Page 56 of The Grinder

She smiled, but he could tell she still was trying to figure out what to do with him.

Besides the obvious.

And since it went against every fiber of his being to keep his mouth shut, he added, “But I’m willing to give up my beauty rest if you are. Not that you need much because, sweetheart, you’re the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen at seven in the morning.”

The flush on her cheeks deepened but he knew it wasn’t embarrassment. It was heat.

Just when he thought she might take him up on his offer, her lips twisted and she shook her head, silky strands catching in his scruff until he wove his fingers through her hair and pulled it back behind her neck. He fucking loved the feel of it in his hands.

She bent and pressed her lips against his, kissing him so sweetly, he panicked for a second. Fuck, what’d he say? Was she going to shove him out the door and he’d never see her again? He already knew he wouldn’t let that happen. He knew this girl was something special and he wasn’t about to let her go.

He was all ready to open his mouth and say whatever he could to get her to agree to see him again tonight when she said, “Can we take a rain check until tonight? I really need to get in the shower, and if I don’t have at least two cups of coffee before work, I will rip someone’s head off.”

Her perfectly deadpan delivery amused the hell out of him, and he laughed before he lifted her off his body and to the side of the bed, where she put her feet on the floor.

But before she could get away, he shot up to his knees, grabbed her head in his hands, and kissed her hard, pressing her lips open and sliding his tongue into her mouth to tangle with hers. She responded immediately, her hands gripping his hips…but not pulling him closer. Which was where his cock wanted to be.

Down, boy.

Then again, he loved kissing her so he could deal. He’d see her again tonight and they’d figure out the rest of their lives when he got back from his road trip. Hopefully while they were naked in bed.

After several long seconds, she sighed and pulled away. He let her go, but not without one last, hard kiss. And a sweep of his hand down her sleek ass.

The look she gave him made him want to put both hands on her.

“You’re dangerous.” She stuck on finger in his chest when he made a move forward. “And I need to get in the shower.”

“Want some company?”

She sighed and shook her head, but her expression was amused. “Like I said…you’re dangerous. And I have to leave in less than an hour.”

“Then I guess the least I can do is make you coffee.”

Teeth in her lips again. Why the hell did he find that so sexy?

“Sure. But I really do have to go to work.”

He held his hand up and tried to look like the Boy Scout he’d never had time to be. “Promise I won’t distract you again.”

Now her brows rose and she shook her head as she turned to the bathroom. “Like you can help it.”

He barely heard her as she grabbed a robe from the hook on the back of her door then opened it as quietly as she could. But he couldn’t help smiling as she turned to look at him just before disappearing down the hall and shaking her head, a grin flirting with her mouth.

Damn, he wanted this. Every morning. Wanted to wake up next to her and have her give him that smile before she left for work.

Wanted to crawl into bed next to her after a great game, after a shitty game… Hell, after any game. Wanted to come home to her after a two-week road trip and kiss the hell out of her before he tossed her into bed, tore off her clothes, and got inside her.

Tomorrow, the next day, most of the mornings after that.

But she wouldn’t want to hear that. Not his Little Miss Cautious.

So how the hell was he supposed to let her know he was serious about her when he’d be gone for the next two weeks?

Usually he was good at talking. He could convince a rational man to drop his gloves by the end of the first period simply by talking shit. Hell, he was an expert at it. But he’d fucked up one relationship before. He didn’t want to fuck this up.

But first…he’d promised her coffee.

Grabbing his clothes, he pulled them on then headed for the stairs, passing the bathroom, where he could hear the water running. Damn, he wanted to push the door open and join her but that wouldn’t get her to trust him.

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