Your Fierce Love (The Bennett Family #7)(54)

Come on, Clara, you can do this!

It's seven o'clock on Saturday, and I'd usually be in my bed this early in the morning-that goes double now that there is a hot man in it. But I woke up half an hour ago to drink water and had a stroke of inspiration to finish an illustration. So, I slipped out of Blake's bed and took refuge in my apartment, working at the large desktop I have installed on my kitchen table. I'm at the last stage of the process with this one. I start all of them by putting pen to paper, and then I import the rough sketches to my computer and use various programs such as Illustrator and Photoshop to finish them.

From time to time, I lift my head to give my eyes a break, focusing them on the explosion of colors-pink, reds, yellows-on the balcony. The dahlias and hydrangeas love the end of June weather.

With a bit of luck, I'll finish this before Blake even wakes up.

"Early bird, huh?"

I jump out of my seat, heart thundering in my chest. "Jesus! Don't sneak up on me like that. You'll give me a heart attack." Blake is standing in the doorway to the balcony, which I left wide open. I glance at the clock. Damn, when did it become nine? No wonder he's awake.

"Another illustration ready?" he asks.

"I was just adding the final touches."

"My offer still stands. I can ask my contact to take a look at your work anytime."

"No, no, that's really not necessary."

Blake cocks a brow. "You don't want anyone to ever see your work?"

"I'd love to share it with others, but I'm not ready yet." 

"When will you be?"

"I don't know." I shrug, turning off my desktop monitor. "Coffee?"

"Yes, please."

Minutes later, I hand him a cup. He pulls me in for a soft kiss, and I have the overwhelming desire to pinch myself to make sure I'm not dreaming about all of this. We've spent almost every night in the same bed since I returned from my trip last week.

"How did you sleep?" I ask.

"Someone slept on my arm the entire night. I woke up thinking it fell off."

I smile sheepishly. Yes, I have the habit of sleeping on his arm, on his chest. At some point Blake seems to have realized there is no shaking me off, so he spoons behind me, keeping an arm under his head, the other around my waist. I've never slept better than when feeling Blake's chest pressing against my back...and the inevitable morning wood, but that's an entirely different story. That's the bonus.

"It's your fault. You kept an arm under me instead of your head. You're quite the spooner."

"It makes you happy," he states with a smile. I swear my toes curl all on their own. Does Blake know how swoonworthy he sounds when he says those things? Evidently not, because he's not using his seductive voice or his playful voice. There is no secret agenda; he genuinely means it. Which makes it all the more swoonworthy.

"Go take a shower. We have to pick up the girls in half an hour."

Tonight he's taking me to see the Bennett Enterprises show. It's the first time we'll attend an event together, together. And before that, we're taking Pippa's girls, Mia and Elena and Julie, out for ice cream. Blake often takes the little ones out for walks or an ice cream, but he's never invited me over. I'm not sure he kept me out on purpose, but I was thrilled when he asked. I think it means he's letting me in a little more. Maybe I'm building this up in my mind to be more than it is, but I can't help myself.

"I'm so happy you asked me to go to the Bennett show with you. And to take the girls for ice cream."

"Thank you for saying yes."

"Who can say no to you?"

He gives an exaggerated wiggle of his eyebrows. Right, the amount of confidence this man possesses first thing in the morning is astonishing. Most people I know, myself included, need a good few hours to build up that trust. Makeup and coffee help, not to mention drop-dead-sexy shoes. Blake rolls out of bed with one hundred percent confidence.

"Shouldn't have said that. Boosting your ego first thing in the morning is a dangerous move."

Blake smiles, and without taking his eyes off me, brings one of my hands up to his mouth, kissing my wrist. It's just a light feather of lips, but a shudder zips down my spine. I catch my breath. When I feel the tip of his tongue on my skin, heat zings my center. I attempt to withdraw my hand but Blake pulls me flush against him, one hand still holding my wrist, the other securely on my waist. We look like we're about to dance, a beautiful and innocent pose.

Hold that thought!

He slides the hand from my waist farther down, lifting my nightgown and palming my bare ass. Uh-uh, I should have known better. Blake doesn't do innocent. Goose bumps form on my ass right away. He runs his thumb up one ass cheek, then down the other, then up the crack between them. I involuntarily roll my hips against him, then take a large step back.