Page 35 of Tough Nut to Crack

"I’m not naked because you're sore."

"You're real sure of yourself," I mutter, wondering how he knew I was a little tender between my legs.

"Shh," he says instead of arguing as he pulls me to his chest. "Let's sleep."

Chapter 14

Mac

I feel a little disoriented when I wake in an unfamiliar bed, but it doesn't take long for her scent to wash over me. It gets even better when it mingles with the aroma of something incredibly delicious coming from the kitchen.

I stretch, a little grunt leaving my lips when I lift my arms over my head and arch my back.

Her bed is so much better than the stupid hotel bed I've been sleeping in the last couple of nights, but I also know that it might've been a mistake to stay here. It makes this look like more than it is, and in the end, it'll make me look like even more of an asshole than she thinks I am when I remind her that this is just a little fun. We're just having some great sex. The thought of that hits me in a way that makes me scowl. Great sex is one thing. Holding a woman all night, snuggling into her just as much as she pressed into me, is something altogether different.

I imagine her in the kitchen making me breakfast. Maybe some bacon and eggs and a side of French toast for good measure, but then I remember how over the top her cooking is, and disappointment swirls around me as I stand from the bed and give my body another big stretch before heading to the bathroom.

Thoughts of French toast fly out the window as I take care of business before using a washrag I find in her small linen closet to wash my face. She's probably making octopus tentacle, escargot, or something even more insane like a vegan burger with those huge mushrooms as the bun.

I pull on my clothes, grateful that it's New Year's Day, and we schedule the day off, because it's much later than I would have to get up for work.

I make my way toward the delicious scent and find Riley standing in the kitchen with a cup of coffee held to her chest as she looks out the window above her sink.

I stand a few feet away, watching her, wondering what she's thinking about that would make that cute smile form on her face. I'megotistical enough that after last night, I can imagine that it's thoughts of me making her happy, but all that fades away when she turns her head, noticing me standing there. Her lips form a flat line, and I watch her face transform as if she's annoyed that I haven't left yet.

The woman is the queen of mixed signals, and I don't know how to feel about it.

"Good morning," I tell her, opting to ignore her disappointment rather than bring it up and start some sort of fight this morning.

"Hey," she says, her tone a little softer than I expect from the look on her face. "I have a casserole in the oven, but I understand if you need to get out of here."

I can tell by the way that she says it that she fully expects me to bolt out the door and never look back. The woman is too fucking pretty to think that a man wouldn't want to spend more time with her, but I'm in no position to be that kind of guy for her. I have too much stuff on my plate right now to add trying to be something more for her. I'd only leave her disappointed. That was never my goal, despite the off-the-wall shit I've said to her when I start feeling ways that I shouldn't.

"Does it have squid in it?"

Her head tilts as a huff of laughter erupts from her mouth, and I feel myself smiling in return.

"No," she answers.

"Because that would be weird for you?"

"Squid would dry out too quickly in the oven."

"So, nothing weird in it?"

She shrugs. "I don't know what you'd consider weird, but it's eggs, milk, cut-up bagels, some spices. It's like a French toast bake."

"Smells delicious."

Her smile grows wider. "Thank you. Coffee in the pot if you want some."

I follow the point of her finger, but with the way the woman is looking in those tiny sleep shorts and tank top, coffee is the last thing on my mind.

Her eyes roam over my chest and down my torso, and I stand a little taller when her gaze pauses on the denim getting tighter just under my belt buckle, but then she darts her eyes away. The confidence she showed last night is nowhere to be found, but I don't exactly hate the pink in her cheeks showcasing her timidness either.

There's something about all the facets of this womanthat I enjoy.

I move around her, feeling a little silly when I press my lips to her temple before heading for the coffee pot.

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