Briefly towel drying my hair, I wished again that I would have better premonitions. Something useful like what Blake had planned. Sighing in frustration, I pulled on my pajamas and joined Emmitt in the room. There was no point in dwelling on what I couldn’t control, and my premonitions fell into that category.
My hair had mostly air dried by the time the food arrived. Emmitt tipped the room service person and groaned in appreciation of the aroma coming from the trays as he set them on the table. I teased him by reaching for the half-pound burger, and he playfully growled before offering to share a bite. Shaking my head, I reached for the smaller burger and carried it over to one of the beds.
“I’ll take this bed,” I said sitting down on the end of it.
He stopped mid-chew and looked up. He studied me for a moment then resumed chewing the bite in his mouth.
I watched him swallow and take a drink from his soda, wondering at his reaction.
“No,” he said. Then, he took another bite still watching me. His look, so intense and focused, made me a little uneasy and very confused.
“Okay. I didn’t know you had a preference.” I got up and moved to the other bed. This time I didn’t look at him but reached for the remote and turned on the television.
He moodily dropped his burger on his plate. “I don’t want to sleep apart from you.”
I almost laughed aloud. So that’s what this was about? Remembering his mother’s words, I primly set down my own burger and walked over to him. Leaning in, I pressed a quick kiss to the tip of his nose as he’d once done to me.
“Too bad.”
Before he had time to react, I walked back to my plate. “Eat your burger, Emmitt.”
It was hard, but I finished my burger while watching television. He remained quiet, eating his own meal. I could feel his steady scrutiny the entire time.
When he finished the burger, he ate both of our fries and the side order of onion rings. I didn’t know how he had the room. He hesitated when he finished, looking slightly frustrated, but then walked over by me and politely asked if I had finished, too. I handed him my plate, and he stacked it on the tray before placing everything outside the door.
I felt like I’d started a fight when he quietly closed himself in the bathroom.
I brushed my teeth then crawled into my acquired bed. The room was a comfortable temperature and the pillow soft. I didn’t think I’d stay awake long enough to hear back from Grey and Carlos.
Mentally exhausted, I fell asleep before Emmitt came out of the bathroom.
* * * *
The next morning, I knew I wasn’t in bed alone. His breath tickled the top of my head, and his arm lay casually draped over my waist. Slowly, I opened my eyes. Curled on my side, I lay facing him. He slept, his eyes closed and face relaxed. He’d made a gesture toward compromise and laid on top the covers. Since I’d said no to sharing a bed, I wasn’t sure it was much of a compromise.
Shifting slightly to get comfortable, I paused when I felt the edge of the mattress under me. How was that possible? I lifted my head to look.. He’d moved the other bed, pushing it up against mine. Technically, he wasn’t sleeping in the same bed as me.
I studied him again, amazed. His dark lashes fanned his cheeks, making him completely irresistible. Irresistible and mine, I thought with a smile. Mine. His clarification of how he felt about me rang in my head. He’d known I was the one for him when he first saw me well over a month ago. His complete certainty awed me. As did his patience. I frowned suddenly. He’d waited a month for a first date, a date with no first kiss. Why hadn’t he kissed me yet? A kiss to the tip of my nose didn’t count.
Looking at his peaceful face, I wondered what it’d be like to really kiss Emmitt. My stomach did a quick flip, and a flush consumed my face. I decided it was time to get out of bed before I woke him up.
I snuck to the bathroom and quietly closed the door. I couldn’t stop thinking about what he’d done after I’d fallen asleep. He’d moved not only the bed but also the small end table, which had been between the beds, and a lamp. He’d relocated everything, neatly arranging it all on the side of the room near the window. So much effort just to be next to me.
What was wrong with me? I feared starting the relationship I really wanted with Emmitt because of the looming danger of Blake. With Emmitt, I was happy and peaceful. Why was I letting Blake stand between us?
I crept from the bathroom and quickly brushed my teeth, trying not to wake him. In the mirror, I saw the covers on the opposite bed lay in disarray with the sheet trailing onto the floor. The pillows lay in a pile near the head of the bed. A few had signs of being squashed. He’d tried to do as I’d asked.
Though I tried to deny it, I wanted to be near him, too. Always.
I quietly rinsed then crawled back into bed, easing onto my side to face him. I lightly ran my fingers over his hair. It already needed a trim. He looked a bit like a porcupine. I focused my attention on the stubble on his face. He shaved each morning, but by evening, it grew out again.
While I was tracing his jaw with my fingers, he opened his eyes.
“Good morning,” I whispered, removing my hand.
He caught it and brought it to his mouth, placing a kiss on my palm. A surge of heat spread through me. His pupils dilated and his irises grew slightly, a sign of a partial shift.
With thoughts of kissing still drifting in my mind, my gaze shifted to his lips. Why did Emmitt need to be the one to kiss me?
He kissed my palm again then released my hand, running his fingers through my hair.
I hesitantly touched his chest. Could I lead? His heart thumped under my fingertips. I leaned in slowly.
The fingers in my hair twitched when I stopped just inches from his face. He didn’t move, but his eyes begged me to close the gap. Gathering my courage, I lightly brushed my lips against his.
Tiny explosions started in my stomach, sending out waves of warmth through the rest of me. He groaned. I pressed closer, absorbing the feel of his firm lips. My insides began melting with the heat the kiss created. It distracted me so much that I, at first, didn’t notice the bed shaking. This time, it wasn’t due to laughter on his part.
Reluctantly, I pulled back and looked into his eyes. What I found there humbled me. The dark blue irises were almost lost to his pupils. Very little white remained.
“Thank you for trying last night,” I said softly.
He reached up, gently touching my jaw. My skin tingled. I really wanted to kiss him again, but I could see his effort to control the slight tremors running through him. I didn’t think kissing would help. He disagreed.
He skimmed his hand around to the back of my neck and pulled me close for another kiss. Our lips brushed lightly, and I couldn’t help my smile. I nudged him so he lay on his back and moved closer to him. Not fast enough to suit him, however. He lifted me, moving me so I half-lay on his chest, an arm on each side of him. My heart stuttered and another explosion of heat went off inside me.
A low rumble echoed in his chest. Not a growl really, it was more a satisfied purr. I studied him for a moment to make sure he was okay with the situation before slowly leaning forward again. He lifted his head slightly, his smooth lips meeting mine. Possessed, I lightly nipped his bottom lip.
The tremors grew worse. The bed was going to shake apart. I reluctantly pulled back. His teeth had elongated, reshaping his lips. Any hint of white in his eyes had disappeared beyond his expanded irises.
“Maybe, I had better stop,” I said more to myself than him. I really didn’t want to, but...