Page 60 of For the Birds

Chapter13

The throbbingin my thigh awoke me. James was curled up behind me, his arm slung over my side and holding me close.

I couldn’t help smiling. He was possessive even when he slept.

I needed to get up and take something for the pain, but I wasn’t ready to leave him yet. The clock on the nightstand table read 6:42. I didn’t have much time left, and I’d already wasted a couple hours of it sleeping.

Rolling onto my back, I stared into his face, unable to resist the urge to touch him. He looked so at ease right now—all the tension I was accustomed to seeing was gone. I lifted my hand and let my fingertips trail over his face, the stubble on his chin scratchingthem.

His eyes cracked open and a lazy, satisfied smile stretched across his face. “I could have sworn I dreamed you were in my bed last night.”

“I’m here,” I said, but sorrow crept into my words.

He shifted so he was leaning over me. “We don’t have to make this a one-night thing,” he said, searching myface.

I stilled. “So you’re proposin’ we have random hookups?”

He continued to study me as though trying to determine whether I thought that was a good thing or a badone.

“The agreement was one night, James.”

“You can’t tell me that you want to walk away after last night?” he asked in disbelief.

“The agreement was one night,” I said with more heat. “What about distancin’ myself fromyou?”

“You’re crazy if you think I’m going to let you walk away from menow.”

“That’s not what we agreed to!” I sat up and tried to get out of bed, but he pulled me backdown.

“Rose.”

I tried to push his arm away, but who was I kidding? The only way I was getting out of this bed was if he let me. “You’re bein’ unreasonable, James.”

“Unreasonable?” he said, getting irritated. “You’re the one who wanted this so damnbad!”

I worked loose and sat up, the sheet falling to my waist. “And you’re the one who said my life is in danger if people think I’m tied toyou!”

“I’ll claim you. Just like I did last night, over and over and over.” His voice turned husky as his gaze fell to my breasts.

“Braggart,” I said as I pulled the sheet up to cover my breasts since I wanted him to actually hear me. “And we both know that won’t work. You tried to tell me, but I was too stubborn to listen.”

He sat up too and placed a kiss on my shoulder. “Your stubbornness is one of my many favorite traits.”

“Only when it works in your favor. When it doesn’t, you hateit.”

He tilted his head to look into my eyes. “There’s not a single part of you Ihate.”

I grinned. “I’m gonna remind you of that the next time you’re pissed atme.”

“We can figure out a way to make this work, Rose.”

“I don’t want to sneak around. I don’t want to hide us, but I can’t be with you either. You’re a criminal.”

Thankfully, he didn’t take offense. “Not a single charge has stuck.”

“But we both know you’ve done illegal things. And everyone else knows it too.” I started to slide out of bed, but he stopped me again. “Let me go. I have to get some ibuprofen and take my antibiotic.”

“I’ll get it. Promise me you’ll stay there.”

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