Page 72 of Playing for Keeps

“I wasn’t thinking of my wardrobe.”

Without hesitating, he took a decisive step away from her and pulled his T-shirt over his head. He slung it on the floor with a cocky twitch of his eyebrow. Next, he took off a sock and threw it onto the chest of drawers. The other sock went in the opposite direction. Standing in his jeans, he propped his hands on his hips. “How much more proof do you need that I’m fine with having stuff around the place?”

“A little bit more,” she said cheekily.

He held her gaze as he unbuckled his belt. Slowly, he removed his jeans. Allie’s insides quivered as she watched him undress.

“I’m running out of clothes,” he said, standing before her in only a pair of tight black boxers.

“If it helps you prove your point, I suppose I could donate my T-shirt to the cause.” Taking a slow step towards him, she raised her arms and let him peel her top off.

Dropping the T-shirt to pool beside their feet, he put a hand to her cheek and tilted her face, catching her lips lightly with his own.

“I might need more of your clothes,” he murmured, his voice silky smooth.

The feel of his bare skin against hers gave Allie goosebumps and her breath caught in her throat as he kissed her below her earlobe.

“You’re welcome to them all,” she said while her heart thudded in anticipation.

CHAPTER 26

Waking in a daze, Allie’s lips immediately twitched to a smile. The last thing she remembered was being curled up with Hugh, their warm bodies tangled. They’d abandoned the idea of a takeaway in favour of eating cheese on toast in bed. Then, with their heads heavy on the pillows, they’d whispered silly irrelevant conversations while the daylight in the room slowly faded. He’d been stroking her hair and she’d been aware of every place where their bodies touched.

Now, she was alone and checked her watch. Despite the feeling she’d slept the whole night, it had only been a couple of hours. The door was open and light from the landing spilled into the room. Her clothes were slung across the end of the bed, and she felt slightly relieved that Hugh hadn’t neatly folded them. She was still a little stunned by how ordered he kept his things.

Lazily, she pulled on her underwear and T-shirt, then ventured into the hall and across to Hugh’s office.

“I fell asleep,” she said from the doorway.

Hugh’s eyes shifted from his computer screen. “I noticed. You have a habit of doing that.”

He held a hand out and she crossed the room to take it. As he pulled her onto his lap, she noticed his soft grey sport shorts and casual T-shirt. He looked more relaxed than she’d ever seen him. Automatically, she kissed the side of his head, then ran her fingers through the short hair at his temple, which made him squirm slightly.

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

“Nothing. It tickles.”

She suspected he was self-conscious about his smattering of grey hairs but decided not to comment on it. “Do you ever let your hair grow longer?”

“No.” He shook his head. “It starts to curl and it drives me mad.”

“I bet it looks good.”

He pushed his hand over the slightly longer hair at the top of his head. “It constantly looks a mess if it gets longer.”

“Oh.” She smiled. “I see.”

“You see what?” he asked suspiciously.

“Nothing.”

His hand, which had been resting at her hip, crept up to dig into her ribs.

“Hey.” Laughing, she pulled his hand away. “I was only thinking about how your need to have things neat and tidy goes beyond household clutter.”

He rolled his eyes dramatically. “You can’t look at me as though I’m a weirdo because I like my hair short and have a tidy bedroom.”

“I wasn’t looking at you like you’re a weirdo.” She trailed her hand through his hair again, hating that he’d think that. “It’s interesting getting to know you better, that’s all. I’m allowed to be amused by your foibles, aren’t I?”

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