Page 33 of After Tonight

But as her eyes opened, she realized it was way too light for this to be her basement bedroom. And her bedroom didn’t smell like this particular scent of laundry detergent or soap or whatever she was smelling. And it definitely didn’t smell like man.

She became aware of the weight of an arm over her and the feel of hot hardness behind her,and she knew exactly where she was.

She was sleeping with Derek.

Riley rolled quickly. The sudden lack of heat and the thud, followed by, “Son of a bitch, Riley!” confirmed that Derek had, indeed, been napping with her on the couch.

She looked down at him with a frown. “What are you doing?”

He was rubbing his hip where it had apparently hit the coffee table. “I’m completely regretting not dropping ice down your shirt while you were sleeping.”

“See, that I would have almost expected,” she told him. “What are you doing spooning me on the couch?”

He stretched to his feet, and Riley found her eyes following his muscular form as it unfolded. “I was playing the boyfriend.”

He was tall. She’d always known that. It was like the fact that water was wet. But now that she was awake and aware, her body was recalling how it felt to have all those inches pressed up against it. She tried to deepen her frown. “That’s not the kind of stuff you’re supposed to be practicing.”

“Why not? We’re not naked.”

Her eyes flew to his, making her aware her gaze had been hanging out between his chest and his thighs. Part of that general area was, if she wasn’t mistaken, a little more prominent than it should be.

There was something about the way he said naked. There was a tone in his voice or something. She felt a tingle somewhere between her chest and her thighs.

“The physical stuff,” she said. “That isn’t what you need to practice.”

He shrugged. “I never cuddle-nap on my couch with women. So this is new. But,” he gave her a little smug smile, “I think maybe I’m naturally good at this.”

“This? Cuddle-napping?” she asked, using his made-up term.

“Yeah.”

“What makes you think that?”

Something flickered in his eyes. “You were very comfortable.”

She felt her eyes widen. “How do you know? I was dead asleep when you climbed onto that couch with me.”

“Because of the sighing and wiggling.”

Riley pushed herself up to sitting. “The what?”

“The sighing and wiggling you did against me once I was there.”

Do not blush. Do not blush. He’s messing with you. This is Derek.“You sure I wasn’t trying to get you to move and give me more room?”

“Yeah, that doesn’t explain why you brought that sweet ass right back against me when I did shift back a little.”

She blinked at him. Her sweet ass? Had he really just said that? And insinuated that, in her sleep, she’d been trying to get as close to him as possible? Come on.

But it wasn’t like being up against him had been unpleasant.

She pushed up from the couch, suddenly feeling antsy. He didn’t step back and they were definitely sharing some personal space, but she quickly stepped around him.

“We’re not doing this,” she told him. “I realize that it’s nearly impossible for you to shut your libido down, but this is us.”

“We’re not doing what?” he asked calmly, turning to face her as she put the coffee table between them. He set his hands on his hips, and the action drew her attention to his hips, then his abs, then everything between.

Why did she suddenly have to be aware that Derek had a body? When she’d thought of him in the past, it had been with a combination of exasperation mixed with affection. He’d just been this guy. This guy who would argue with her over the color of grass. But now he was a guy who produced exasperation and affection and confusion and…fucking tingles.

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