Page 108 of Oblivion

“Is no cuddling a rule?”

“Penny,” I warned, in a low tone.

If she was going to push the boundaries, I wouldn’t hesitate to kick her pert little booty back out of my bed.

“No cuddling. Got it.” She giggled, then exhaled dreamily. “Goodnight, Dante.”

“Goodnight, babe.”

We lapsed into silence, and I effortlessly fell into a doze. I was on the precipice of sleep when one whispered sentence, plus a hand finding mine under the covers, snapped me fully awake.

“You’re going to make someone so happy one day, man meat.”

I gave her hand an affectionate squeeze. “So are you, jailbait.”

CHAPTERFORTY-ONE

Dante

Groaning and cracking an eye open, I reached for my phone to turn off the quiet morning alarm. Returning to my back, I was drawn to warmth on the far side of the bed.

My gaze tracked over the angles of Penny’s smooth back in the hazy dawn light. Sighing and running a hand down my face, I cursed myself for the predicament last night’s decision left me with today. My focus danced over the dips and hollows of her curves hidden under the sheet, and an aching desire to reach for her left a heavy weight in my chest.

She was the sweetest kind of torture. I could have moved mountains powered from the way she looked at me. Worming her way into my bed last night just proved how soft-hearted I’d become.

Penny inhaled and released it as a sleepy sigh, turning in her sleep to nuzzle into my shoulder.

“Penny,” I murmured, smoothing back the strand of hair caught in her eyelashes.

“No gyming today.”

A sleepy chuckle tangled in my chest. “We’re definitely gyming today.”

She tucked in harder. “No.”

“Yes.”

I ignored her displeased harrumph and flicked back the covers. Crossing the room to my drawers, I pulled on a pair of shorts, then looked over my shoulder. The vision of Penny in my bed made me pause and swallow hard. Now on her stomach with one long leg exposed, she watched me intently.

My attention returned to her leg when her ankle flexed. “Put some clothes on, jailbait.”

“Iamwearing clothes.”

It didn’t look like it from where I stood, but I knew she wore little sleep shorts and a tank.

“Dress,” I demanded, and tossed one of my hoodies at her.

She tossed it back with a laugh and recoiled her leg. “I’m literally wearing clothes. And I’ll overheat in your hoodie. Your bed is sowarm.”

“Don’t get used to it,” I deadpanned, pulling on a workout tank. “C’mon,up.”

“No,” she protested again.

“I’ll carry you to the gym if I have to. Either way, we’re going.”

I bit back a snicker when she rolled away and buried her head under the pillow. Kneeling on the bed, I reached under the covers for her waist, and tugged. A smothered squeal came from under the pillow, one that had me laughing and pulling her to the edge of the bed.

“C’mere, you little minx!”

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