Page 44 of The Inevitable Us

He beams at me, his brown eyes twinkling with happiness. “I like that,” he answers softly, leaning down to kiss me. “You have the gate code?”

“I know the gate code to Taylee’s from last time,” I say as we walk down the hallway to the elevator and to my car to drive myself to the ranch with Sawyer following carefully behind me.

Once we’re at the ranch, Sawyer helps me carry my things upstairs and kisses me longingly. “I haven’t had you yet today,” he whispers into my neck, sending goosebumps down my spine. “Sleep naked for me?” he asks brusquely, his eyes hooded as he gazes down at me. “I like the idea of you upstairs naked in my bed waiting for me.”

I move away from him to free the kittens from their carrier. “Off at four am again?”

“Yes,” he groans. “I’m trying to get Taylee to adjust my schedule a bit, so I have more free time at night, but for now...” He gazes at the door, “I’d better head downstairs. One of the other guys is on shift tonight with me, so I can stop to eat supper with you. Just call me when it’s ready.”

He leans down to steal one more fast hard kiss, “Naked,” he reminds me. “And in the middle of the bed,” he adds with a soft wink of blue eyes.

I smile at his back as he shuts the door gently behind himself, and I get to work. Sawyer’s toiletries are lined up neatly on the right, so I take the left side. I leave my hairbrush on Sawyer’s side of the sink since there’s no room on my side with the cosmetic bag and massive three-wick candle I’ve left there.

Opening the top drawer, I find Sawyer’s left it empty for me. Spoilsport. Unfortunately for him, it’s not quite enough room, so I push over the neat piles of underwear in the second drawer and make room for six pairs of fuzzy socks.

I crowd the edge of the tub with large liters of feminine wash, shampoo, and conditioner, plopping my body scrub next to his blue bottle of shampoo. I replace the antibacterial hand soap with a jasmine-scented one and his bar of green soap with the artisan goat’s milk oatmeal lavender bar Josie buys for me every Christmas.

For good measure, I leave the shower curtain partially open to reveal my crime.

Content with my handiwork, I go downstairs to start preparing food for us.

Iknockonthedoor to the office, “Supper’s ready,” I announce once I hear a crisp command to come in.

The young guard named Laighton raises an eyebrow and looks down at his cold-cut sandwich and bag of chips. He swivels the chair around to face me. “Whatcha making, Rosalie?”

Sawyer clears his throat and frowns at Laighton, standing with his hands on his hips.

Laighton chuckles at Sawyer’s response and swivels his chair back to the monitors in front of him.

Sawyer grabs my hand, leads me out of the office, and locks the door behind us as he always does.

“Maybe you should just text me when the food is done, Baby Girl,” he hints again. He’d said the same thing the last time I’d knocked.

“But then I don’t get to say hi to your co-workers!”

He clears his throat again. “Exactly.”

We can hear the kittens running full speed overhead on the bedroom floor. “Why don’t you go get them?” I ask, setting my trap. “Charlie likes to climb the curtains now; I’d rather keep them with me when I’m not cooking.”

“Sure, I need to wash up anyway,”

“Oh and while you’re up there, could you please grab a pair of fuzzy socks for me? My feet are cold,” I pout. “They’re in the dresser.”

“Found your empty drawer, did you?” he laughs, shaking his head at me.

“Yep. I kinda organized my stuff up there since you were sweet enough to make room for me,” I tell him.

He bounds up the stairs quickly with his long legs. I listen carefully, waiting for him to find my handiwork.

A few moments later, he walks down the stairs without the kittens. “Enjoyed your afternoon of fun?” Sawyer asks, his gaze never leaving mine, his hands on his hips.His look is menacing. A warning.

“Just thought I’d make myself at home,” I say, my voice dripping with sugar. “Where are the kittens? You didn’t bring them!”

“They were asleep finally, curled up under the bed in the middle where I can’t fucking reach them.”

“They would have woken up if you’d called for them,” I dared to say.

He gives me a sardonic nod. “You should run while it’s still safe,” he growls.

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