Page 38 of Playing it Country

I’ve only ever lived in the moment, and there’s no reason to change that now.

15

CASE

Ifall into my bed after the longest night ever. I have no idea how Montana makes any money considering how often we’ve been out to either fix his tractor or get it unstuck from a field—in tonight’s case it was both.

The sandwich I inhaled on the way from the kitchen to the bathroom sits heavy in my stomach, but I’m too tired to care. I’ve been working too much and my body knows it, but I don’t have another choice.

Hannah is too tempting. Sleep shorts or a baggy sweatshirt—it doesn’t matter. I want her so badly but I can’t break my rules or the fifty new ones I made up since she moved in. Even those new vanilla candles she brought home have my blood pumping hard in my veins.

My muscles groan as I roll over and try to get comfortable and bury my face in the pillow. The shower I managed to take did little to relieve the soreness, but I guess I probably needed to stay under the hot water for more than five minutes.

Thunder rumbles in the distance. It’s the perfect lullaby after today, and sleep takes me within minutes.

“Case.” My name is a whispered hiss in the darkness somewhere in my subconscious. It sounds nice in the feminine voice I can’t seem to place. “Caaaaase.”

“Hmm.”

“Case!” The voice is desperate as the storm crashes outside my window, and lightning illuminates the room to reveal Hannah in the doorway.

“Holy shit.” I jump up and do a half turn because I’m tangled in the sheet and she just scared the freaking daylights out of me.

“I’m sorry. It’s just me.”

“You okay?” I rub my eye with my fist and try to get my bearings.

“This is going to sound really stupid, but I’m scared of storms like this and I know this is a lot to ask but can I sleep with you?”

Umm…

I blink and try to focus on her in the doorway, clutching a pillow to her chest as she bounces nervously from foot to foot. Another crash outside has her jumping, and I throw the covers back on the other side of the bed in invitation.

“Come on.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m just wearin’ boxers and I’m too tired to get up, so if somethin’ pokes you, ignore it.”

“That’s no fun,” she says as she climbs in and gets settled, not on the edge but in the middle of the bed.

I flip my pillow over and I’m hit with the SCENT of her. Trying to ignore it, I settle back in as a crack of lightning has her pulling the covers up under her chin.

Sighing and resigned to my fate, I reach out and hook my arm under her side and drag her across the mattress until her back is against my front.

She yelps but doesn’t otherwise move.

“Case?”

“Ignore the poke and go to sleep.”

Snuggling back into me, she exhales contentedly. “I didn’t take you for a cuddler.”

“Yeah, I’m full of surprises.”

“You’re sweet, Case. Thank you.”

“Hannah?”

---