I said preach—shit.”
“Mmm.”
“Never mind.” He went into the bathroom. His backside ached. During the bug incident, when he’d caught her, something strained. A muscle? Nerve? Moral code? Whatever, it hurt like a sonovabitch. A hot shower would help.
Water pelted his lower back until he couldn’t stand it anymore. He considered crashing on the couch, but what could be the harm in sleeping together? She was down for the count, and he’d be up long before her. Besides, with his injury, he didn’t think he would survive on the sofa. He pulled on a pair of running shorts and tee-shirt, then downed a couple of pain relievers.
When he crawled between the sheets, she slid next to him and wrapped an arm around his waist. Dang, this might be harder than he thought. He lifted her wrist and returned it to her side only to have her snuggle closer, snake it to the same spot, and press her cheek to his chest. He might need another shower. This time a cold one. He squeezed his eyes tight and counted backwards from a hundred.
The music in his dream provided the perfect tempo for a slow dance. But the words the guy sang made no sense. Thirty-three, thirty-two, thirty-one. Swaying in his arms, Raynie felt so good he didn’t want to let her go, but something kept poking him. He slapped at it. “Stop.”
“Oh, crap. Did I take advantage of you?”
He jerked from his dream. Raynie gazed at him. Clothes rumpled, hair standing on end, she was still gorgeous. “What you’d say?”
She fell back on the pillow. “Did I come on to you? Please say I didn’t.”
He laughed so hard the bed shook.
“It isn’t funny.”
“Yeah, it is. When a woman wakes up in a man’s bed, she’s usually the one asking about being taken advantage of, not the other way around. Men don’t consider advances from the opposite sex a bad thing. More like a stroke of good luck.”
“That might be true with most men. But you’d never do anything inappropriate, so did I—or not?”
“You can relax. Our virtues are still in tack.”
She placed a hand to her chest. “Thank goodness.”
Jared sat up and shoved his pillow behind him. Her kind words caused guilt to surface again. One minute he wanted to confess, and the next thought it best to leave well enough alone. This was a confession moment. “Listen, there’s something I need to say.”
She followed suit and leaned against the headboard. “Me, first. I don’t think I’ve told you how important our meetings are. I’m not even a member of your church and you’ve taken time to help me. You’re the kindest, sweetest, most understanding man I’ve ever met.”
“Raynie . . .”
She raised her palm as if taking an oath. “No, let me finish. You have no idea what last night meant. You went to so much trouble to make me feel better. About Celeste. The problem at school. My insecurity. You make me more confidant. Like I can be a good role model for Silbie.”
“You give me too much credit. I . . .”
Now both hands shot into the air. “Please. Let me get this out. I don’t want another day to pass without you knowing how much I appreciate the time you’ve given me. Sometimes I come across as unreliable, flakey, and shameful—“
“Don’t talk about yourself that way. You’re none of those things. And, I’m not the perfect man you think I am. I’m—“
She bolted upright. “Now you stop! No matter what you say, you’re a wonderful person and without getting mushier, thank you for everything you’ve done. Let’s leave it at that. Okay?” She checked her watch. “You need to take me home. I’ve got to pick up Silbie.” She grabbed her shoes in one hand and her purse in the other, then faced him again. “Oh, what did you want to tell me?”
Dammit to hell. Why’d she have to say all that, and gaze at him like he was some kind of superhero? He took a deep breath. “I’m sorry. I searched your purse for keys and couldn’t find them. That’s why I brought
“Mmm.”
“Never mind.” He went into the bathroom. His backside ached. During the bug incident, when he’d caught her, something strained. A muscle? Nerve? Moral code? Whatever, it hurt like a sonovabitch. A hot shower would help.
Water pelted his lower back until he couldn’t stand it anymore. He considered crashing on the couch, but what could be the harm in sleeping together? She was down for the count, and he’d be up long before her. Besides, with his injury, he didn’t think he would survive on the sofa. He pulled on a pair of running shorts and tee-shirt, then downed a couple of pain relievers.
When he crawled between the sheets, she slid next to him and wrapped an arm around his waist. Dang, this might be harder than he thought. He lifted her wrist and returned it to her side only to have her snuggle closer, snake it to the same spot, and press her cheek to his chest. He might need another shower. This time a cold one. He squeezed his eyes tight and counted backwards from a hundred.
The music in his dream provided the perfect tempo for a slow dance. But the words the guy sang made no sense. Thirty-three, thirty-two, thirty-one. Swaying in his arms, Raynie felt so good he didn’t want to let her go, but something kept poking him. He slapped at it. “Stop.”
“Oh, crap. Did I take advantage of you?”
He jerked from his dream. Raynie gazed at him. Clothes rumpled, hair standing on end, she was still gorgeous. “What you’d say?”
She fell back on the pillow. “Did I come on to you? Please say I didn’t.”
He laughed so hard the bed shook.
“It isn’t funny.”
“Yeah, it is. When a woman wakes up in a man’s bed, she’s usually the one asking about being taken advantage of, not the other way around. Men don’t consider advances from the opposite sex a bad thing. More like a stroke of good luck.”
“That might be true with most men. But you’d never do anything inappropriate, so did I—or not?”
“You can relax. Our virtues are still in tack.”
She placed a hand to her chest. “Thank goodness.”
Jared sat up and shoved his pillow behind him. Her kind words caused guilt to surface again. One minute he wanted to confess, and the next thought it best to leave well enough alone. This was a confession moment. “Listen, there’s something I need to say.”
She followed suit and leaned against the headboard. “Me, first. I don’t think I’ve told you how important our meetings are. I’m not even a member of your church and you’ve taken time to help me. You’re the kindest, sweetest, most understanding man I’ve ever met.”
“Raynie . . .”
She raised her palm as if taking an oath. “No, let me finish. You have no idea what last night meant. You went to so much trouble to make me feel better. About Celeste. The problem at school. My insecurity. You make me more confidant. Like I can be a good role model for Silbie.”
“You give me too much credit. I . . .”
Now both hands shot into the air. “Please. Let me get this out. I don’t want another day to pass without you knowing how much I appreciate the time you’ve given me. Sometimes I come across as unreliable, flakey, and shameful—“
“Don’t talk about yourself that way. You’re none of those things. And, I’m not the perfect man you think I am. I’m—“
She bolted upright. “Now you stop! No matter what you say, you’re a wonderful person and without getting mushier, thank you for everything you’ve done. Let’s leave it at that. Okay?” She checked her watch. “You need to take me home. I’ve got to pick up Silbie.” She grabbed her shoes in one hand and her purse in the other, then faced him again. “Oh, what did you want to tell me?”
Dammit to hell. Why’d she have to say all that, and gaze at him like he was some kind of superhero? He took a deep breath. “I’m sorry. I searched your purse for keys and couldn’t find them. That’s why I brought
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