Page 43 of Haunted

Dropping to my forearms, I gave her a bit of my weight as I took her mouth in a slow, lingering kiss. I hadn’t been lying. We were both drenched with sweat, which had my thoughts veering toward round two in the shower. Nipping at her bottom lip one final time, I broke our connection, collapsing to the side while keeping one arm draped across her body.

Once my heart rate and breathing were back to normal levels, I lifted my head only to find my Little Bird was out like a light. I’d worn her out. Chuckling to myself, I sat on the edge of the bed, donning my pants—sans boxers— and my ruined shirt, before gently maneuvering her underneath the duvet so she didn’t get cold while I searched out the bathroom. Returning a few minutes later with a warmwashcloth, I pulled the blanket back far enough to clean up the mess we’d made between her thighs, then tossed it into a basket sitting next to the dresser.

When I turned to leave the room, her hand shot out to grab my forearm.

“Keaton?”

“Shh, baby.” I kissed the corner of her mouth. “I’m just going to get my bag out of the car. Go back to sleep. I’ll be right back.”

“Mkay,” she whispered.

Jogging down the steps, I was surprised to see my team gathered in the living room.Dammit. With everything going on, I’d completely forgotten they were here. Noah couldn’t look me in the eyes, while Koen had an ear-to-ear grin plastered across his smug face.

“Dude,” he started, smiling wider when I held up a hand.

“Don’t,” I warned, but he didn’t listen.

“What? I just wanted to congratulate you on an outstanding performance. Ten outta ten, will recommend.”

“Oh shit,” Lanie muttered as I stalked toward Koen. “Same rules as that diner. No blood in my house.”

We were used to teasing each other mercilessly, but this was way different. He could joke around with me all he wanted about anything under the sun except Henley. She was off-limits.

“He’s just razzing you, man,” Noah chimed in. “We didn’t hear a thing after Lanie cranked up the TV.”

“Jesus. Not helping, Noah,” she said.

Koen had two inches on me, but I had an extra twenty pounds of solid muscle plus more years of experience, which was why he started backpedaling once I was within arm’s reach.

“Whoa, hold up, K.” He skirted around the bean bag couch. “My bad.”

“Christ. I’m not gonna hit you, asswipe.” I smirked, thinking of an even better solution.

“You’re not?” He tilted his head to the side.

“Not right now at least. Fair warning though. You mention one word of this to Henley, all bets are off.”

He sobered. “I’d never do anything to embarrass her.”

“Good, but just to make sure of it, meet me in the gym at eight in the morning.”

“Fuck.”

I smiled. Koen might be good at hand-to-hand combat, but I was better and we all knew it.

“I’ll bring the popcorn,” Lanie chirped.

“You wound me, Lanes.”

“Nah, but I willtreatyour wounds when K gets finished wiping the floor with you.”

“Enough,” I voiced. “It’s time for you all to leave.”

“I suppose you’re staying?” I raised my eyebrow at her question but otherwise didn’t say a word. “Got it. You’re staying.”

Following Noah and Koen outside, I retrieved the bag of extra clothes I kept in my SUV, grateful we’d thought to switch vehicles before coming over. Taking the stairs two at a time, I opened, then closed the bedroom door quietly behind me. Moving across the room, I quickly stripped, then crawled into the bed behind Henley, who’d turned onto her side. I draped one arm across her belly, the other I slid under her head. Closing my eyes, I drifted off to the sounds of her adorable littlesnore.

I had no idea what caused me to wake up out of the best sleep I’d had in years—maybe ever. Propping my head in my palm, I studied the beauty snoozing peacefully at my side. Sometime during the night, she’d rolled to her back; her thick brown hair fanning out on the pillow above her like a halo. Even in the dark, I could make out the gentle slope of her nose and the curve of her kissable lips.

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