Page 59 of Matchmaking the Rival

I chuckled before we downed our glasses.

"This is good," I said. "Refreshing." I felt my body temperature cool down. I took her hand, lacing our fingers, and led us to the leather couch. Sitting down, I pointed to my lap. "Come on, sit here, pretty girl."

Grinning, she did as I said, although she planted her ass on the cushion next to me, placing her legs over my lap. Worked for me. I could see her better like this.

I ran my free hand up and down her calf, squeezing rhythmically.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"Copping a feel."

"And I'm thoroughly enjoying it." She grinned, shimmying on the couch. "I can't believe you're here, in my place. It's like you're larger than life, you know? Though I have to say, you fit in much better without that suit."

"What's the suit got to do with it?"

"Well, your sexiness level is...” She waved her hand. "Never mind. It all makes sense in my head, but I can't explain it to you."

I was pleased that she was so relaxed around me, that she could say anything that was on her mind. She yawned, taking the last swig of water from her glass. "What do you know? I'm getting drowsy again.”

“We were both full of adrenaline before. I'm feeling the tiredness too."

She pointed at my hand. "That's not stopping you from copping a feel, though, huh?"

"I could be hospitalized with the flu, and it still wouldn’t stop me."

"I love your priorities." She wiggled her eyebrows, moving closer to the edge of the couch. "Want to lie down here with me? I'll make space for you."

"Very generous."

"No, it's just better. I can cop a feel and lie down too." She winked as I lay down next to her.

The second I was in a horizontal position, exhaustion slammed into me. I put my glass on the coffee table next to the couch, laughing when I felt her fingers on my torso.

"How did my fingers even get here? Never mind."

I put my head down on the armrest, intending to keep chatting for a while, but I went out like a light.

***

Apiercing sound wokeme. I blinked my eyes wide open and moved just in time to catch Meredith falling off the couch. Shit, we'd fallen asleep here. It was already morning. A blinding light was shining through the windows.

"Great reflexes," she mumbled.

Sassy even in the morning.

"It's a good thing I woke up," I said, pushing myself up on one elbow, looking at her face. Her eyes were a little swollen, and her lips too. She had dark smudges around her eyes.

"Oh my God," she exclaimed.

"What?” I asked as she sat up straight so fast that she nearly slid off again, then jumped to her feet.

"I forgot to remove my makeup last night." She smiled nervously, which was unlike her. "I'll be right back."

"Where are you going?" I asked, but she was gone before I even finished the question.

"Bathroom," she called from afar.

I pushed myself up to my feet too. My towel had slid off, obviously. I decided not to bother putting it back on. Walking into the kitchen, I glanced at the clock on the oven. It was seven in the morning already, but that wasn't a huge surprise. We'd gotten to bed late.

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