“You’re just saying that because your dick is still inside me.”

“I will admit, that is something I’m very happy about, but it’s not why I’m telling you what I see. It’s the truth.”

A smile made her lips curve slowly, like she was really letting my words sink in. “Thank you. I feel beautiful right now.”

“Good.” I pressed my lips to her forehead. “Can you stay? Or will you be in trouble if you miss curfew?”

She laughed. “Thankfully, I no longer have a curfew. Do you want me to stay? I know you have to get up early for work. I don’t want to be a bother.”

“Fuck off, Sawyer. I wouldn’t have asked you if I didn’t want you to stay. But I can drive you home right now if you’d rather.”

She took my face in her hands. “I’ll stay.”

“Good.” I kissed her lips. “Let me take Renzo out one last time, and I’ll be right back.”

“Okay.”

Carefully pulling out of her, I grabbed a pair of sweatpants, stopped in the bathroom to clean up a little, then let my poor dog out of his room. He was all agitated, probably because he’d heard all the noise, and wanted, of course, to race up to my bedroom and see what all the fuss had been about. But I’d spare Meg from a second animal jumping all over her tonight, shepherding Renzo right outside. After we came back in, I made sure to shut and lock the back door.

When I got back upstairs, the bathroom door opened and Meg stood there, looking very naked and a little sheepish. “Do you happen to have an extra toothbrush?”

“Sure. Bottom drawer on the right.”

“Thanks.”

While she brushed her teeth, I made sure my room was clean, although I kept things pretty neat and tidy in there—old Army habits die hard. Then I ran downstairs again for two bottles of water, ignoring Renzo’s dramatic whines, and hurrying back up to set one on each nightstand. Would she need anything else? It had been so long since I’d had a woman in my bed—for any length of time, let alone all night—that I couldn’t think. I was turning down the blankets when she came in. My heart pounded double time.

“Hi,” she said, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Now you’re shy?” I teased her. “After breaking into my house to spy on me in the shower?”

“I didn’t break in! And I’m not shy, I’m just . . .” Her arms fell to her side. “Not used to someone looking at me naked with the lights on.”

“Can’t say I’m sorry about that. But here, will this help?” I ditched my sweats and tossed them onto a chair. “Now I’m naked with the lights on too.”

She smiled and nodded. “Yeah. It does.”

Instinctively, we moved for each other, as if pulled by magnetic force. She looped her arms around my waist and pressed her cheek to my chest, and I wrapped her up in my arms, resting my lips on her head. We stayed like that, skin to skin, for a solid minute without saying anything.

Then she looked up at me. “I love your body. It’s perfect.”

“Then we’re even.”

“You’re much more muscular than you were in high school.”

“I fucking hope so. I was a bean pole back then.”

“And you have hair on your chest.”

“As every man fucking should.”

She smiled before planting a kiss over my heart. “I also really like your ass.”

“What a coincidence.” I moved my hands down to her butt and squeezed. My dick was showing signs of recovery already, swelling against her hip.

“Should we go to bed?” she asked, her voice a little huskier.

“Definitely. I’ll be right in.” I ran into the bathroom and brushed my teeth, and by the time I came back into my bedroom, she’d turned off the lights and slipped between the sheets.

I shut the door, set my alarm, and crawled into bed. At the same time I reached for her, she nestled in closer, tucking herself along the side of my body with one palm on my stomach. I lay on my back, one arm draped around her shoulders and the other hand stroking her hair. “So are you going to tell me?” I asked.

“Tell you what?”

“What made you come over here tonight.”

“Same thing that made me ask you why you’d never tried to kiss me before—I was curious. I wanted to know what it would be like.”

“And now that you know?”

She kissed my chest. “I’m glad I was brave enough to do it.”

“Me too. I’d been beating myself up ever since I dropped you off.”

“Really?” She picked up her head and looked up at me.

“Fuck yeah. You’d just basically told me to make a move, and I’d been too chicken shit to do it, despite the fact that I’d always wanted to.”

“So that part wasn’t bullshit.”

“None of it was bullshit. Every single thing I said to you this afternoon was true. I am worried about losing what we have. Because . . .” I told myself I had to be able to look her in the eye and say this. “I can’t make you any promises, Meg. I care about you, but what I said at dinner yesterday was true. I can’t be your boyfriend.”

“You know what? I just had one of those, and I can’t say it was much fun in the end. I’m looking for something else right now.”

Relief rushed through me. “Oh yeah? What’s that?”

“A good time. I’m only here for a week, and I don’t want to spend it wallowing in misery over my failed relationships or worrying about what’s down the road. I just want to be with someone I like and trust, and have some fun.”

“In that case, I’d like to apply for the position of that someone.”

“The position is yours, Deputy McCormick. But I warn you.” She sat up and swung her leg over me, straddling my hips. “I’ve got high expectations.”

“Is that right?” My hands moved up her thighs and ribcage, my thumbs flirting with her hard pink nipples.

“Yes.” Her eyes closed, her back arched, and she moaned as I sat up and brought my mouth to her breasts, teasing one stiff peak with my tongue.

“How am I doing so far?” I asked.

“Oh God,” she breathed as I moved a hand between her legs and drew little circles over her clit with my thumb. “It’s perfection.”

“As long as it’s not potato salad.”

Dropping her head back, she laughed breathlessly as she started to grind against me. “Not. Even. Close.”

Twelve

Meg

I hadn’t done it twice in one night since I turned thirty—and that was nearly four years ago.

And multiple orgasms? Forget it. I always considered myself lucky if I got one, and gifted by God if I got two. But Noah was a whole different level of sexual euphoria.

He was attentive. Talented. Patient.

He put my needs first, every single time.

But when it came to his own pleasure, he took it how he wanted it, and he wasn’t always gentle.

I fucking loved it.

By the time we fell back onto the sheets after round three, it was nearly two o’clock in the morning, and I knew Noah had to get up at six. “You’re going to hate me tomorrow,” I said, still trying to catch my breath.