Page 87 of The Thought of You

I couldn’t sleep. I could barely breathe as heat flooded my core. My lower belly ached with lust for him.

And once again, he delivered.

His eyelids had lifted but remained at half-mast as he slid his hand onto my stomach and inside my panties.

It was electric—and loud. I was louder than when I hang upside down on a roller coaster.

Owen does that to me. He pushes all the right buttons in every sense, and he drives me crazy.

Next to me, he groans and flops onto his back. “Why are you awake?” he mumbles.

“You haven’t opened your eyes. How do you know I’m awake?” I lift a brow, but he still doesn’t look at me.

“I have many talents, as you experienced last night. Seeing through my eyelids is yet another skill I possess.”

I squint, but he remains the same.

“I actually just took a wild guess.” He pries one eye open and smiles a smile that reaches into my chest and tugs on my fragile heart. “I figured you’d be asleep until tomorrow. I wore you out pretty good.”

I shift onto my side to face him, angling my body toward him like a flower rising toward the sun. “I’m in good shape.”

“In that case…” He turns onto his side as well and trails his fingertips up and down my arm, leaving goose bumps in their wake. “Ready for round three? I shine in the mornings. Even before coffee, I’m damn good with my—shit.”

I release the hold on my lip I had with my teeth as he peers over my shoulder and frowns.

With a sigh, Owen raises up, his frame nearly too large for this queen-sized bed. In truth, he’d probably make a king-sized bed look small. “It’s almost nine thirty. I need to head back, or Lottie will have my ass.”

“She could always set up, and you can take down.” I slide the covers away from my body until I’m completely exposed. I’ve never slept naked before, but I might need to make a habit of it. It’s quite freeing—or it just feels life-changing with Owen naked beside me too. “We could see about that third round…”

His gaze travels down the length of me, his eyes darkening more and more with each inch he drinks in.

“I could show you just how flexible I really am.”

Something equal parts appreciative and sinister flashes across his expression. “You little temptress.”

He draws me in for a slow kiss, and as I sink into him—as I start to believe I’ve won—he jerks back. I’m left with my mouth hanging open and my heart racing as he practically jumps off the bed.

“I need to… go.” He holds his hands up, his chest heaving like this measure of self-restraint sucks up all his energy.

As he rounds the corner of the bed, his mumbled words are muffled. I’m too distracted by the bulging muscles in his arms and legs. His quads flex as he bends down for his pants, and when he faces me, his long, turgid cock points right at me like it’s begging for me.

Excess saliva suddenly coats my tongue.

But once he’s fully dressed, it hits me that he’s not coming back to bed. He’s leaving.

Owen is going back home to Sapphire Creek, where everyone knows us—where we work together. He’s going back to reality, and I have to join him soon.

The same ball of dread settles in the pit of my stomach as it had last night when he was dressed, except he’s actually leaving this morning.

Blood rushing to my ears drowns out the voices from outside. It muffles my own heartbeat as I consider our options.

“We have to keep this a secret,” I blurt and hug the covers up to my chest, hiding.

I’m a coward, aren’t I? Or am I being smart? Before last night, I knew the difference. In fact, I knew a lot of things, but after the night he and I shared, I barely know which way is up.

Owen blanches.

“I know how that sounds.” I clutch the covers, and sweat builds on my upper lip.

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