Chapter Twenty-Seven

As much as Lena just wanted to fall into bed, she wanted a hot shower even more.

“Do you mind if I use the bathroom first?” she asked politely. If Dane wanted to hate her, she wouldn’t put up a fuss, but she was going to kill him with kindness in the meantime.

“No, go ahead.”

He’d tossed his bag on the first bed, so she took the second one.

She took longer than necessary in the shower, enjoying the hot water flowing over her tired body. When she stepped back in the room, he wasn’t there. Then she noticed the keys to the Jeep and his phone were still on the desk, and relaxed. Anyway, she was much too tired to worry about it. If he wasn’t back by morning, she’d figure out what to do then.

Her head hit the pillow and her world spun out into oblivion.

At some point, a hard body slid in behind her.

Dane’s warm skin smelled of hotel soap, and she let out a shocked sigh when his hand moved around her waist and worked under the shirt of her pajamas. She took a moment to wish she hadn’t gone for the winky-face emoji pajamas and had instead gotten something a little more sophisticated. At least she’d shaved her legs.

When his thumb found her nipple, she forgot about the pajamas and focused on the intense sensation. She couldn’t remember the last time anyone had bothered to touch her breasts.

Two years ago, when she and Brandon were still together, he hadn’t bothered anymore. He’d simply done his thing and rolled off her to fall asleep.

By contrast, Dane was quite skilled in the art of satisfactory breast manipulation. She let out a moan, and stretched so he could reach the other side.

His lips touched the side of her neck and moved up to her ear. “Is this okay?” he asked. Whether he meant being in her bed or what he was doing to her nipple, the answer was the same.

“Yes. Please.”

Unable to stop herself, she shifted so her backside was pressed firmly against his hot arousal. “Oh God,” she murmured, hoping she remembered how to do this without embarrassing herself.

Instincts kicked in and she rubbed her body against his, wanting to feel the strength and safety of his body. She should touch him. She wanted to, but wondered if she was allowed…

Reaching behind her, she found him naked. She wrapped her fingers around his hardness and gripped him tightly. He moaned his pleasure against her shoulder.

His hand slid from her breast, across her stomach, and under the waistband of her pajama shorts. She squirmed in delight. Lower and lower, until his fingers reached the spot where she ached most. She writhed against him. God, it had been so long. How she’d missed the touch of a man. And this one was so incredibly skilled…

“Please,” she begged, not caring if she sounded desperate. She was beyond pride as she tilted into his hand until he was touching her in just the right spot. “Yes. There.” She tried briefly to control her breathing, but gave up when his fingers entered her.

“Do you want me?” he asked.

At another time, she might have replied with something witty, but at the moment she could only squeak out her answer. “Yes. Please. I want you so bad.”

Then, right as things were really getting good, someone shook her arm, dragging her from a sleep so deep she would have sworn it was real.

The light between the beds snapped on, and Dane was standing over her with that annoyed look on his face. He shook her again, even though her eyes were now open.

“Wake up. You’re having a bad dream.”

She almost cried at how wrong he was. It hadn’t been a bad dream.

It had been terribly, amazingly wonderful. She squeezed her eyes shut again.

But it wasn’t real.