“I guess I’m out of here,” said Ash.
Matthew sighed. “One of these days, we will get through everything without any drama.”
I laughed tiredly. “Good luck with that.”
Everyone except Kat left, and when I looked over at her, she was nervously fiddling with her sleeve. She’d been like that all evening, but who could blame her for being anxious?
We were finally alone, and I didn’t want to think about Blake or my brother, or what we had to do on Sunday night.
Kat looked over and our eyes met. “What?”
Standing, I stretched my arms above my head, noticing how her gaze dropped to the section of skin exposed when my shirt rode up. “It’s quiet.” I offered my hand and she took it. “It’s never quiet around here. Not anymore.”
She smiled as I tugged her onto her feet. “It’s not going to last long.”
“Nope.” I pulled her to me. Her eyes widened in surprise as I lifted her into my arms. Her squeal was lost as I raced up the stairs and into my bedroom. I placed her on her feet. “Admit it. You like my method of travel.”
Kat tipped her head back and laughed. “One of these days I’m going to be faster than you.”
“Keep dreaming.”
“Tool,” she threw back.
My lips quirked up on one side. “Trouble.”
“Oh.” She widened her eyes. “Harsh.”
“We should make use of this quiet time.” I advanced toward her, liking how her cheeks flushed pink.
“Really?” The backs of her legs rested against the side of my bed.
“Really.” I kicked off my shoes. “I say we have about thirty minutes before someone interrupts us.”
Her gaze dropped and lips parted when I pulled my shirt off and let it fall somewhere on the floor. “Probably not that long.”
I smiled. “True. So let’s say we have twenty minutes, give or take five. Not nearly enough time for what I’d like to do, but we can work around that.”
“We can?”
“Mm-hmm.” I placed my hands on her shoulders and pressed down so she was sitting on the edge of the bed. I clasped the sides of her face as I knelt between her legs. “I’ve missed you.”
She wrapped her fingers around my wrists. “You’ve seen me every day.”
“Not enough,” I murmured, and pressed a soft kiss to where her pulse thrummed on the side of her neck. “And we’re always with someone.”
She smiled as I started a trail of kisses that followed her jaw. “We probably shouldn’t spend it talking then.”
“Uh-huh.” I kissed a corner of her lips. “Talking is such a time waster.” I kissed the other corner so it didn’t get jealous. “And when we talk, we usually end up arguing.”
Kat laughed, and I loved that sound. “Not always.”
Pulling back, I raised a brow. “Kitten…”
“Okay.” She scooted back and I followed, climbing over her, caging her in. “You might be right,” she said. “But you’re wasting time.”
“I’m always right.”
She opened her mouth, probably to disagree, but I claimed her lips before she could get a word out. I don’t think she minded, because she melted into that kiss. Her fingers slipped through my hair, tugging me back when I lifted my mouth from hers.
Yeah, she didn’t mind.
Loved that mouth of hers, but I had other…ideas. I kissed my way down her throat and then followed the edge of her cardigan, my lips dancing over her collarbone. I kept going, over the flower-shaped buttons and lower still, until her chest rose and fell deeply and sharply.
My hands skimmed over the thin tights covering her legs as I sat back on my haunches. I grabbed one of her boots, brows rising at the softness. “What are these made of?” I tossed it over my shoulder. “Rabbit skin?”
“What?” She giggled. “No. They’re faux sheepskin.”
“They’re so soft.” I got the other one off. Then I inched off her socks. Catching an ankle, I pressed a kiss on the top of her foot. She jerked. “Not as soft as this, though.” Lifting my chin, I grinned at her. “Love the tights, by the way.”
“Yeah?” She wasn’t looking at me. Her eyes were fastened on the ceiling, her hands flattened against the covers as I ran my hands up her calves. “Is it…because they’re red?”
“That.” I moved again, closer to her, fitting my shoulders between her knees. “And because they’re so thin. And hot, but you already know that.”
I watched her face as my hands slid over her outer thighs, under her skirt, and then over the tops of her legs. I didn’t stop there. Oh no, the palms of my hands made their way along the insides of her legs. The bedside lamp flickered, and it wasn’t from me.
“Kitten…”
“Hmm?” Her hands fisted the covers.
“Just making sure you’re still with me.” I kissed the inside of her leg, above her knee.
“Don’t want you falling asleep or anything.”
Her chest rose sharply.
“You know what,” I said. “Give me two minutes. That’s all I need.”
“Whatever,” she said. “What are you going to do with the leftover eighteen minutes?”