Page 183 of Smooth Sailing

So as he threw back the covers and angled out of bed, I glanced at the bedside clock to see it was barely seven thirty, which was early for a Saturday, especially since we stayed out late last night, and as such, total Haze Time for Hugger.

I saw him stop at the wall panel beside the bedroom door.

Stark naked (hot!), he hit a button and demanded, “What?”

“Who’s this?” my mother’s voice came through the panel.

I shot to sitting in bed.

“It’s me you’re buzzin’, woman. Who’s this?” Hugger growled.

“Mom,” I whispered.

Hugger’s head whipped my way, and truly, with all that was holy, I hoped to God I never personally earned that look on his face.

“I’m looking for Diana Armitage,” Mom said.

“Someone will be down,” Hugger grunted, hit the button to let her into the elevator vestibule, but not the one to let her up to my unit, then he prowled to his jeans on the floor.

“Harlan—”

Bent to get his jeans, his head snapped back, and he skewered me with his eyes.

“Fuck no, baby. Fuck no.”

That was all he said before he stepped into his jeans and yanked them up.

He’d buttoned his fly and was pulling on his tee when I realized I needed to get my ass in gear.

I flew from the bed.

We slept naked, not something I’d ever done. It was just something that happened with us.

So I had to race to the hooks in my closet where I’d put my PJs while Hugger prowled to the hall.

“Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit,” I chanted as I tugged on my sleep shorts commando, nabbed the bralette (because the girl below could be free and breezy for a spell, but the girls up top needed contained) and struggled to put it on, then grabbed the tee.

I was pulling it over my head as I left the closet and heard a knock at the door.

Hang on.

How did Mom get up the elevator? She didn’t have a fob.

I sprinted down the hall.

Hugger wasn’t in the living room, so I dashed to the dining room just in time to see him opening the door.

Mom was there, with Gram (explaining the fob, since Gram had one, and a key), probably because Mom made Gram get up early to come pick her up and bring her to my place.

I knew then she didn’t change her flight plans, she just enlisted Gram to play chauffeur and tour guide.

Both of them were staring up at Hugger in shock, but it was only Mom who spoke.

“Who’re you?”

“Your worst nightmare,” Hugger replied.

Eek!

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