Page 41 of Love's Hot

“Kane—”

I place my finger on her lips. “We go to bed and snuggle up together and sleep. I don’t know about you, but I haven’t slept well this week, and when I have you in my arms, I sleep the best I’ve done in a long time. What do you say?” I rest my hands on her shoulders waiting for her answer. “The rest we figure out in the morning.”

“Deal, the rest we leave until tomorrow. Tonight, let’s just sleep.”

Leading down the hallway to my room, I’m mentally kicking myself.

Every step I take in this arrangement is making this so much harder.

I haven’t been called in on the case yet so there’s still time.

Time to cuddle, time to have sex.

Time to fall out of love with her because I’m already stepping over the line.

One I swore I would never even walk near let alone put a foot over.

I do know one thing: no matter what I want…loving Lilly is not an option.

17

Lilly

WHY IS IT WHEN I think the night’s going to go one direction, Kane just seems to pick it up, turn it on its head and change it? Controlling bastard.

I’m wrapped snuggly in a pair of his running shorts and a training shirt under the blankets of his bed. Kane is showering and my mind is desperately wanting to be in there with him. I came to dinner tonight ready to rip him apart for ignoring me and end up snuggled in his bed ready to cuddle and sleep together. Just when I think I get him worked out, he shows me another side to the ever-changing man that is Kane. This Kane is so soft and caring. He made sure I was all relaxed, wanting to give me clothes so I wouldn’t feel uncomfortable. Mind you, I think they may also be to help him to keep his hands to himself.

Burrowing down into the blankets and resting my head on his pillow, gives me a feeling of home. The smell of Kane is embedded in everything around me. I love the smell of the aftershave and shower gel he uses. They combine to give a very masculine smell. One I’ll happily wear home tomorrow buried in my pores. If I’m lucky, maybe I can sneak this t-shirt into my bag. So the nights when I’m missing him, I can crawl into bed with the scent of Kane and wish he were actually there with me.

I know I’m bordering on the sort of feelings you start to have when you’re in the early stages of a relationship. The ones I promised both of us I’m not interested in and don’t need. I can’t let on to Kane how I feel, otherwise I’ll lose him. I’m not ready for that. We’re just getting to know each other outside of the sexual magnetism we possess. I can’t deny we know each other very well in that department. Our sex has been explosive from the very first encounter. Like nothing I have ever experienced. Every part of that I can’t get enough of. But I crave to know him as a person too. There’s just this connection I can’t deny between us.

I’m feeling very clingy tonight and I know it’s the hormones and the wine. I need to snap out of it. Hopefully in the morning I’ll be back to the feisty Lilly Kane seems to like.

Between the scent of Kane and the comfortable bed, my eyes start to get heavier and I drift into a light sleep. I don’t even hear Kane come out of the shower or turn off the lights. I just feel him sliding into the bed and pulling me towards him. I go to my natural position which is curled into his side with my head on his chest above his heart. The thumping beat sends me straight into the deep sleep I’ve been longing for all week. The last thing I remember is Kane stroking my head as his breathing slows and I swear I hear him whisper, “I wish I could keep you,” as I fall into the world of slumber. But maybe I was just dreaming. I’ll never know.

***

The best sleep of a lifetime was interrupted by Kane’s stupid phone at six am.

“What is it about us and fucking phones?” I say as I bury my head under the pillow while he rolls over to grab it.

“Don’t panic, baby, it’s just my alarm. Remember, today is still a workday. No sleep-ins for either of us,” he groans as he lies back down and grabs me to drag me back into his arms.

“Well, it should be national no-work day. They should also have a national sleep-in day. Followed by a national fuck-Lilly day.” I giggle as Kane’s body tenses.

“Hold up. I’m all for the National no-work day and sleep-in day but the fuck-Lilly day is certainly not a national day. It’s a day only for the calendar of Kane. Actually, because I’m in charge of the rules and regulations of that calendar, I think we could schedule that holiday on a regular basis. There’s no way it can only be once a year. I’ll end up in an asylum, from blue balls which caused insanity from lack of ejaculation.”

My giggle now breaks out into laughing that has my body shaking against his. “Why is it when I make a joke you always have to go one better? You are such an idiot.”

“Oh wow, I’m so hurt. Idiot is a mean word.” He’s smiling like a big kid as his phone starts up again.

“Now I’m really starting to hate phones in the morning too.”

“I wish I could ignore it, but we can’t. I need to get to work and so do you. Plus, I need to sneak you out of here before your sister and that nosey old woman, Xavier, see you doing the walk of shame from this building. Come on, I’ll make you coffee and breakfast while you take a shower to freshen up.” He slowly leans down and kisses me softly on the lips. Not taking it too deep, just enough to make my mind start to turn to mush as he pulls away and then places a quick peck on my forehead. Then he’s up from the bed and I’m getting the amazing morning glory of his bare ass as he walks towards the bathroom.

“For god’s sake, close the door this time. No matter what you think, it is so not sexy watching you pee!” I yell as he sniggers at me and half closes the door.

“That’s what you call compromise,” he yells as I hear his pee hitting the toilet water.

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