Page 49 of Bound By Words

My phone buzzed in my pocket as I walked down the hallway to the guest bedroom, unbuttoning my pants on the way.

Talia: Are you seducing Evan’s sister again?

I laughed at her phrasing. If anyone had seduced someone earlier, it’d been Kelly. I hadn’t put up much of a fight, but she’d been the one to initiate things.

Nathan: Mind your own business.

Talia: That wasn’t a no. Please be careful with her. Chase will kill us all if she thinks you’re taking advantage.

Nathan: I know. But it’s different with her.

Talia: Don’t mistake great sex and physical compatibility for more. I know you’re smarter than that.

As I sat down on the edge of the bed, pushing the hair covering Kelly’s face behind her ear, I blew out a breath before I texted my response.

Nathan: I’ll be careful, but I can’t walk away from her this time. There’s no mistaking that this is more.

Sunlight streaming through a break in the curtains woke me up, and I stifled a yawn against the back of my hand as I ran the fingers of my other hand through the tips of Kelly’s hair as it lay on my bare chest.

She’d curled into me as soon as I climbed under the covers with her last night, and it appeared she’d stayed there all night.

“Wake up, sleepy sunshine,” I whispered as I shifted down the bed, kissing her forehead as she moaned sleepily into my neck.

“What time is it?” she yawned as her eyes blinked open, a little wrinkle forming between her eyebrows.

“A little after eight,” I replied, squinting at the digital clock on the dresser across the room. “It’s getting late.”

“Ugh. It’s still seven for me,” she groaned, trying to pull the covers over her head.

“Nope,” I laughed, prying the blanket out of her hand and throwing it back. “We’ve both got things on the agenda today, and it’s time to get up.”

“Noo,” she whined as she tried to burrow into my chest, hiding behind the curtain of her hair.

“Come on. I’ll even make your coffee. Although we need to have a chat about your hydration regimen.”

“You suck.”

“Not at the moment, but if you play your cards right…” I teased as I ran my fingers down her back and underneath her loose sweater. She wiggled against me as I tickled her sides lightly, laughing against my skin.

“Stop that. It tickles.”

“That’s the point. Get up, sweet girl, before I’m forced to spank you.”

“Mmm,” she hummed, turning to rest her chin on my chest, looking up at me with sleepy eyes. “Is that supposed to be a threat or a promise?”

“It’s about to be both,” I warned as I dug my fingertips into her sides, eliciting more sleepy giggles as she squirmed against me.

I could feel other parts of myself enjoying her movements, but I wouldn’t be distracted by her intoxicating presence this morning. Down boy.

“Get your ass out of this bed right now, sunshine.”

She paused, her wide eyes flashing up to mine. “Yes, Sir.”

Fuck me.

“Don’t call me that unless you mean it,” I warned. Something about those two words rolling off her tongue made me excited in a way that was hard to contain.

“Maybe I do mean it.” Her voice was quiet, the look on her face more serious than it’d been in the moments prior.

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