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She thought he’d bark “absolutely” even if only to tease her, but he grumbled out a gruff and somewhat reluctant “no.”
She blinked, and her snake almost jerked in surprise. “Really?”
He gave a defensive shrug. “So I’m protective of you. Sue me.”
“Aw, you’re such a sweetie pie.”
He sent her a droll look. “Don’t. Just don’t.”
She smiled. “But you’re a joy to irritate.”
“How about you kiss me instead?”
“Hmm, I guess I could do that.”
The kiss was soft, slow, and lazy. Much to her surprise, so was the round of sex that followed when they stumbled into bed. And afterward, when he switched off the lamp and spooned her—very clearly settling down to sleep right there with her—she didn’t insist that he leave and go to his own apartment. She lay a hand over his and closed her eyes.
God, she was turning into such a girl.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Four days later, Bailey stared down at the cereal she was struggling to eat, her stomach in tight knots. Deke sat across from her at the table, demolishing his own bowl of fruit loops, clearly unaffected by the elephant that had been circling them since they woke.
“It’s gone,” he’d said when she’d woken to find him staring at her.
She’d known he meant the touch-hunger, because the last bit of restless energy he’d hummed with had dissipated. “’Bout damn time,” she’d replied. And when he hadn’t followed it up with a suggestion that maybe they keep their little arrangement going, she’d considered punching him right in the junk.
Mean, sure, but she was feeling mean. Partly because she was annoyed with herself for not having the stones to make the suggestion herself. With anyone else, she might have, because she wouldn’t have cared if they rejected her. But a rejection from Deke would burn like a bitch.
As they’d pottered around, they’d carried on as normal. Sort of, anyway. Bailey hadn’t been her usual chatty self, disappointment a rock in her gut.
She’d known the touch-hunger was close to subsiding, of course. But she’d thought maybe she’d have a few extra days. She’d been prepared for it to happen sooner, but that didn’t make this easier.
Not that she wasn’t relieved for him and his cat. They’d suffered long enough. She was glad it was over. She was merely bummed that it wasn’t the only thing that was over.
Super bummed, if she was honest.
And it did not help to know that, as he was now free from the vow he’d made to Dayna, he’d no doubt move onto someone else. Maybe not straightaway, but eventually. And, since he was not only her pride mate but a close neighbor, Bailey wouldn’t be able to ignore it.
Oh sure, his cat—apparently still having major intimacy issues—wasn’t up for letting other females into his life. But that wouldn’t really be a factor for Deke. The feline had eventually let Bailey stick around, though somewhat begrudgingly, so Deke knew now that all he had to do was ask a woman to provoke his cat into wanting him to “teach her a lesson.”
Giving up on the cereal she couldn’t manage to chomp down, Bailey dropped her spool into the bowl and looked at him. He was focused on his breakfast, casual as you please, evidently unbothered that they’d be parting ways. Lovely.
Maybe it wasn’t fair of her to be so bitter. It wasn’t like he hadn’t been clear where she stood with him. It wasn’t his fault she’d come to hope that he’d change his mind about a few things. That didn’t much help, however.
It didn’t soothe her snake’s resentment either. The mamba had grown to like and respect him, and it grated on her that he was so unaffected by the situation.
Bailey let herself have a moment to drink in the sight of the gorgeous bastard. She’d miss him—there was no pretending otherwise. Rough and rude, he was might not be anyone’s typical idea of a “nice guy,” but she didn’t want or need nice. She liked him as he was, which galled her beyond belief.
Wanting to get the whole thing over with so she could go back to her apartment and throw some shit at a wall, she said, “So … you’re better.”
Chewing, he met her gaze. Those eyes roamed over her face, searching. Once he’d swallowed his food, he said, “The touch-hunger has finally passed, yeah.”
Leaning back in her seat, she folded her arms. “Well, I’ll miss your cock.”
Humor lit his eyes. “No, you won’t.”
“I really will. I’ve grown kind of fond of it.” Though she’d right now like to rip it off. Then he couldn’t fuck anyone else. A gruesome and cruel thought, perhaps, but she wouldn’t actually do it. Probably.
He took a swig of his coffee. “You won’t miss it, because you won’t be placed in a position where you’ll find yourself missing it. It’s not done with you. Neither am I.”
