Page 53 of Tangled Rose

Chapter 27

Dumbfounded by the direction of my thoughts, I loop my hands behind Beau’s neck and drag his mouth to mine for another kiss that leaves me reeling. Something is definitely happening to me, and I don’t know what to do about it.

Do I embrace it?

Or do I run?

Beau’s powerful body pistons into me relentlessly until, with a shout, he tenses, coming inside me. He lets loose with a string of curses that make me blush, followed by, “Goddamn, Seven, you can steal my T-shirt anytime.”

I swat at him and seek out his lips, nipping at him. “I do like wearing your T-shirts.”

He buries his face against my neck. “I like you naked better.”

“Well, duh. I don’t know of many guys who wouldn’t prefer that.” I slide my hands down his back and grab his ass. “And I like you naked, too. Literally, from the moment I saw you.” A bubble of laughter erupts from me.

“I knew right fucking then that this was inevitable. You and me. Even with your sassy mouth, I knew.” He stamps a kiss to my lips, pulls out of me, and rolls off the bed, heading for his bathroom. My eyes follow him as he goes. I want him again. But it’s also more than that. And that’s worrisome.

An unsteady breath flutters across my lips. What is this guy doing to me? My eyes shut, and I try to make sense of it—but I can’t. This isn’t how things are supposed to work.

I’m yanked from my thoughts when Beau crawls back onto the bed, pulling the comforter and sheet over us. “You know, you can wear anything of mine you want.”

I curl up to him, resting my head on his chest. I bite my lip and simply nod. His fingertips glide over the skin of my back as we lie together. It feels good. Right. But also, completely weird.

“Fuck. We have to be up in like two hours,” Beau groans.

“Sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry.” His throat works a swallow. “But do you want to tell me why the fuck you were doing laundry in the middle of the night?”

I rake my teeth over my lip, unsure how to answer. I peek up at him and mumble, “I’m not ready to let someone I don’t know clean my underwear. Do you think I’m weird?”

“No. Just funny,” Beau’s husky voice rumbles.

When he doesn’t say anything else, I think he’s fallen asleep. His chest rises and falls in a rhythmic pattern, and it seems like he’s out.

It surprises me when he murmurs near my ear. “I don’t expect you to tell me all your secrets. But I want to be able to help you if I can. It’s in my nature to take care of people. I don’t like it when I see someone hurting. And you were hurting today.”

My eyes flick up to meet his gaze. “I hear you. But I’m not used to having anyone care about me.”

“I’m not going to like your parents, am I?”

Ah, shit. I can see it in his eyes. I've said way too much. Reacting quickly, I go with the only thing I know for sure will distract him from this conversation. I kiss him deeply, my tongue massaging his and exploring his mouth. His hand skates down my back, only stopping when he finds my ass. My hand slides down his abdomen until I have his cock firm in my grasp. Slowly, I stroke up and down until I have him so hot and hard that he forgets everything, including the problems he doesn’t know I have.

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