Page 36 of Fumbled Beginning

“Bullshit.”

My chest rumbled with laughter when she pushed my hands away so she could cover her face. “How did you sleep?”

“Horrible?”

I arched an eyebrow. “Horrible?” I repeated back.

“Yes, because you snore.” She yawned, and I couldn’t help but smile down at her. “Loud,” she emphasized.

“I do not.” I totally did, like a congested bulldog.

“You might want to check with your doctor about that. My dad has a CPAP machine, he could probably give you a referral.”

Yanking the covers down, I started tickling her sides. “You think you’re just little miss peace and quiet? I got news for you sweetheart, you snore too.”

She squirmed and tried to swat my hands away. “I only snore when I drink alcohol.”

“You didn’t drink that much.” I stopped and stared at her breast. My heart sped up, and I slicked my tongue over my teeth. Shit! She wasn’t going to be happy with me when she saw the love bites I left behind.

“What’s the matter?” Her laughter stopped when she noticed my face.

My fingers traced the bruises I left along her skin. “It looks like I got a little carried away last night. I hope you’re not mad.”

Her hand reached up and cupped my face. “Does it look like I’m mad to you?”

Her eyes were soft, and her lips were tilted in a lazy smile. “No, but I won’t fight you if you want to pay me back,” I teased while waggling my eyebrows.

She tried to nudge me off. “Nice try, but I need to get going. My neighbor took care of my dog last night, but he’s got a grooming appointment that I need to take him to this afternoon.”

I swallowed and hated the thought of her leaving so soon. “Can I at least cook you breakfast before you go?”

Her lips pressed together, and my heart thumped erratically while it seemed like she took forever to answer me. “You don’t have to do that.”

“I want to.”

She tried to hide her smile, but I still caught it. “Okay.”

I kissed her lips briefly, trying to ignore the way my fingers itched to touch her all over again. “You can use my bathroom to get dressed. I’ll shower in the guest bath to save time, unless you want to conserve water and take a shower together.”

She rolled her eyes and pushed away. “We both know that won’t save either of us any time.”

After a quick shower, I walked into the kitchen to see what I had in my fridge. I pushed the containers of fruits and veggies aside, finding a couple of eggs, coffee creamer, and a bottle of syrup. I bent at the legs and remembered a loaf of frozen sourdough bread in the freezer.

I opened a few empty cabinets, wondering if I had anything else to cook; I pushed past the tubs of protein powder, boxes of oatmeal, and packages of protein bars and came up short. I walked back to the fridge, grabbed a container of berries, and set it on the counter. I made a mental note to buy a few things for next time. The thought hit me when I was in the middle of defrosting the bread in the microwave. Pulling on the back of my neck, I waited and waited for the panic to hit me, but it never came. This connection didn’t feel fleeting or temporary; oddly, I was okay with that.

I turned to the sound of soft footsteps descending the stairs. My grin was automatic at the sight in front of me. Her hair was wet from the shower, her smile was sheepish, and I loved knowing it was because of me. But it was the sight of her naked silhouette under one of my white dress shirts that made me want to throw her over my shoulder like a caveman and drag her back to my bedroom.

Her eyes traveled down my chest to the towel hanging along my hips. She was definitely checking me out, which was fine and dandy with me. “Do you always cook breakfast in nothing but a towel for your guests?”

My smile widened. “Do you always steal men’s dress shirts?”

“It was either this or walk through your house naked to get my clothes.” She pointed to the haphazard pile on the floor.

“Sorry. I should have brought those up to you.”

“You don’t look sorry.” She stepped forward, her eyes sweeping over me from head to toe. Those big brown eyes filled with heat, so I raised my hand and stepped back.

“Don’t go getting any ideas, little lady. I’m trying to be a gentleman here, so don’t you even think about seducing me. You’re the one who said you had to go, remember?”

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