Page 53 of Coming Up Roses

“Come here, Flynn,” she says, patting the sheets beside her. “I’m not going to bite. Not tonight anyway.” She flashes me a wicked smirk. “We need to get to sleep.”

She’s right. Fuck. It was late enough when we got to my place, then my restlessness kept her awake and ended inthat. She’s got a huge day of work ahead.

I slowly cross the room, still unsure climbing into bed beside her is the right choice. “Maybe I should sleep on the couch. That way you’re more likely to get some rest,” I say, reaching for my pillow.

“Do you want to sleep on the couch?”

“Not particularly, no. It’s not long enough.”

“Then get in here with me,” she says. She’s sitting up on the mattress, hair mussed from where my hands have been tangling in it, cheeks still that edible rosy colour.

I hesitate for another second, then climb into bed.

I stretch out, pulling the duvet over me, then tilt my head to look up at Abi. “Ah, sorry it didn’t last long,” I say, feeling the heat in my cheeks.

“There’s nothing wrong with fast and filthy, Flynn,” she says, a sexy as fuck smirk on that incredible mouth. “And trust me when I say you know exactly what you’re doing.”

And I thought my face couldn’t get any hotter.

Ugh. I’m such a loser.

What kind of twenty-four-year-old guy has such limited experience with sex? It’s not that I’ve never been interested, but a one-night or casual thing never held any appeal and since people only see me as the good time guy, anything longer term hasn’t been on the cards. I’m not long-term relationship material apparently. Plus there hasn’t exactly been a large dating pool in the tiny town of Kauri Creek. Since it’s the only place I’ve ever lived, meeting new people that see me as having relationship potential has been more than a little tricky.

“Hey.” Abi slides down beside me in the bed, then grips my chin to turn it towards her. “There’s nothing wrong with having limited experience. You’re perfect, just the way you are.” She presses her lips against mine for a brief moment. It doesn’t feel like a thing fuck buddies should do. Sure, kissing in the heat of the moment with tongues and teeth makes sense, but soft, gentle brushes of lips in the dark after the fact is something else entirely.

Or I think it is.

What would I know?

Not much at all.

This whole thing with Abi feels like a lapse in judgement. The wrong choice. But as she curls into my side, splaying her hand across my abs and snuggling into my shoulder, nothing about it feels wrong at all.

The bed shiftsand my eyes fly open, because I didn’t move. Abi freezes halfway off themattress.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you,” she whispers. “Go back to sleep.”

“Why are you awake this early?” I ask, after a glance at my bedside alarm clock.

“Because I’ve got a whole wedding to pull off today and I have to go home first.”

“Home?”

“Yeah. I need clothes. I wasn’t expecting to stay, remember?”

“Right, yeah.” I rub a hand over my face, then sit up. I’m generally an early riser because I like to get my work done before the day gets away from me, but this is pushing it for a Saturday, even for me. “How were you planning on getting back to your car?” I ask, peering at her as she slides her jeans up her legs. I kind of resent those pants from blocking my view.

Abi freezes. “Shit. You don’t fancy a little drive do you? Otherwise I guess I’m walking.”

I laugh. “Of course I’ll drive you. Just give me a minute and I’ll be with you.”

“Sure. I’ll just use the bathroom.” She grabs the rest of her clothes and disappears into the other room.

I will my hard dick to go down and shove myself out of bed. I half-heartedly straighten the blankets, then find myself some clothes. Five minutes later, we’re both climbing into my ute.

When I bypass the driveway towards the event centre and instead head straight for town, Abi gives me a sidelong glance.

“I want coffee, and food. I have neither in my house,” I say. “I’ll drop you at your place then I’ll get us breakfast while you’redoing what you need to. When we get back to the farm you’ll be ready to go.”

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