Page 55 of Double Booked

She reached over and clasped his hand under the water. “Now who’s the worrywart?”

“Maybe you’ve been rubbing off on me too,” he teased.

The jets, which were on a timer, stopped, shrouding them in silence.

“We should probably get out,” he said.

She looked disappointed, but nodded.

They climbed out of the tub, and he handed her a towel before taking one for himself. While they dried off, he kept glancing at her, and she met his gaze every time. He knotted the towel around his waist, and she tucked hers around her chest. They went inside and paused in the living room.

“How about a rematch of Scrabble?” he suggested.

“Maybe, but we need to change first.”

“Meet you back here in a few minutes?”

She nodded and disappeared into her bedroom.

He stood there for a few beats, staring at her closed door. If he weren’t mistaken, she’d been sending him signals all night, and he wasn’t sure how much longer he could keep ignoring them. Sighing, he turned away and went upstairs to get changed. Whatever was on the table, sex, or Scrabble, he was ready for it, or so he thought.

He was shirtless and had just pulled on his sleep pants when there was a light knock at his door. He froze, wondering if he’d imagined it. Then came a second knock, and he went over and opened the door. She stood there wearing a robe with her hair in a ponytail. Her cheeks were flushed, as was the swath of skin showing in the vee of her robe. Wait a minute. Is she wearing pajamas underneath?

“I’ve never seen your room,” she said by way of explanation.

“Oh.”

“Can I come in?”

Gathering his wits, he nodded. He stepped aside as she entered, trailing the subtle scent of her perfume. “There’s not much to see. I think it’s the same layout as yours.”

He’d turned on the bedside lamp, and she peered around the dimly lit space. She padded over to the nightstand, and he noticed her bare feet. No slippers either? It was like she was dressed for bed, or in this case, undressed. She picked up the magazine, Outdoor Photographer, that was on the nightstand.

“I like to read in bed,” he said, his voice cracking on the last word.

She looked over at him. “Me too.”

At the first meeting they’d seemed like opposites, but since then, he’d discovered they had a lot in common.

She put down the magazine and moved toward him, pausing when she was just within reach. “I have a confession to make. I didn’t come upstairs just to see your room.” Maintaining eye contact with him, she placed her hands on the tie around her waist.

He swallowed hard and stared at her as she slowly untied the sash and opened the robe. As he suspected, she was naked underneath, but the sight of her exposed skin was still shocking. He drank her in, his gaze roaming over her from head to toe and back again. “Eden,” he breathed.

“Please don’t turn me away,” she said.

Impossible! He moved forward and gently pushed the robe off her shoulders so it pooled on the floor. He slipped his arms around her waist and lifted her until her feet were just off the floor. Then he backed up to the bed, and they tumbled down on it.

Everything had led to this, and there was no taking things slowly. They became a jumble of limbs, their hands roaming and grasping, lips pressed together, and tongues probing. She stroked his erection over his pajama pants, but he wanted more. He pulled back, hurriedly removing his pants and underwear in one swoop. He reached for her again, but she said, “Wait.”

His heart sunk. What did I do wrong? Am I going too fast?

“I just want to look at you for a minute,” she said.

He sighed with relief. Then he followed her gaze downward, her eyes widening when they landed on his erection. With one hand, she encircled his shaft and stroked him a few times, before meeting his gaze again. “You’re magnificent,” she said.

Smiling, he claimed her mouth again, while she continued touching him. She worked him over, alternating between soft caresses and firm strokes. At this rate, he wouldn’t last long.

Reaching between them, he gently removed her hand. “My turn,” he whispered against her lips.