Page 91 of Dex

“I wouldn’t dream of you.”

“You literally said, ‘Dexter, don’t do that,’” I tease, making my voice mockingly breathless.

She glares at me, jabbing a finger in the air.“I remember now.I did dream of you.We were strangling each other, and I won.”

“Oh, sweetheart,” I say lazily, leaning back against the pillows.“You’ve definitely got the hots for me.”

She huffs, turns her back on me, and scoots even further away from me on the bed.If she moves another inch, I swear she’ll be on the damn floor.

I exhale, running a hand over my face.It takes me forever to fall asleep again.I toss and turn, but it’s too damn hot, and I can’t sleep in these clothes.I’m not used to it.

So, with Sleeping Beauty marooned on her side of the bed, I strip naked and pray I pass out before this night gets any more complicated.

Because, right now, I’m not sure I can handle waking up to her again.

***

DANI

It’s really hot.That’s the first thing I register when I wake up.

The second thing is far more alarming: Dexter is naked.Completely, unapologetically,naked.My brain short-circuits, and I scramble to process the fact that my brand-new husband is sprawled out beside me like some shameless Roman emperor, all golden skin and zero shame.

My gaze trails lower, below his belly and I shriek.From shock.From his nakedness, and hissize.And that he has a semi-erection.The sheets barely cover him, and the heat isn’t the only reason my face is on fire.

He shifts beside me, stretching like a well-fed lion, his muscles flexing with a lazy sort of ease.Then, just to make things worse, he cracks open one eye, completely unbothered.

“You been watching me sleep?”he murmurs, his voice thick with sleep, but the corners of his mouth curling up.I quickly move the bed sheet to cover him and I clutch the other edge of the sheet and hold it to me.

“Why would you do that?”I jerk my chin at him.

He frowns, rubbing a hand over his face.“Do what?”

I gesture wildly.“This!The …” I squeeze my eyes shut, willing my sanity to return.“Sleep naked!You were fully dressed from what I remember.”

He lifts his side of the sheet, peeks down at himself and shrugs, completely unfazed.“It was so hot, I couldn’t sleep.”

I gape at him.“So your solution was full nudity?”

“I always sleep naked.Don’t you?”

I make a strangled noise and whip around, facing the wall like it holds all the answers to my terrible life choices.Spoiler: it does not.

Behind me, I can feel his amusement, the sheer arrogance radiating off him in waves.

“You should try it sometime.”

“Never,” I hiss.

“You’re overreacting,” he says, sounding far too entertained.“It’s not like I planned to traumatize you.Trust me, I was far more concerned about not melting in my sleep.”

I groan, throwing an arm over my face.“This marriage is already a disaster.”

Dexter just laughs, deep and low.“Come on, amor.Don’t act like you didn’t luck out.”

I can’t see him, but I just know he’s sniggering.I amneverwaking up before him again.And that image of his nakedness?I can’t get it out of my mind.And now I’m feeling all hot and flustered.

***

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