Page 45 of Bad Boys After Dark - Brett
She pulled him down so their lips touched and whispered, “That’s why I didn’t say anything. I love that you brought it, and I love that you thought of me and what I’d like. So instead of tickling me, how about we take this into the bedroom and you can thank me properly?”
He was on his feet in three seconds flat, stripping off her sweater. “I’m going to thank you all night long. Think you can handle that?”
“I’m game for anything as long as it’s with you.” She palmed his erection, and he groaned, making her entire body tingle.
“Christ, Soph,” he ground out. “Now I can’t remember what I was going to say.”
“It’s a good thing thinking isn’t required for what I have in mind.” She fumbled with the button on his pants and he grabbed her wrist, stopping her cold with his dark stare.
“Did you hear what I said, babe? I’m not leaving you tonight. Can you handle that?”
Her eyes widened and her fingers curled around the waist of his pants. “You’re staying? For the night?”
“Unless you don’t want me to.”
“Are you kidding? You’re staying!” She leapt into his arms, earning a hearty laugh and another butt grab. “I can handle it, but are you sure you can?”
He strode toward the bedroom with her in his arms. “How about I show you just how well I can handle it.” He set her on her feet beside the bed and took her in a slow, sensual kiss. “All.” He lifted her shirt over her head and kissed the swell of her breast. “Night.” He removed her bra, sat on the edge of the bed, and pulled her over so she stood between his legs. As he lowered his mouth to her breast, he said, “Long.”
THURSDAY MORNING BRETT awoke to the feel of Sophie’s warm breath whispering over his cheek in soft, repetitive puffs. She was nestled against him in the same position in which she’d fallen asleep, with one knee tucked between his legs and a hand on his neck, as if she didn’t want to chance him running away. The thought made him happy and brought a knot to his gut at the same time. How did they end up here so quickly? A few days ago he was spouting off about not being her great love affair and Sophie had accepted him as such. She hadn’t pushed, hadn’t given him an ultimatum or otherwise tried to pressure him into committing, and she’d managed to reel him right in. He waited for regret to hit, for the restlessness that had chased him his whole life to send him sneaking from the bed and searching for his clothes. It was there, prickling around his edges, trying to get his attention, but there was an even bigger feeling standing in its way. He opened his eyes and found Sophie watching him with a tender, contemplative expression.
“Hi,” she said sleepily.
Her sweet, trusting voice doused those prickly edges. “Hey. Did I wake you?”
She shook her head, a smile lifting her lips. “But I’m glad you’re still here.”
“Soph…” He brushed her hair from her face, feeling a pang of guilt. “Did you think I wouldn’t be?”
She shrugged.
“You knew I was leaving all those other nights. You asked me to stay until you fell asleep, I didn’t…Shit. Was I supposed to read further into that? Why didn’t you say something? I told you I had no clue about how to go about this.”
“No, you weren’t supposed to,” she said quickly. “I didn’t mean that. I just wasn’t sure if you’d be here this time, even though you said you would.”
Her words felt like a well-deserved punch to the gut.
“I get why you’d worry, and I’m sorry for that. But you have to know I would never let you think I’d stay and then leave. I haven’t been able to go without seeing you for a single day since we’ve been together. You didn’t force me to. I’m here because I want to be with you.”
She nodded, brows furrowed, which made that knot in his gut tighten.
“I don’t want you to get scared and end this,” she said softly. “I’m okay with you not staying over if it’s easier for you.”
“Why?” came out before he could stop it. “You shouldn’t be okay with it night after night. You deserve more.”
