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She leaned her head on his shoulder so she could look up at him. “Have you ever met anyone famous?”
“Nope.” He traced circles on her bare thigh, a part of his brain working on a plan to keep her in his bed until the morning sun woke them. “You would think with all the traveling I’ve done, I would have.”
“I’ll bet there have been famous people all around you, but you were too busy adventuring to notice.” She jabbed him lightly in the ribs with her elbow.
“That sounds like me, yes.”
A quiet moment passed then she twisted slightly to see him better. “Sorry I freaked before.”
“That wasn’t freaking,” he said. “That was wanting me so much you didn’t know what to do with yourself.”
Her heartiest laugh yet echoed in the room, bringing Ginger scurrying up the stairs. The dog appeared in the doorway and lifted her nose to see if their nonsense had a scent. The dog entered the room, her claws scritch-scratching on the hardwood floor.
“Okay, we can call it that,” Leah said.
“Interesting that you don’t flat out deny my supposition about wanting me.” He reached over to give Ginger a quick petting as the dog plopped her chin on his side of the bed, big brown eyes begging for attention.
“Don’t get cocky.” She draped herself over his legs to scratch between Ginger’s ears, delighting the dog.
“Cocky? Me? Ridiculous.” He scoffed as Ginger let out a little whine. “What’s your position on dogs being allowed on beds?”
“Pro.”
“Excellent.” He wiggled his hand and Ginger backed up a few steps so she could jump up on the bed. Of course his self-absorbed, I’m-the-star-of-the-town pooch thought she had a right to a spot right between him and Leah. “I don’t think so, girl. Not tonight.” He pushed her rump, but she let out another whine.
“Oh, she can stay. I’m the intruder here.” She looked up at Dakota. “You asked me to stay, but maybe Ginger doesn’t want me to.”
He shook his head. “Ginger doesn’t get to decide. I sometimes let her choose her food. She gets to select what toys we play with. I even let her have input on my wardrobe on occasion, but she gets no say on whether you stay or not.” A heartbeat of silence hung between them before he asked, “So will you still stay?”
Leah folded forward and buried her face in the cinnamon-colored fur around Ginger’s neck. Was she hiding from him? Was he pressuring her? He didn’t mean to, but he’d grown… accustomed to having her in his bed. One night with her and he could easily see himself wanting many, many nights.
“Yes, I already said I’ll stay and I meant it.” Her voice didn’t hold any notes of panic now. Just pure confidence in her response.
Dakota’s heart soared.Holy shit.Heart matches. His mother had been right. About her tale. About Leah.
About him getting lost.
Only it hadn’t been getting lost in the woods. It’d been getting lost in the sweet embrace of Miss Leah Greenstead.
Chapter Thirteen
“I forgot how much sauce you like on your pasta.” Leah sat across from Carter at her small kitchen table on Thursday night as he scooped extra sauce onto the ravioli she’d served him. His entire dish was a big, red-orange sea with a slice of Italian bread sticking out the side of it.
“I could slurp up this sauce with a straw,” Carter said as he sprinkled a generous snowfall of parmesan cheese over everything.
“So your night with Dena went well?” She hadn’t seen Carter since they’d mumbled good morning to each other earlier in the day. Earlier when he was walking down the hallway from the guest bedroom and she was slipping in the front door of the cottage. They hadn’t talked about the fact that she’d spent the night—one fabulous night—at Dakota’s. Thinking about being held by him all night made her get as melty as the butter she’d put on her warm bread.
Of course they hadn’t just slept. No. The sleepover was more a combination of short cat naps punctuated by hot, steamy sex that curled her toes even now as she cut into ravioli. She’d been nervous as hell about where the night was heading, but the moment she’d seen Dakota totally naked, all that worry dripped out of her.
And that tattoo…
Holy shit, that map tattoo was an instant aphrodisiac. How could any woman say no to Dakota after seeing that artwork decorating his beautiful, strong body, especially after learning the story of why he got it? Who wouldn’t want him?
Which made Leah wonder exactly howmany women Dakota had pleasured over the years? His sisters had busted him up about the number of women he’d brought to Mountain View Pizza, but were they just goofing around, trying to make him uncomfortable in front of her? Or was there some truth to their teasing jabs?
It doesn’t matter.
She was no virgin. She’d had sex before. Jesus, she’d beenengaged. If that horrible tragedy hadn’t befallen her family and Chase, she’d be married with a couple of kids by now.
