What now?
It seemed she had her answer when he slid out from her body and got up from the bed. Without a word, without a look, he disappeared inside her bathroom. She heard him remove the condom and drop it into her small wastebasket. The sound of running water followed. She bit her lip and curled onto her side, waiting for him to return and imagining a million things to say as he dressed and took himself away, leaving her on the bed. Leaving her apartment.
She commanded herself to be an adult. No matter what, to not look as crushed as she felt. It was just sex. She should be grateful that it had been so good. Fabulous even. He’d given her unbelievable pleasure and he wasn’t going to make it complicated with talk or speeches or promises that he would never keep.
He returned then and stood looking down at her for a moment. She could hardly breathe as they stared at one another, not speaking. Suddenly she wished she had pulled the covers down to cover herself. With every inch of her exposed to his perusal, she felt self--conscious. Already this wasn’t going as predicted. Why was he still here? Why didn’t he say good--bye and go?
Knox reached to the top of the bed and tugged the comforter. She scooted to the opposite side of the bed, bewildered but giving him the access he wanted—-which was to apparently pull down the covers. That accomplished, he reached for her and placed her in the middle of the bed on her cool sheets. Her mind was reeling. She blamed her sluggish thoughts on the multiple orgasms. When he slid in beside her and turned her so that she was spooning him, she was still slow to process what was happening.
He was staying. Spending the night.
Every alarm bell in her head should be going off, but she could do nothing but hold herself still against him, her heart beating like a drum in her too tight chest as he wrapped one hard arm around her waist and pulled her back until she fit snug against his chest.
Briar finally found her voice. “What are you doing?”
“Going to sleep.”
She moistened her lips, somehow doubting she would ever be able to fall asleep like this. She had never slept with a man before. She and Beau had always gone to their separate beds. This was alien and strange. And it was Knox Callaghan. At the moment that struck her as the weirdest thing of all. He had been an inmate a short time ago, as off limits as a guy could get, and now they were spooning in her bed.
But it didn’t seem to affect him. She listened as his breathing slowed and evened. He was actually going to sleep. She squeezed her eyes shut in a hard, punishing blink, telling herself she would never be able to do the same. Not with his big, delicious body wrapped around hers. It wouldn’t be possible. Her hand came up to cover his forearm, enjoying the tight ropes of sinew beneath his skin that made her feel so safe. So protected. That was her last thought before she drifted to sleep.
FOURTEEN
KNOX WOKE WITH a start in the dark, disorientated . . . feeling like he was back in the prison again. In the hole where everything was darkness and cold. He whimpered, feeling lost, alone. Except there was warmth. Another body beside him. Wrapped up around him. Soft with sweet--smelling hair and a rounded ass that was rubbing against his dick. Pears.
His body knew her. Wanted her. He curled a hand around her hip and dipped down her navel to her beckoning *. Thighs parted sweetly at the first foray of his fingers. She was wet. Ready for him.
Briar sighed, moaned his name and rubbed back against his cock. He didn’t even hesitate. He removed his hand and positioned himself, sliding inside her, pushing deep. Tight heat surrounded him and he ground down against her, pumping faster, sliding through her slick warmth. Nothing had ever felt this good. So perfect.
Soft cries filled his ears, and his hands found her breasts, molding the plump mounds as he rolled over, pinning her under him and working in and out of her body.
“Knox, yes, yes, yes . . .”
The sound of his name drove him into a frenzy. She grew tighter around him, closing and squeezing him like a fist as he pumped in and out of her, slamming into her hard. He pushed and pulled and came with a groan, spilling himself deep inside all that sweet, milking heat.
He collapsed on the pliant body under him, feeling as warm and satiated as he had ever felt.
“Uh,” a voice said from under him, “you’re a little heavy.”
He stiffened and jackknifed into a sitting position.
He fixed wide eyes on Briar as she lifted to a sitting position beside him.
He dragged a hand over his skull, chafing the back of his head where the hair was the shortest. “Oh, God.” He’d just fucked Briar. Half asleep. Without a condom. “A--Are you okay?”