“Good idea.”
It was after midnight when they got back to the house. Josh made a quick detour to his car and grabbed the box of condoms from the glove compartment. As they walked through the gates, she hesitated. A light still shone from the kitchen window. Were they waiting up for her, to check if she got home safely?
Christ, what were they, teenagers?
But at that moment, the light went out. “Hallelujah,” she muttered and almost high-fived. She didn’t want to see anyone right now. She had an idea she looked like she’d just had an orgasm while shoved up against a wall in an alley. That might help their story if they encountered Harry, but she found she didn’t want to act right now.
This thing with Josh was only temporary. And that was good. Because what did they have in common? Nothing. They’d drive each other crazy in no time. All the same, she didn’t want it rammed down her throat. Tonight had been magical, and no way was anyone spoiling it for her.
It occurred to her she was living in fantasyland. Again. But surely she was allowed a little time there.
“Shh,” she whispered as she slid her key into the front door and pushed it open. The house was in darkness. She headed to the kitchen first, Josh close behind her. She didn’t bother turning on the light; she knew where everything was, where everyone slept.
Unfortunately, Josh didn’t. He swore as he tripped over the sleeping form of Jace, her three-legged terrier. The dog yipped and scurried under the table, and Lexi reached across and switched on the light. She went to the refrigerator and got a couple of plastic bottles of water. This was going to be thirsty work. As she was closing the door, Josh’s arms went around her, pulling her back against him. His palms slid up her waist to cup her breasts, and one of the bottles slid from her hand, crashing to the floor.
She ignored it because Josh’s fingers had found her nipples through the thin material of her T-shirt, and he was rubbing them, tugging them, rolling them between his finger and thumb, and it felt so good. One hand pushed beneath her shirt, splayed across her belly then hooked around her waist to turn her in his arms. In one really impressive move—especially considering he’d had no practice over the last five years—he lifted her up and placed her on the big wooden table.
The second bottle of water dropped from her hand and bounced on the floor as he moved between the V of her thighs. One hand curled around her neck as he lowered his head and kissed her. She lost herself in the feel and taste of him, moaning low in her throat.
“Really? On the table, Lexi? And in front of Prudence.”
She went still as she heard Jean’s voice from the doorway. Josh withdrew his tongue, raised his head, and stared down at her. “Ever fancied loft living? I have this lovely, empty loft. Nobody. No dogs. No chickens…”
She gave him a rueful smile. “Doesn’t sound like my sort of place.”
He sighed and scrubbed a hand through his hair, but stepped back. “No, it doesn’t. Our room. Will we get a bit of privacy there?”
She liked the way he said our room. “Of course.”
She jumped off the table and picked up the bottles of water from the floor. Prudence eyed her disapprovingly from her basket. Lexi ignored the chicken, but gave Jean a narrow-eyed glare as she slipped past her.
Jean grinned. “You forgot your condoms. You might need them. Well, maybe not all of them.”
“Shut up,” Lexi growled, heat washing over her as Josh grabbed the box from the table.
They made it up to the second floor and were pausing for a kiss on the landing when a door opposite opened. Tom stood there, an expression of distinct disapproval on his face. He slammed the door.
“Christ,” Josh muttered. He took her hand and hustled her up the final flight of stairs and into her bedroom. He closed the door behind them, then studied it with a frown on his face. “No lock?”
She shook her head.
He looked around, crossed the room and dragged a chair back to the door, then pushed it under the door handle. “It won’t take a full frontal attack, but it might keep us safe for a while.” He tossed the box of condoms on the bed and then looked at her. “Now strip. Who knows how long we’ve got.”
He was already pulling his T-shirt over his head, and she stood taking in the beauty of his naked chest. He tossed the shirt on the floor, noticed she hadn’t moved, and raised an eyebrow. “Well?”
She kicked off her sneakers, pulled off her T-shirt, unzipped her jeans and dragged them down over her legs, kicked them off as well, and was in her underwear within thirty seconds. She didn’t quite have the nerve to go any further. She’d never been naked in front of a man. Actually, not in front of anyone. At least, not since communal showers at boarding school.
She glanced up, suddenly shy. He’d stopped moving and was staring at her, his eyes dark.