Reluctantly Royal(72)

With an amused smile, she took the shirt from me and slipped it over her head. Had my mouth been hanging open? Seeing her in that had been enough to make me forget my name.

She sat down on the bed and undid her stockings before rolling them down her legs. Turning around, she crawled across the bed toward the pillows, providing me with a great view of her perfect ass. She pulled the blanket out and lay down, tucking her hands under her cheek while looking at me.

I guess that meant it was my turn. Undoing the buttons of my shirt, I pulled it off and dropped it on the foot of the bed. I only hesitated for a moment before sliding my belt off and stepping out of my pants. I shifted so my body wouldn’t give away my reaction to her climb over the bed. I slipped under the blanket and she immediately closed the distance between us.

Raising my arm, I let her tuck her lithe body close to mine and rest her head on my shoulder. Her delicate hand rested on my chest and I touched the tiny pearl ring on her middle finger.

“That’s different.”

“My granddad gave it to me when I had Marty.” Sleep laced her voice. “He stayed at the hospital the entire time.”

“He loved you two very much.” I continued to trace the delicate ring.

“I miss him,” she mumbled.

“That’s natural.” I turned my face so I could kiss her head. “It’ll get better.”

“Promise?” Her voice was so soft I almost didn’t hear her.

“It takes time.” I sighed. “But yes, I promise.”

“Thank you.”

“You don’t have to thank me.” I closed my eyes and listened to her breathing. As it slowed, I shifted on my pillow and threw my arm over my head. For a minute I wasn’t sure if I would be able to sleep, but as I listened to her breathing, I found mine matching hers, and before I knew it I was asleep.

I must’ve been more tired than I’d realized because it wasn’t until I tried to roll over that I remembered someone was in the bed with me. Meredith’s leg was draped over mine; the T-shirt she had borrowed had ridden up to expose a delectable amount of flesh. My eyes scanned her face as her breath tickled my skin.

Her red hair was spread out around her head like a halo of fire. Her dark eyelashes rested against her cheeks. Delicate fingers twitched on my chest as she dreamed, and I wondered what she was seeing.

“You’re doing it again.” Her voice surprised me. I hadn’t realized she’d woken up. Her eyes were still closed but her breathing had hitched.

“What?”

“Staring.” She opened her eyes with a small smile.

“It’s not my fault.” I tilted her chin up so that I could see her eyes clearly. “You’re worth staring at.”

“Is that why you drew me?” She cocked an eyebrow.

“I had a nightmare.” I watched her face, noting the way her eyes crinkled in the corners.

She scrunched up her nose. “That’s not exactly a compliment.”

“From the time my father died, I’ve had a recurring nightmare.” I swallowed. “When it happens, the only thing that helps is drawing. For some reason the other morning when it happened, it was your face that made me feel better.”

She reached up and traced my cheek with her fingers. Sitting up, she looked down at me for a minute before pulling my borrowed shirt up and over her head. The black of her bra and panties contrasted sharply with her fair skin. Shaking her hair out, she looked down at me, her eyes full of emotion.

My pulse sped up as she sat up on her knees and ran her hands down my chest before sliding them back up to my shoulders. Lowering her mouth, she brought her lips to mine in a butterfly-soft kiss. When her tongue traced my bottom lip, I had to grip the sheets to keep from trying to take control. There was something special about having her take the lead. Plus it was fucking sexy to know that she wanted me. I could get used to waking up this way.

She shifted so that she was straddling me and I let myself rest my hands on her waist. I needed to touch her, even though I sensed it was important that she was initiating this and that she was in control. Her kiss deepened, her tongue tangling with mine, and my brain fought to stay calm. Red hair curtained our faces as she kissed me senseless, narrowing my world until it was just the two of us.

My hands moved of their own accord, along her ribs, over her shoulders, until I traced the straps of her bra. With delicate fingers I slid the straps down her arms before running my hands up over her neck so I could cup her jaw. She sighed into my mouth, her fingers on my shoulders tightening.

Sitting up, she reached behind her, undoing the bra and exposing her pert breasts to my attention. Unable to resist the temptation, I sat up on one elbow and caught a pink peak with my mouth. She gasped and let her head fall back while she tangled her fingers in my hair. Her skin was creamy and smooth and I couldn’t get enough of it. With my free hand I cupped her other breast, gently rolling the nipple between my fingers while I devoured the first tantalizing peak.