Page 77 of Guarded from Treachery

My nose prickles. Tears burn behind my eyes.

In all this insanity, somehow I found everything I ever wanted.

A baby to love unconditionally. And the man I’ve been waiting my entire life for.

Swallowing against the threatening tears, I take a moment to compose myself before opening my eyes. And I meet Matt’s gaze at once, his melty-chocolate one, the one that makes me feel all warm and gooey inside.

Realizing I’m awake, a corner of his mouth lifts. “Good morning, gorgeous.”

My voice still rough from sleep, I reply with a smile, “Good morning to you, too.”

He strokes my cheek again. “I hope you didn’t mind me waking you up like that? I thought it would be nicer than the alarm.”

“Much nicer.” Rolling onto my side, I put my hand on Matt’s jaw, rubbing my thumb across his soft stubble. “I wouldn’t mind waking up like that every morning.”

“Even at five A.M. before I head to the gym?” he teases.

I grin at him. “Well. Maybe not that early. But after you get back?”

“You won’t mind me all sweaty?”

“Nope.” I pop the p. “I don’t mind when you’re all glisten-y.”

“Glisten-y?”

“Yeah. It’s a nicer and sexier way to say sweaty. And I wouldn’t mind.” After a beat, I add, “Or you could wake me up to take a shower with you. That would be nice, too.”

Interest lights Matt’s gaze. “So, you want to shower with me?”

“Well, it would conserve water. So we’d be helping the environment.”

His face breaks into a boyish grin. “When you put it that way, it would be irresponsible not to.”

I glance over at the clock, noticing we have just about an hour before we’re supposed to head into Seguin with Erik and Rhiannon. “It would save time, too. So we could showerandmake love before we have to leave.”

Matt sits up. “Are you saying you’d like to take a shower with me right now?”

Following his lead, I let the sheet fall to my waist. As it does, Matt’s eyes jump to my bare breasts. Last night we fell asleep right after making love, and I was too comfortable in his arms to get up and get dressed again.

“If you don’t mind sharing the shower with me,” I reply.

“Would I mind?” Matt practically leaps from the bed. Then he scoops me into his arms and captures my lips in a soft kiss. “Now that you brought it up, I’d be crushed if you didn’t.”

I clutch his neck as he jogs towards the bathroom, a giggle bubbling up in my chest. “I could walk, you know.”

“I know. But I like carrying you.”

Once we get into the bathroom, he holds me with one arm while he turns the shower on with the other. It’s so sexy, this reminder of his strength—a perfect contradiction to the sweet Matt I see most of the time.

If you didn’t know Matt, you’d notice his muscles and intense expression and assume he’s just this tough guy—hardened after years in the military and experiences most people couldn’t even imagine, much less live through.

But he’s so much more than that.

As the water starts steaming, Matt touches it with his hand, checking to make sure it’s not too hot. After a moment’s assessment, he carries me into the double shower and sets me down so I’m facing him. The rain shower head sends a cascade of warm water over us, dampening Matt’s golden chest and darkening his hair.

One stray lock of hair sticks to his forehead, and I reach up to push it out of the way. In doing so, my body presses against his, and I feel his arousal jutting hard against me.

Matt cups my butt, drawing me closer yet. Heat builds at my core, and a different sort of dampness grows at the apex of my thighs. My nipples draw into taut peaks; incredibly sensitive as they brush across his firm chest

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