. I slid two mugs into their slots in the coffee machine and got them brewing. Cocking my hip against the counter, I turned to face him. Making love was definitely easier than talking, but I pulled in a deep breath and asked the only question that seemed to matter right then.

“What happens now?” I asked. “I appreciate the grand gesture and all, but it doesn’t really tell me what we are to each other right now.”

He nodded slowly as he sat down on a stool, facing me with nothing but honesty and seriousness reflecting at me from his eyes. “I told my mother about us.”

Surprised that he’d have told her, I did a double-take. I’d known they were close, but he hadn’t struck me as the type to tell his mommy who he was sleeping with. “Really? Diana knows?”

“Yep. She’s our greatest cheerleader, by the way,” he said, a fond smile lifting the corners of his lips. “I think she’d have my balls if she knew how many times I’ve hurt you, but she’s going to have to get in line because I’m pretty sure Julie’s going to slice them off first.”