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I met his need with a hot hunger of my own.
Rowan leaned back, hands biting into my hips with a mixture of pleasure and pain. “I’ll tell you that my imagination pales in comparison to the real thing.”
My lips were swollen, my heart thundering, and my body his to command, despite the exhaustion creeping to all of my limbs.
“I want you, bad right now, Nora,” he murmured against my lips. “But I want you rested. Because later, I’ll want you up for hours. Want to take my time with you.” His hand skimmed down my side. “Want to learn every inch of your body.”
My breathing was quick and shallow as Rowan’s hard-on pressed into my stomach.
“I have a feeling that no matter how late I’d keep you up tonight, you’d get up at the ass crack of dawn.”
I nodded slowly. “Of course, I would.”
Though I wouldn’t like it, though my day would likely suck—because he was right, I didn’t get any sleep the night before and would be a zombie after two nights without rest—and getting in late wasn’t an option. I took pride in my business, my bakery.
I’d never resented my early mornings or my responsibilities. Never considered that a responsibility. Not until that very moment.
Rowan nodded, kissing my nose. “So, I’m not gonna be the reason my woman is losing sleep she can’t make up. Especially when I can’t convince her to play hooky.”
“It’s not playing hooky when it’s my business, and I have employees, customers and my reputation to think of,” I bit out, not feeling as warm toward this man as I had moments before.
There was nothing that would get my hackles up quicker than a man I was dating trying to get me to change the way I conducted my business, trying to take it away from me, in any kind of way. It was irrational and possibly unfair to get so snippy with Rowan so quickly, but he’d hit a nerve. One I didn’t even know was so exposed until this moment.
Instead of looking pissed at my tone, Rowan grinned. “Yeah, there’s no convincing you. So, you should point me in the direction of that toothbrush.”
Whatever irritation that had sparked inside me disappeared quickly. I did what any sane woman might do, and I showed him where the toothbrush was, leaving him in the bathroom to do his business.
But not before I took a mental picture of him in my totally girly bathroom, complete with a claw-footed tub, brass fixtures, perfume and skincare arranged on the polished stone, double vanity.
Maggie had already claimed her bed as one of the chairs facing my balcony. I smiled at her, curled up and peaceful, scratching her head as I walked past.
Though I was growing more and more tired with every step, I couldn’t resist slipping into a pink silk nightie with lace edging before I got into bed.
I had plans. To seduce Rowan, who seemed like he wouldn’t need that much seducing. He was just trying to look out for me, after all. And I was willing to have a night without sleep for him to fulfill his promises.
Except I was asleep the moment my head hit the pillow.
Chapter
Thirteen
Recipe: Minty Lime Bars
From ‘Dessert Person’
I had been planning on letting him sleep.
It was cruel to wake someone up this early two days in a row when they weren’t accustomed to waking at that ungodly hour. I understood that there weren’t many humans who could enjoy this hour. Fiona got to work an hour and a half after me, and she complained daily about the ‘torture’ it was, getting up with the sun.
Rowan did hard physical labor all day… He did not need to be up this early. I didn’t expect anyone to keep the hours I did. That was an unfair expectation.
Plus, he looked so peaceful.
The sun was long from rising, but the dark of night had receded enough to illuminate his handsome face.
Rowan was a cuddler, something that delighted me. I’d slept encircled in his arms the entire night, my back to his front. Though I wasn’t exactly what anyone would call slim, he was so large that he made me feel that way, tucked into him like I was made to be there.
At some point in the night, we’d both moved, him on his back and me half on top of him, using him like a pillow.
So, when I woke, I got to see him sleeping. Half-naked.
What a sight to see.
Though his face was still harsh, masculine lines, everything was softer now, relaxed. His hair brushed across the faint creases of his forehead—which only made him more attractive, same with the tanned skin—from working outside, I assumed. His full lips were slack, as was the rest of him. He was sleeping deeply. And he deserved it.
I took a handful more seconds to drink him in, to process that Rowan Derrick was truly asleep in my bed, then I got out of bed.
