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Brett came out of the bathroom as she was scooping her panties off the floor, and she whirled to face him in surprise when he stated, “I’ll bunk on the couch if you have an extra pillow and blanket.”
“You’re staying?” she blurted, both pleased and wary that his change of heart extended that far.
He raked a hand through his hair then crossed his arms. “I’m not walking out on you now while you’re still struggling after that intense scare.”
The last of her tension slipped away, replaced with a warm rush of gratitude. He might not want to be here, but his chivalrous attitude since showing up where she’d been run off the road proved what she’d believed all along – he was as thoughtful and caring about others as her first impression of him led her to believe.
“Thanks, but there’s no way you’ll fit on my sofa.” She compared his tall frame to her short couch and shook her head. “If you don’t trust yourself to sleep with me, you take my bed, and I’ll sleep in here.”
As she’d hoped, he took that as a challenge and gave her what she wanted. “I think I can control myself for the rest of the night,” he returned dryly, sighing with a hint of resignation. “Go to bed, Allie. I’ll come in shortly.”
She nodded, didn’t question what he planned to do in the meantime, and said good night.
Brett woke at the crack of dawn, used to getting up early on the ranch. He couldn’t see the sunrise from Allie’s west facing window and missed that scenic view that greeted him every morning. With reluctance, he disengaged himself from her soft curves, wondering who had turned to whom in the middle of the night. One minute, he was sleeping soundly, the next, he was rolling over, pulling her sleep top over her head and sliding between her open thighs. They didn’t talk, just moved together in perfect synchronization, their labored breathing wafting warm on each other’s necks.
He enjoyed fucking Allie, Brett admitted, sliding out of bed, maybe enjoyed it a little too much. If the deliberate assault on her last night was by someone who frequented Casey’s and who had zeroed in on her there, he felt obligated to ensure she came to no harm from this individual. That didn’t mean he should set aside his conviction about her unsuitability for any kind of physical relationship between them. Now that she was okay, he would leave and confer with his brothers on how to handle this Stephen guy and the threat he posed to Allie.
Brett pulled on his jeans before turning to straighten the covers over her again, stopping cold when he saw the bruises across her sternum and waist from where the seat belt must have dug into her. He couldn’t help but picture the other vehicle forcing her off the road, the impact that had jarred her hard enough to cause those bruises as she struggled to control her car over the rugged terrain off the highway. Then he winced, recalling his rigorous fucking last night and how she hadn’t said a word or indicated in any way she was hurt.
“Damn it, Allie,” he growled as she blinked her eyes open, guilt burning a hole in his gut. “I asked if you were hurt last night.”
“What? I wasn’t.” She scooped her hair away from her face, the move revealing the candy-pink streak among the blonde strands and lifting her breasts. Frowning, she reached for the covers he still held, but he tossed them to the foot of the bed and clasped her wrist.
Hauling her out of the bed, he was careful not to hold her against him too tight as he wrapped his other arm around her waist to press her close. Looking down at her sleep-soft, pink-cheeked face, her curvy body molded against his hard frame, he found it difficult to stay mad.
“You weren’t hurting where the seat belt dug into you?”
“No.” She shook her head. “But I’m a little tender this morning.”
He didn’t know what she read on his face, but she stepped away from him, tugging on her wrist so he had no choice but to release her or risk adding to her bruises. She slipped on the nightshirt and panties before facing him again, her eyes shifting to his shoulder eagle tattoo. One wing wrapped around his upper arm with the rest of the bird covering his upper back on the right side. He and his brothers had gotten similar tattoos in honor of their father and as tribute to their inheritance of the Soaring Eagle Ranch.
Whatever she thought of the mark she kept to herself when she said, “I’d offer to make coffee before you go, but I imagine you don’t want to wait.”
It was the perfect opening for him to leave without regrets, but as he finished dressing and walked with her to the door, he discovered he wasn’t all that anxious to leave. That alone set off alarm bells that he might already be invested deeper with Allie than he wanted or was wise. He had some thinking to do and couldn’t do it gazing at Allie’s slender legs and puckered nipples clinging to her silky top, especially since he couldn’t read her bland expression.
“I’ll let you know if Reed hears anything through his law enforcement connections. Don’t forget to file a report as soon as possible.” He opened the door then glanced back at her, unable to resist offering his help if she was in need of it again. “You let me know if you have any more trouble, Allie.”
Cocking her head, she gave him an assessing look before answering. “Thanks, but I’m fine now. And thanks for last night. Have a good weekend, Brett.”
She closed the door on him, effectively ending whatever it was they’d shared last night. Brett strode to his truck, wondering why he wasn’t happier about her dismissive attitude since it was what he’d wanted all along.
