WalkingSin by Lynn LaFleur

really good sex and
feeling comfortable with Kelcey in his arms thoroughly relaxed him. Before
sleep could claim him, he pressed a gentle kiss to Kelcey’s shoulder. “Good
night.”
    She squeezed his fingers. “Good night.”
    * * * * *
    In that world halfway between sleep and
consciousness, Dax thought he heard a car door slam. Then another. He frowned
when he heard voices outside his house. No one should be here. He’d barely
fallen asleep. It couldn’t be morning yet.
    His eyes popped open and he jerked fully
awake when someone banged on the window by his bed. “Hey, sleepyhead,” Rye
said. “You gonna stay in bed all day?”
    “Shit!”
    Throwing back the covers, Dax jumped up
from bed and grabbed his sweatpants from the floor. A quick glance at the
digital clock on his nightstand showed twelve minutes past eight. He hadn’t
slept later than six-thirty in years.
    “Dax?” Kelcey said, her voice husky from
sleep.
    “Rye’s here. Probably Griff, Alaina and
Emma too.” Hurrying to his closet, he shoved his feet into a pair of running
shoes. He scooped up his T-shirt and tugged it over his head as he headed for
the door. “I’ll stall them outside while you get dressed.”
    Walker was already at the back door,
waiting to be let out. Dax stopped long enough to snag a jacket from a hook
before he opened the door. Walker bounded out, almost knocking Rye down in his
haste.
    “Hey, fella.” Rye knelt to give the dog a
hard rub on his neck. “How come your master is still in bed after eight o’clock?”
    “Is it a crime to sleep in every once in a
while?”
    Rye looked up at him. “Nope. It’s just
unusual for you. Unless you were…busy last night.”
    Dax refused to respond to Rye’s teasing. He
wouldn’t tell anyone that Kelcey spent the night in his bed. It had to be up to
her if she wanted anyone to know they’d made love.
    He’d always thought of it as having sex,
yet with Kelcey he thought of being with her as making love. He didn’t
understand why everything with her seemed so different.
    He looked over toward Kelcey’s car. Alaina
and Emma stood with Griff, examining the car. Dax winced. It was a total loss.
Kelcey had been extremely lucky to walk away from that wreck without serious
injury.
    Alaina walked toward him and Rye, Kelcey’s
purse clutched in her hand. “Where’s Kelcey?”
    “Still asleep, I guess.”
    Emma and Griff also came toward them, his
brother carrying a large white box Dax recognized as coming from the donut
shop. Emma’s gaze swept over Dax. “You look all…rumpled.”
    “I’ll bet you look rumpled too when you first
get out of bed.”
    “Nah.” She grinned wickedly. “I look sexy.”
    “I’ll agree with that.” Griff wrapped an
arm around Emma’s neck and kissed her temple. “We brought apple fritters. You
got coffee?”
    “I can have it in a few minutes.”
    Dax led the way into his kitchen. He
stumbled a step when he saw Kelcey standing at the counter, measuring coffee
into the filter. She wore her own clothes, her hair brushed and shiny. Her eyes
glowed the way a person’s did who had been thoroughly loved.
    The thoroughly loved part sounded really
good. He wondered if it would be rude to chase everyone off and carry her back
to his bed. “Mornin’.”
    She smiled. “Good morning.” Her eyes and
smile widened when she saw the box in Griff’s hand. “Donuts?”
    “Apple fritters.”
    “Even better.”
    Since taking Kelcey back to bed wouldn’t
happen, now would be a good chance for him to change into regular clothes
before the coffee finished brewing. He clapped each of his brothers on the
shoulder. “Guys, play host while I get dressed.” After one more glance at
Kelcey, he headed toward his bedroom.
     
    Kelcey pushed the start button on the
coffeemaker to keep from staring at Dax’s butt as he walked away. She’d hoped
for another lovemaking session this morning. The arrival of his brothers and
her friends destroyed that idea.
    She