Page 26 of Screwed

SEVEN

Iris

I winceas I roll over in bed the next morning. I brush my tangled red hair away from my face. I’m sure that I look like I’ve been in some kind of windstorm with how messy it feels from having Arlo’s hands in it for half the night.

I bite my lip as I think about the way he worshipped me in bed last night. He was so attentive, so in tune with what I needed. It was mind blowing.

I move to sit up in bed and wince again. My body is sore and achy in places that I didn’t even know could be sore and achy.

Arlo didn’t close the blinds all of the way last night and now that the sun is starting to rise, the light is shining right in my eyes.

Maybe I should have left my hair where it was. I could have used it as a makeshift sleeping mask.

Ugh, my mouth tastes like crap. I probably have terrible morning breath. I wonder if I can sneak away and grab a piece of gum out of my purse. I wonder where my purse even is…

I roll over and come face-to-face with Arlo. He’s lying on his stomach, his face half buried in his pillow. He’s still fast asleep and I use the time to study him.

He really does look like Captain America with his strong jawline and the almost boyish way that his sandy-brown hair falls over his forehead. The blanket has dipped low on his back and my fingers itch to touch him.

I want to run my hands all over him like I did last night. I want to feel as alive and in tune with him as I did when we were making love.

Morning sex always seemed like a bad idea. I used to think that I would barely be awake enough to enjoy it, but now, as I lie next to Arlo, I think that I might like to try it. Just the thought of feeling his hands and mouth all over my body again has me feeling more awake already.

What am I thinking? I need to get out of here. It’s already past opening time for my store and I still need to go home and change before I head to work. It’s going to be bad enough doing the walk of shame with most of the businesses on Main Street open now.

Besides, I know that Arlo is used to working nights so I doubt that he’s used to waking up this early. After last night, he deserves to sleep in.

I start to make a mental list of everything that I need to do today as I scoot toward the edge of the bed. I move slowly, trying not to wake Arlo and I let out a sigh of relief when I climb off of the mattress and see that he hasn’t so much as stirred.

I need to stop and check in with the police to see if they have any news for me,I think as I pull on my panties from last night.

I should call the insurance company too,I think, as I find my bra that’s halfway buried under his dresser.

How did that get there? I don’t even remember taking it off so it must have been when he was kissing me.

Gah! Stop thinking about last night. What do you need to do today?

I didn’t check my online store yesterday either. I need to update the inventory and make sure that I didn’t have anything that needed to be mailed out today,I remember as I find my dress and slip it over my head.

Maybe I should update my security system? Get something with video cameras to go with the motion detectors.

I find my shoes and purse on the chair by his window and take one last look at Arlo’s sleeping form before I tiptoe toward his bedroom door.

I barely looked around Arlo’s place last night. It was dark and I was too focused on what Arlo was doing and saying to me to notice the decor of his home.

He lives on the other side of town of Destiny Falls, kind of over by Maple Bend and closer to downtown, whereas I live closer to Lilac Harbor. Destiny Falls isn’t that big of a town and is right between those two towns, so even though we’re on opposite sides, it only takes about fifteen minutes to get over to my house from here.

He has a loft apartment above the Laundry Mat and I briefly remember him telling me that he owns it. I wonder if he means that he owns the Laundry Mat, his apartment, or the whole building.

I poke my head out into the hallway. I’m not sure if he has roommates, though I doubt it. If he can afford to own this place or the Laundry Mat or whatever, then I doubt that he needs roommates. Still, I don’t want to wake anyone up so I try to be quiet as I make my way out of his bedroom.

There are two other doors down this hallway. One is open and looks to be the bathroom but the other is closed. I want to open it, peek inside, and see if I can learn something about Arlo but it feels wrong to snoop so I resist the temptation and turn toward the main room.

I’m late enough as it is,I remind myself.

I tiptoe down the short hallway and come up short as I almost run into someone.

“Oh! Sorry,” I say, my face flaming as I look away from the guy’s bare chest.

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