Page 33 of Eyes Like a Hurricane

Without opening my eyes, I gently swat his shoulder and nod against his shirt. I respond, “I’m fine with anything. But no horror. I can’t do horror, no matter how much I tell myself it’s just fake and part of a script. Every time I come across a similar setting in real life, I visualize the movie scene and panic.”

He chuckles but squeezes me closer to him. “Don’t worry, no horror. How aboutThe ProposalorThe Wedding Singer?” he asks.

I grin. “DefinitelyThe Proposal. I need my Betty White fix before bed.”

He laughs and kisses my hair. Leaning his head against mine, he grabs the remote and flicks on the TV. AsThe Proposalloads, I realize my eyes are getting heavy, and I'm struggling to keep them open.

“Thank you for everything today, Lachlan,” I mumble.

“You're welcome, Hurricane,” he murmurs.

Before Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds reach Alaska, I curl my fingers into his shirt, and my breathing gets slow and deep. My last thought before everything goes black is how warm and comfortable Lachlan is to snuggle.

Chapter 30

Lachlan

Tuesday, June 13

Light filters through my eyelids, and I slowly start to open them. I’m overheating and wonder if Finn slept on top of my legs again for the third night in a row. My back feels stiff, and I think my right arm is asleep. I open my eyes to a face full of soft liquid chocolate. I take in a deep breath and catch the lavender and vanilla that is Aislinn.

Last night, the movie had maybe been playing for ten minutes before I felt her breathing even out and slow down. Then her hands and legs started twitching. I realized pretty quick she was passed out. I had no desire to disturb her. It was no hardship to cuddle with her on the couch all night. I grabbed the large fleece blanket off the back of the couch to cover us both. After propping a pillow for my head, I slowly lowered our bodies down until we were horizontal on the sofa.

I realize my right arm is asleep because she is lying on top of my right side. Her leg is draped across my hips, trapping me against her. Knowing we need to get up so she can get to work and I can get the ranch ready, I slowly stroke her hair. She lets out a tiny moan and begins to stir. Her thigh brushes against my crotch, and I harden beneath her touch.

I try to distract myself and allow my body to calm down, but her breath against my neck and her soft hair along the bare skin of my arm is not helping either. Think, Lachlan, name all the horses and sheep. Thunder, Lightning, Hurricane… Hurricane, Aislinn, Aislinn draped across me in a pair of thin sweats and a cropped t-shirt. My fingers find the bare fragment of her skin from where the shirt has risen.

I trace little designs on her exposed skin, and she wiggles against me.

“Aislinn,” I whisper. “Time to get up, sweetheart.”

Her body stiffens, and I know she is waking up with no memory of falling asleep with me on the couch.

“Aislinn, hun, you are on my couch. We fell asleep watchingThe Proposal. I didn’t want to wake you, but we need to start the day,” I whisper.

Her fingers unclench from where they were grabbing my shirt, and she presses her palm flat against my torso. She slowly pushes herself upright but turns her head to look at me. Her eyes are puffy from sleep, and her face has little lines across it where my shirt has left an imprint. She looks adorable, and I wish we could just stay here for the rest of the day.

I meet her gaze with my own, and her eyes slowly track down my face until landing on my lips. I stifle a groan as her fingers travel up my chest and caress my collarbone. As her head lowers to mine, I wrap my left arm around her lower back and gently pull her on top of me.

Our lips connect in a slow and sensual kiss. I pull our hips tight together, causing her to gasp. I take the moment to tilt my head and deepen the kiss. Her fingers glide through my hair, and a groan rumbles from the back of my throat. This is my idea of a perfect morning.

Her core begins to grind against my hard length as she attempts to seek relief.

I’m slowly losing my control over the situation and say, “If we don’t stop now, I won’t have time to feed you before rushing to get my ranch tasks done, and you won’t make it to your clinic on time.”

Quickly, she brings me in for another, softer kiss. As she rises off my chest and looks down at me, her hair cascades like a chocolate waves around her face, and the morning light backlights her body. My eyes drift around her face, memorizing each feature until ultimately landing on her swollen lips.

“I could get used to this,” I murmur up at her as my hand reaches up to tuck her hair behind her ear.

She smiles as she climbs off me.

“Me too,” she sighs in a dreamy tone.

As she stands, I hold my breath fearing her ankle worsened in the night. She tentatively moves it around and then breaks into a smile.

“It barely hurts,” she says and begins to walk toward the mudroom. She passes back through the living room with a small pile of clean clothes. When she gets to the guest bedroom door, she looks back at me and smiles, “I had a great evening with you. I’m just going to get changed, then I’ll meet you back in the kitchen, okay?”

I nod, and the door clicks behind her. I slowly roll to my side and swing my long legs off the couch onto the ground. Planting my feet into the carpet, I lift my arms above my head and slowly stretch out my back. After a few minutes, my body loosens, and I stand up. Heading toward the kitchen, I brainstorm breakfast items she would enjoy. A bacon and white cheddar omelet should work. Before I get to the fridge, my phone rings on the counter.

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