Page 51 of Against the Clock

I don’t think, I just launch myself at him. I wrap my arms around his neck, breathing in his scent, already familiar, already comforting. Safe, it says, and I inhale deeply.

He grunts and I go stiff. “Shit, I’m sorry, did I hurt you? Are you hurt?”

“Just sore,” he says. A big hand curls around the nape of my neck and I’m in his lap, staring up at his jawline, the smile on his lips, the smile in his eyes. “Do you think your dad would like me?”

I laugh, and then cock my head at him. “Oh, don’t worry, he’s already planning our wedding, I’m sure. He heard about us somehow. He’s worried about the age difference—” The smile slides from my face as I remember he forgot how old I am.

Daniel’s eyes are wide and I blink, trying to backtrack. “That was a joke. He’s not actually planning our wedding. I just meant he’s already in the Daniel Harrison fan club. There’s no wedding.”

I yawn, trying to cover my discomfort with it until it turns into a real one, embarrassingly long.

“Can I stay here? Tonight?” Daniel’s question, especially after I awkwardly brought up our fictional wedding, takes me by surprise.

“Don’t you have to work tomorrow?” I ask. “It’s going to be a shitty drive from Philly to Wilmington.”

“Some things are worth sitting in traffic for.” He touches the tip of my nose. “Come on, you have work, too.” He stands, still holding me, opening a door and carrying me… into the teensy coat closet.

“This is where I sleep,” I tell him, biting back a laugh. “I like to cuddle with my jackets. The down one is especially nice.”

He barks a laugh. “I see the appeal.”

I squirm in his arms, pointing to the door to our right. “That’s my bedroom.”

A soft groan creeps out of his mouth and I go still. “You’re hurt. Put me down.”

“Kelsey, no. I’m not. Not really.”

“Then why did you make that sound?”

“Because as soon as you say bedroom, all I can think about is fucking you.”

My mouth goes round with surprise. “Oh. What if I told you… I think I’m too tired?” I’m not, but a mean, nasty part of my brain keeps telling me that’s why he’s here. That I’m a booty call. That I was close to the Philly airport and he stopped off here because it was easy.

“Then I would say let me hold you while you sleep,” he presses a kiss against my temple, and my heart does a little happy flip inside my chest.

I yawn again and he grins down at me, then places me gently on the bed. He pulls off his grey sweatpants, then climbs in next to me. My old queen-sized bed groans in protest, and I snort in amusement.

“Do you fit?” I ask.

“Oh, babe, I will make it fit,” he says, and then we both laugh as he pulls me into his warm body, spooning me.

At first, I think there’s no way I’ll fall asleep with him here, my thoughts still racing a mile a minute. He rubs his hand gently, so gently, across the curve of my waist, his breathing deep and even.

I snuggle deeper into his big body, loving the way his hand feels on my hip, the way I fit across his arm just right.

I’m asleep before I know it.

CHAPTER 21

DANIEL

The alarm going off isn’t mine.

It takes me a second to realize where I am, that the warm shape I’m wrapped around isn’t a pillow.

Kelsey.

I tug her to me and she squirms, making a slight squeak. Damn, she’s so fucking cute.

---