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But Raid hadn’t given in.
So spoiled.
“What are you doing?” She tugged the covers up even higher. Right up to her chin.
He leaned against the doorway, arms crossed over his firm chest. She had her nightlight on. And her bat was under the blankets next to her. There was no way he could see that, though.
However, she had to admit that it did make her feel safer knowing that he was sleeping just outside the bedroom door.
“Checking on you. You were tossing and turning. Do you need some help getting to sleep?”
“Someone made me take a nap and now I’m not tired.”
Liar.
“You’re exhausted, baby. Probably overtired. You need a nap every day to catch up.”
“I can’t nap every day.”
“Why not?”
“Um, because I have to work.”
“You’re not working full time, are you?”
“No.” It was a bit of a hit to her struggling bank account. She was thinking about getting another job to help. “Just Tuesday and Wednesday mornings and all day Thursday and Fridays. Then I work every other Saturday.”
What other job could she get to work around those hours?
“So that leaves plenty of time for naps.”
“Do you have an answer for everything?” she snapped.
“Let me think. Yep, I think I do.”
“Has anyone ever told you that’s annoying?”
“All the time. I don’t care.”
“You’re infuriating,” she told him.
“Yep, heard that too.”
“Frustrating.”
“Keep going, let it all out, baby girl.” He grinned.
Urgh!
“Stubborn.”
“Uh-huh.”
“Manipulative.”
“That’s one of my best.”
“Arrogant.”
“I’m a Malone. We’re just honest. We know we’re the shit and we’re not afraid to tell others.”
Dear. Lord. “And modest too.”
“Now that one I can’t agree with. Never been modest. I know I’m hot.”
“Urgh! It’s impossible to win an argument with you. I don’t think I ever will. You’re too spoiled.”
“Spoiled.”
“Uh-huh. I bet no one ever argues with you, do they?”
He stepped forward and sat on the bed, facing her. Hannah drew herself up, so she was leaning against the headboard. She had on an oversized T-shirt she’d gotten from Goodwill, but she kind of wished she’d worn something nicer.
Crap. What was she doing? Why hadn’t she just told him that she was fine and then pretended to go to sleep?
Now, he was sitting on her bed.
She didn’t know whether to panic or throw a party.
“Have you met my brothers, darlin’? All they do is argue. And since I got here all you’ve done is argue with me.”
“I have not!”
“Yeah, baby. You totally have.”
“Not true.”
“You’re arguing with me right now.”
“Rats.”
He grinned. “You’re so adorable. Now, you going to tell me what’s on your mind?”
“I was just thinking that you get your way a lot. Are you sure you don’t want the bed? I would fit on the blow-up bed better.”
“Baby, no way in hell are you sleeping on the floor while I’m in a bed.”
“I’m used to it, though.”
“Hannah, no.” His voice was firm, and it didn’t invite any more argument.
She wisely decided to shut up.
“Now, lie down on your side, facing away from me.”
“What?”
“Do as you’re told.”
She lay down, giving him her back. “You won’t always get your way.”
“You didn’t even hesitate.”
“What?” What did he mean?
“You didn’t hesitate to give me your back. You might not be ready to admit it, but you trust me.”
Shoot.
He was right. She hadn’t hesitated. “It doesn’t mean anything.”
“Of course it does, baby. But if you need to tell yourself it doesn’t, you can do that.”
“Urgh, why do you have to be so agreeable?”
He burst into laughter, and she glanced over her shoulder at him.
“You might want to make up your mind, darlin’. Am I argumentative or agreeable?”
“Both. You’re an anomaly.”
“Yep. Heard that one too. Lie back around. I’m going to give you a back rub.”
She tensed.
“Shh. Don’t get all tense. Just relax.” He carefully tugged the blanket down.
She was still fully covered, but . . . what if her T-shirt rode up?
And then his hands were on her back, massaging and rubbing. With a groan, she moved onto her front and turned her head to the side. Another moan escaped her and he paused.
“Don’t stop, please.”
“Holy shit. This is my penance, isn’t it?” he muttered.
“What?” She glanced over her shoulder at him in confusion.
“Nothing. Just lie back down, baby. You’re too tense. Let me help you.”
“Maybe we should stop.” She’d gotten carried away. She couldn’t believe she was letting him touch her like this.
He’s always touching you.
He was. She was managing to keep everyone else away, at a distance. But not Raid.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“You keep touching me.”
“Yep.”
“Why?”
“Because the more I touch you, the more you get used to it. You might not have noticed, but you’ve stopped flinching.”
Rats. She had.
And it had barely taken him any time at all.
“I think you need to go back to your bed,” she told him coldly.
“No, baby. What you need to do is stop thinking and just let everything happen. It’s when you get in your head and start overthinking shit that everything starts to go bad.”
