Page 107 of Sweet Harmony

“Hello,Princess.”

Her insidesquivered as liquid heat gathered at her core. When she and Kirawere seventeen, they’d had a brief obsession with Alfred Hitchcockmovies. Gideon had been home from New Cassel, visiting his parentsfor the week and he’d sat with Kira and Grace the night theywatchedRear Window. The film starred Grace Kelly, anactress who would later become princess of Monaco, and althoughGrace looked nothing like the actress, Gideon had immediately givenher the nickname Princess.

A couple ofmonths before that, the nickname would have annoyed her. She wasthe exact opposite of princess-like, and it was obviously justanother way Gideon acted like an irritating big brother. But thatwas before she’d begun noticing how good his ass looked in jeans,or the way his body had filled out now that he was a policeofficer.

She was havingdecidedly un-sister-like thoughts about Gideon and they’d bothexcited and confused her. Hearing him call her Princess in thatdeep voice of his, had only heightened her newly discovered urgesfor him.

Of course, hehadn’t called her Princess in years. Not since before his parentsdied.

“What are youdoing in my bed?” She resisted the urge to reach out and touch him,afraid he would leave if she did.

“You’re in mybed,” he said.

“I am?”

He nodded andshe smiled sleepily at him. “Oh, right. Your bed. I haven’t beensleeping well lately.”

“Why not?”

“I don’t know.”She couldn’t resist her need to touch any longer and slid her armaround him, resting her hand on his broad back. “I like sleeping inyour bed.”

“I like findingyou in my bed.” He smiled at her and she licked her lips beforestudying his mouth.

“I want you somuch, Gideon.”

“I know,Princess.”

“Do you wantme?” She searched his dark brown eyes, looking for any hint that hestill wanted her.

Brown eyes?Gracie… Gideon’s eyes aren’t brown. Wake up.

She ignored herinner voice, wiggling closer to Gideon and rubbing his back. “Kissme, Gideon.”

“I shouldn’t,”he said.

She rubbed hisback again, using the tips of her fingers to smooth down the wiryhair that covered it. “You should.”

Wiry hair?Wake up, Grace!

“Please,Gideon. Just one kiss?” she pleaded. “Just one and then I’ll wakeup.”

He made a lowchuffing sound and she squeezed him a little tighter before tiltingher face toward his. “Gideon, please.”

“Whatever youwant, Princess,” he whispered.

His mouthopened and her eyes widened when his tongue, long and wide anddefinitely not human, licked her from her chin to the top of herforehead.

Gracie, wakeup!

Her eyelidsflew open and she stared at Tank. The dog was stretched out besideher on the bed, her arm was around him with her hand resting on hisback, and his head was lying next to hers on the pillow. He chuffeda second time before his tongue slurped across her face again.

“Tank, gross!”She jerked her head back and wiped the dog spit from her face. “Badboy.Bad boy.”

She turned ontoher back, staring up at the ceiling and using one hand to block himfrom licking her face again.

“I’ve beenkissed by a dog,” she croaked out. “Boil some water, rip up somesheets.”

She rubbed ahand across her face. Shit, what time was it? The room was dark,and she fumbled for her phone in her pocket. How long had sheslept? She had to get out of here before Gideon showed up and foundher in his bed. She’d die of shame if –

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