Page 111 of The Puck Stops Here

‘Sorry, headache, my bad.’

‘Can I get you something for it?’

‘No-no, it’s fine. Just do what you need to do.’

She hurried off and he dropped back on his bed, threw an arm over his head and closed his eyes. It was going to be a long morning…

* * *

‘Everything going okay, Fin?’

Astrid? Blake’s eyes eased open; he must have fallen asleep. Just the sound of her voice carrying down the hall had a smile working its way through him, the thumping in his head easing.

‘Aye, all set. We’re a man down but Stella reckons he’ll be here in a wee bit. Thanks for the coffee.’

‘No worries. I—’ She broke off, her tone taking a turn. ‘Sorry, Fin, I just have to make a call and then I’ll be back.’

‘Nae bother, take your time.’

Blake pushed himself to sitting and ran a hand over his hair – time to get this party started.

He hit the bathroom, freshened up and headed out, surprised to find Astrid coming down the hall at a lick, head down, ponytail swinging, thumbs working furiously over her phone. Why the sudden hurry? And why did she always look so goddamn sexy?

She’d skipped the glasses again today, but the waistcoat was back. Her white shirt lay open just enough to tease at the sweet spot between her breasts, while her jeans clung to her legs in a way that made his fingers itch to?—

‘Morning!’ he blurted, eager to cut the thought dead… not, as it happened, scare the bejesus out of her.

She jumped, and her phone flew, hitting the floor and skidding past him, straight into his room.

‘Shit!’ She dived to rescue it as he did, hurling herself in front of him and catching the doorframe as she went. She ricocheted from it to him and back again, going down like a pinball, ping ping ping.

He lunged to catch her, but she dragged him off balance and they went down together. One moment, she was beneath him, his hands braced on her hips. The next, she was on top, clutching the phone tightly between them.

Wide, glittering eyes blinked down at him in the dark; her soft breath swept over his cheeks…

‘Hey.’

Hell, was that his voice? All gruff and winded and weak. Though with her body pressed to every inch of his, her thighs straddling his hips and all the heat rushing south, it was lucky he could speak at all.

‘Hey.’

She was just as breathless, just as startled…

She shifted over him, the friction firing through his groin. Shit. He needed to move before— too late. She knew. She felt it. Eyes widening and then closing as she dropped forward and before he knew what she was about, she kissed him. Hard. Insistent. Going all in. And he was so here for it. The passion, the fire – holy fuck this woman could kiss!

He buried his hand in her ponytail, tugged her head back as he rolled her under him, his groan as wild as he now felt. Oh yes,thiswas worth getting all preened for…

‘Blake!’

They froze.Aiden. For fuck’s sake. The king of bad timing had returned and was hollering from somewhere down the hall…

Blake lifted his head, gave her a lopsided grin. ‘That was some good morning, Twinkle Toes.’

Now she scrambled. Hurrying out from underneath him, her hand quivering over her lips as she squinted up at him.

‘Blake?’ she whispered, her voice raw.

‘Yeah, who else would it—’ His gut shrivelled and rolled. ‘You’ve got to be kidding me…’

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