“Do you want a beer?” she asks, and I turn my attention from Dizzy, finding her standing in the kitchen in front of the open fridge.

“Is it real beer?” I ask, and her eyes narrow, making me fight back a smile. “What?”

Even with the island between us, I still see her plant her hand on her hip.

“You’re the only one here who drinks the beer you bring over. I don’t have another man coming to my house, lounging around and drinking your alcohol,” she sasses, and I narrow my eyes. “And… I don’t drink it either,” she finishes.

“I’ll take a beer,” I grumble through clenched teeth, and she frowns before looking away, reaching into the fridge, and grabbing a beer and a bottle of water. Coming back to the couch, she hands me the open beer. “Do me a favor,” I say as she takes a seat, and her eyes meet mine. “Do not even joke about there being another man around.”

After studying me intently for a long moment, she whispers, “It’s been you, Harlen. For months, it’s been you, even when it wasn’t.”

Hearing her admission, I set Dizzy down on the floor, then drop my beer to the coffee table and take her water from her, doing the same with it before pulling her under me. “It’s been you from the moment we met.” I lower my voice. “I’m crazy jealous when it comes to you,” I admit, framing her face with my hands, and her eyes flare but not in a bad way. “It’s irrational, but it is what it is.”

“Okay,” she agrees, sliding her hands around my waist and moving them up my back, under my shirt.

“You okay with that?” I ask, and she tips her head to the side.

“I want whatever it is you want to give me,” she answers, and I press my forehead to hers.

“You sure?”

“I’m sure,” she says, and my eyes close.

“Fuck, I should have made a move sooner,” I repeat, opening my eyes, and when I do, I find hers soft. Seeing that look, I wish even more that I didn’t wait so long.

“It’s late, and I have to work tomorrow,” she says softly, and I turn my head and look at the clock, seeing its already after one in the morning.

“Right.” I touch my mouth to hers then start to move back, but her thighs tighten around my hips and her arms grip around my back.

“Will you stay the night?”

Fuck

“You want that?”

“Yes.”

“Then yeah.”

“Good.” Her hands slide farther up and I dip my chin, kissing her again, this time, deep and wet. Pulling away, I push up off the couch, dragging her with me. “I’ll let Dizzy out one last time and shut everything down, while you go get ready for bed.”

“Okay.” She leans up and presses her mouth to mine, and then I watch her ass until she disappears out of sight.

Looking down at Dizzy, I pat my thigh and he follows me to the door. Letting him out, I order, “Hurry.” And he rushes across the deck and down the steps to the grass, taking care of business before coming right back. Once he’s back in, I lock the door, go to the kitchen, grab him a treat, and give it to him, watching him run off before I hit the lights for the kitchen. Turning off the light in the living room, I make my way in the dark toward the open bedroom door at the end of the hall and walk in.

Seeing the door to the bathroom open, I sit on the edge of the bed and take off my boots and shirt then stand to unbutton my jeans. Pulling down my zipper, I freeze when Harmony walks out of the bathroom, wearing a light blue nightie, with pink lace covering her breasts and more of that same pink lace hitting her mid thigh.

Her eyes lock on mine and I watch her swallow. “I put a new toothbrush on the sink for you,” she says, and I lift my chin, finish shucking my jeans, and then head for the bathroom, wearing nothing but my boxers. Taking care of business, I wash my hands then use the toothbrush she left out, ignoring the fact that it’s hot pink. Once I’m done, I open the door and find the overhead light off but both bedside lamps on. She’s in bed, her back to the wooden headboard, a frilly gray comforter down around her hips. Unlike the rest of her place, I know at just a glance that her bedroom furniture is old. It doesn’t fit in with the look she’s building through the rest of the house, and it won’t be long before she’s searching for new pieces to replace all of it.

“Here.” She holds the remote for the television out toward me. “If you want to watch TV.”

Taking it from her, I pull back the covers and get into bed next to her. “You need to sleep.” I set the remote down on the bedside table then turn off the lamp, seeing her reach over to do the same with the one on her side. Once the lights are out, I pull her across the bed to me. The moment she’s there, she tucks her face into my neck, her hand slides over my stomach, and her thigh lifts to rest over my hip. Perfect, and yes I should have made a move a lot fucking sooner.

“Is this okay?” she asks, squeezing my gut, and I know she’s asking if I’m comfortable. I don’t tell her that I’ve never slept with a woman tucked against me before, or that I don’t cuddle. Instead, I pull her impossibly closer then touch my mouth to the top of her head, letting her know nonverbally she’s good right where she is. “Night, Harlen.”

“Night, Angel.” I give her waist a squeeze.

Lying here in the dark, I stare up at the ceiling, listening while her breathing evens out, then feel her body relax deeper into mine. Once I know she’s asleep, I close my eyes and follow her.

Feeling the bed shift, my eyes pop open, and it takes a nanosecond to realize where I am. Hearing a whimper, I tip my head down to look at Harmony in the light filling the room, and then I see her shift restlessly in her sleep. I roll to my side and wrap my arms around her. “Angel, wake up. You’re having a bad dream,” I say against her ear, and then pull back when she moans my name.

Jesus, no fucking way. My dick, which is already hard, pulses, and my jaw tightens along with my arms around her.

“Harlen.” Her hand slides over my pec and down my abs. Grabbing her wrist when I see where her hand is headed, I feel her freeze and know she’s no longer sleeping.

“You awake?” I ask, and it takes a second but she eventually answers.

“Yes.” She presses her forehead into my chest.

“What time do you gotta be out of bed?” I ask, letting her wrist go and sliding my hand down the material at her back.

“Um… nine,” she breathes, as I keep sliding my hand down until I reach the hem of her nightie.

“Is your alarm set?”

“Yes,” she answers, and I start skimming my hand back up and under the soft silky material.

“How about we see how far we can get before it goes off?” I suggest, listening to her breathing change and feeling her nails dig into the skin on my bicep she’s holding onto.

“Okay,” she agrees, keeping her forehead pressed into my chest.

“Tip your head back and give me your mouth,” I order, feeling her shiver. When she pulls her head back, I place my mouth against hers while sliding my hand over her hip and soft stomach. Her muscles bunch and her nails dig deeper as I slide my fingers along the lace edge of her panties. Only when I reach the apex of her thighs with my fingers do I kiss her, touching my tongue to her bottom lip. Her mouth opens on a gasp and I slide in to heaven with both my tongue and fingers, encountering wet heat in both places.

I deepen the kiss then move her to her back, rolling her clit with my thumb. Pulling her mouth from mine, her head presses into the pillow while her hips lift, wanting more. “Harlen.”

Hearing the need in her voice, I don’t let up, not even when her hand slides down my abs and into my boxers to wrap around my dick.

Fuck. Hearing her, smelling her, knowing I’m soon going to get a taste of her, my hips press deeper into her hand and I slide one finger, then two deep inside of her.

“You gonna let me have a taste of you?” I nip her earlobe, and her grip on me tightens. “You are, aren’t you?” I ask, and she moans, lifting her hips, riding my fingers while I keep my thumb at her clit circling. “Answer me.”