Road to Passion by Piper Davenport

warm washcloth.
    “Spread, baby.” I did and he settled
the soft cloth against me, soothing the sting. “Feel good?”
    “Very,” I whispered on a yawn.
    He smiled and leaned down to kiss
me. “I’m gonna get you a shirt, then we’ll sleep.”
    “Give me a second,” I said, and
headed to the bathroom. Admittedly, I moved a little slower than normal. I
cleaned up a little more and then walked back out to the bedroom and grabbed my
panties, shimmying them back on.
    Mack smiled and wrapped his arms
around me, pulling me against his hard, naked chest. He’d pulled on boxer briefs
that only accentuated his perfect body even more. “How sore?”
    I stroked the corded muscle on
his neck. “A bit.”
    “I grabbed a couple of Advil for
you.” He ran his hands over my bottom. “And a T-shirt.”
    “Thanks.”
    “Let’s get some sleep,” Mack
said, and pulled the covers down. I slid in and he pulled me against him. I was
on my back, my side against him and he settled his head in his palm, hovering
above me slightly. “Tomorrow, we’ll grab some things from your place to keep
here, yeah?”
    “So this is going to happen
again, then?”
    Mack chuckled. “A lot.”
    I giggled. “Promises, promises.”
    He slid his hand along my belly.
“Just statin’ fact, baby.”
    “Now?” I asked hopefully.
    “No, honey. You’re still too
tender, but tomorrow we’ll try again.”
    I ran my thumb along his lower
lip. “I can’t wait to do research for my next book.”
    “We’ll be real thorough.” Mack
grinned, drawing my thumb into his mouth and sucking gently.
    “Ohmigod, you’re irresistible!” I
moved my hand to his chest.
    “Good to know.” He kissed me
quickly and then settled next to me. “But I need to shut this down, baby, or
I’ll hurt you.”
    “Gentleman to the end,” I said,
and rolled onto my side, settling my head on his chest.
    “I will always protect you,
Darien.” He ran his finger along my side and laid his palm on my bottom. “Even
if it’s from yourself.”
    “I know. It’s one of the things I
love the most about you.” I kissed his chest. “But try to remember I’m a
grown-ass woman who doesn’t always need protecting.” Mack’s body shook with
laughter, although, he didn’t make any sound. “Not funny, honey.”
    “Yeah, Darien, it’s funny.” He
gave my bottom a gentle smack. “It’s one of the things I love the most about
you.” I smiled, biting back another yawn. Mack pulled the covers up our bodies
and kissed the top of my head. “Sleep, sweetheart.”
    I yawned again as I slid my arm
over his stomach. “’Night, bossy.”
    Mack chuckled. “’Night, Darien.”
    * * *
    Saturday I awoke
to an empty bed, but the soft scent of Mack was left on the sheets next to me
so I burrowed in. I closed my eyes and kept them closed, even when I felt the
bed dip and soft lips kiss the sensitive spot just below my ear. “Good
morning.”
    I smiled, reaching my hand behind
me and sliding it into his hair. “Good morning.”
    Mack rolled me onto my back and
leaned down to kiss me. “How’d you sleep?”
    “Really well,” I said. “You?”
    “Once I pinned you to the bed,
great.”
    I raised an eyebrow. “What do you
mean?”
    He grinned and settled beside me.
“You did the alligator death roll more than a few times.”
    I giggled. “What the heck is an
alligator death roll?”
    Mack slid his hand under the
shirt I was wearing and laid it on my belly. “Well, it’s when you threw all
your blankets off, but then you’d throw your arm over me, grab mine, and roll
with them. I had to chase you to keep from freezing.”
    “You did?”
    “I did.” He kissed my neck. “But
I pinned you to the bed and you settled and stayed that way as long as I kept
you close.”
    I arched against his mouth. “I
did?”
    His hand slid to my breast,
cupping it gently. “You did.”
    “I think I love sleeping next to
you.”
    “Ditto, baby.” He rolled a nipple
between his finger