“You can open me a beer and pick what you wanna drink, while I grab the baked potatoes from the oven.” I open the fridge and grab him a beer and me a bottle of sweet tea, and while I still have it open, he calls out, “Pull out the salad, babe, and whatever dressing you want.” I do then follow him back outside and set everything in my hands on a small plastic table as he sets out two plates holding potatoes wrapped in foil and some silverware. “How do you like your steak?”

“Medium rare.” I twist the top off his beer and open my tea. He comes over with a plate holding two steaks and places one on mine before taking a seat. I unwrap my baked potato carefully when he does then grin when I find it filled with cheese, sour cream and bacon bits. “Stuffed baked potatoes, steak, and salad. Did you call my sister to ask her my favorite meal?”

“You’re a Montana girl, so I figured you ate meat, and who doesn’t like stuffed baked potatoes?”

“Crazy people.” My mouth waters, because everything in front of me smells delicious. “I don’t even remember the last time I ate an adult meal. The girls live on a diet of pizza, pasta, chicken nuggets, and macaroni and cheese, and I feed them most nights, so I eat what they eat, which is probably why my clothes have started to get tight.”

“You’re not going to hear me complain. You have a beautiful body, and I love your ass, especially in those shorts.”

“I feel like you mentioned that before.” I laugh, and he grins.

“Dig in, babe. When we’re done, I’ll clean up, you can play with the kittens, and then we’ll go for a walk down by the water if you’re up for it.”

Four hours later, still full from an amazing dinner, tired from a hike around a small lake a hop, skip, and a jump from the back door, and happy to the point of giddy after kitten cuddles, I lay with my head on Talon’s chest. I didn’t have much say when he placed me in this position, but I have to admit I like it a lot.

“You falling asleep on me?” he asks softly as my eyelids seem to grow heavier, the show on the TV not even making sense.

“Yeah.” I plant my hands on his chest and lift my head so I’m looking down at him. “I should probably head home.” I cup his jaw, feeling the stubble there, then smooth my finger over his lips that I’ve felt against mine more times than I can count this evening. “Just so you know, you won the award for best first date ever.”

“Good to know.” He smiles, turning his head to kiss my palm. “So does that mean I get a second date?”

“You for sure get a second date.” I laugh, and he tangles his fingers in my hair at the side of my head.

“Tomorrow?” He uses his hold to bring my face closer to his.

“Tomorrow?” I repeat, no longer surprised he doesn’t seem to be doing what some other men I’ve known would do in his situation.

“Breakfast in my bed?”

“Are you asking me to come over first thing in the morning?”

“I’d prefer you stay the night.” He lifts his head to brush his mouth across mine. “But I’d be good with you coming over in the morning.”

My belly dips. I should say I’ll see him tomorrow, but that’s not what comes out of my mouth. “I don’t have anything to wear to bed.”

His lips quirk. “I’m sure I can find something for you to wear.”

Oh goodness, I’m really doing this. “I don’t have a toothbrush.”

“I have extra heads for mine. You can use one.”

“Do you snore?”

“Do you?” He raises one brow.

“I guess you’ll find out.” I smile, and he laughs as he pulls my mouth down to his.

CHAPTER 9

Talon

I BLINK MY eyes open, finding my room pitch-black with the woman I’m curled around warm and soft, the scent of her shampoo filling my nostrils. Fuck, I’ve never cuddled a day in my life, but I know I must have chased her across the bed in sleep, because this isn’t my normal side.

Last night after she agreed to stay, we made out on the couch until I was in pain then I slowed things down and settled her back against my chest, where she slept while I watched the news. I wanted to fuck her, and I know that if I had instigated it, she would have gone there willingly, not only after I ate her out, but while she was grinding against me on the couch. I also know there’s a chance that could have backfired on me.

She might act like she can handle any and everything, but I’m starting to see it’s all for show. She’s softhearted, sensitive, a worrier, and so fucking sweet. So instead of taking her to my room and fucking her like I wanted to, when the news ended, I woke her up, ushered her into my bathroom, handed her one of my shirts and a toothbrush, then closed the door to give her space.

When she came out, she called her sister to let her know she wouldn’t be home, while I went in and changed then joined her in bed, where I held her until she fell asleep—something that took a while. Now awake, hard and aching, I carefully move my arm out from under her head and lift my hand from her waist. I scoot off the bed and go to the bathroom, shutting the door before I flip on the light and turn on the tap.

I bite back a groan as I tug my cock out over the waistband of my pajama bottoms. With the visual of Mia in my head and the memory of her taste on my tongue, I jerk off, hoping like hell it will be enough to hold me over, but something tells me it won’t.

_______________

“You don’t snore.” At that quiet statement, I come fully out of sleep, open one eye, and look at the woman with her hip over mine, her foot trapped under my calf, and her wrist in my hand held against my side. “But you do cuddle and you’re controlling in sleep.” She flexes her wrist to prove a point.

“You sleep wild, babe.” Normally, I fall asleep in one spot and wake up there, but she wouldn’t stop moving around and eventually I got tired of chasing after her, so I trapped her in the position we’re in now.

“What?”

“You were all over the place last night.” I kiss the top of her head then bring her hand up to the center of my shirt-covered chest. “Are you always so restless?”

“I don’t know.” She frowns. “I’ve been sleeping in Lola’s room, and she only has a twin, so I don’t think so.”

“Hmm, maybe it’s because you had space.” I close my eyes in pain when she moves her thigh and nudges my hard-on with her knee.

“Are you okay?” She opens her palm on my chest and leans up on her elbow, a move that places her soft breast against my side and chest.

“Fuck.”

“What?” She moves again, and I grab her hip to hold her still.

“Don’t move,” I order on a growl, and her eyes widen. “Please.”

“Talon.”

“It’s morning,” I half-ass explain.

“I don’t…” she starts then her pupils dilate and her lips part, the look doing nothing to help my current situation, because it’s sexy as fuck. “Oh.” Her eyes drop to my waist and then she presses her lips together.

“Do not even think about laughing, Mia.”

“I’m not going to laugh, Talon.” She ducks her head right before a giggle escapes her lips.