I nod to Ted, who stayed behind for Tex, and Hank, who shadows me. One of the temps, Marco, left with Cooper. Hank is wise to Coop’s shit, so when he can, he always makes someone else go with Coop.
Thank fuck none of them would talk about what they’d witnessed tonight.
“Come on.” I take Tex’s hand and raise it over her head.
She tilts her head back and laughs as I spin her on the spot.
Tucking her into my side, I hold on tight around her waist, and we follow Ted. At least this way, she’s not stumbling, so those pictures won’t be all over the Internet tomorrow. We will be anyway, but it’s not like it’d be the first time, and we’re not in some incriminating position.
We get back to the hotel, and Ted and Hank make their exit, knowing we want to be alone.
“Are you going to let me stay with you tonight, Tex?”
“Dumbarse question, Daniels.” She shoves the key card in the door—the wrong way around—and frowns. “Huh?”
I whip it out of her hand and do it fucking properly.
She looks up. “Oops. Come on, bedtime.”
Kicking the door shut behind us, I grab her around the waist, and she squeals. Fuck, she’s loud.
“Shh,” I playfully growl in her ear.
When I hug my arms around her waist, she giggles.
“I thought you liked it when I screamed,” she says.
“I like it when I’m inside you, and you scream.” And I fully intend to do that in about ten seconds.
“You still feel like a dream,” she whispers as I walk us toward her bed.
“Really do have it bad for me, sweetheart, didn’t you?”
She’ll never know how good that feels. For the past few years I’ve known her, I’ve wanted her. How could I not? She’s gorgeous and funny and challenging. I was okay with never being able to have her. I didn’t think about it much, and there were always plenty of women willing to get down and dirty. But when she told me she’d liked me for a while, fuck, it was like she shoved open the door, and all these feelings came pouring out, feelings I hadn’t known I had.
Stumbling under my arms, she laughs and nods her head.
God, I love this little pisshead so fucking much.
“Okay, into bed.” I turn her around.
Her eyes are glazed over from the alcohol, and her cheeks have a light blush. I’m not sure if that’s from the booze or the fact that we’re going to be naked soon.
“Kitt, the room is spinning,” she says seriously, like she believes there’s a reason for it that isn’t vodka or tequila.
“Close your eyes,” I say, laughing.
Her eyes flicker shut, and she raises her arms for me to undress her.
My breath catches. I know what’s under the material wrapped around her body, but it still makes my brain short-circuit when I see how beautiful she is.
Yeah, right here is where we belong.
TEXAS
TUESDAY, MAY 19
LISBON, PORTUGAL
Kitt is sleeping when I wake up the next morning. His arm is around my middle, and his leg is slung over mine.
And he’s naked. Win.
I’ve missed this so much.
Get a grip. You were in a fight for one day!
Oh, shit, I’m one of those girls, the ones I make fun of for being so bloody ridiculous.
That’s just great.
I’ve always prided myself on my ability not to need a boyfriend to determine my happiness, but the little bastard next to me has done that to me. When we’re not okay, I’m not okay. That’s probably normal when you love someone, and they hurt you hurt, right?
But Kitt isn’t hurt. We only fought.
Yeah, fabulous. I can’t even find a way to talk myself out of being a man-needy twat.
Kitt stirs in his sleep and tightens his arms around me, burying his head in my hair.
Best. Feeling. Ever.
“Are you awake?” I whisper.
“No,” he mutters, his chest rocking with silent laughter. “Go back to sleep.”
It’s only six a.m., so we can afford another couple of hours in bed.
Kitt is breathing heavily, so I know he’s drifted back off. I can’t. My heart is thumping, and I have butterflies. He’s here, allowing us some comfort. It’s perfect.
My phone starts to ring on my bedside table, and I know what little ho is calling me at this hour. I can’t wait to speak to her. I reach across, stretching my arm to the max, trying to grab it without disturbing Kitt. I scrape it closer with the tips of my fingers and swipe my thumb across the screen.
“Good morning, Peyton,” I say with a grin. Oh, yes, enjoying this already.
“Don’t use that tone, whore.”
I laugh and relax back into Kitt’s chest. “How was your night of hot sex with Jack Cooper?”
“You’re a total bitch, and I hate you. But I’m also really sorry. I left you with Kitt, which confirms that I’m the worst friend in history.”
I place a kiss on his knuckle. “Actually, it all worked out just fine.”
“It did?”
“He’s wrapped around me in my bed.”
She squeals down the end of the phone. “Thank God! Should I let you go then? Do you have more catching up to do?”
“Like you’re going anywhere before you tell me what the hell last night was. I thought you were absolutely not interested in Coop?”