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Her shoulders slumped as she looked at him with large sad eyes. He wasn’t expecting those eyes to be brimming with tears.
“Sam?” he asked again.
“No. I’m really not,” she admitted. “But I’ll be okay, don’t worry.”
Bryce fought down the worry that crept up. “What’s wrong? And why didn’t you say something? I could have come to you. You shouldn’t have made the long trip if you feel bad.”
“I didn’t want you to worry,” she said, leaning into him as soon as he sat down beside her. “And I wanted the whole week with you, not just a couple days over the weekend.”
Draping an arm around her, he pulled her back to his chest, absently stroking her collarbone. Same as every other time he was near her, he needed to touch her. It wasn’t necessarily sexual; he just craved the closeness of touch. Especially when he didn’t get to see her as often as he would have liked.
“I’m glad you’re here. I still say if you aren’t feeling up to it there’s no reason we can’t cancel the dinner tomorrow or at least put it off for a few days,” he reiterated.
“I’ll be okay. I think between the cold and the crazy rehearsal schedule, I’m just run down. I’ll be fine after I sleep in tomorrow.”
She opened her arms, inviting him to move closer on the couch. If he sat down for much longer, there would be no getting up. He nodded toward the kitchen before walking out of the room to put the grocery items away. By the time he rejoined her in the living room, her eyes were closed, and her breathing had slowed. If she wasn’t asleep, she would be soon.
“Hey,” he said quietly as he placed a hand on her shoulder.
Blinking several times, she looked up at him. “Sorry,” she mumbled. “Long drive.”
“Let’s go to bed,” he suggested. “You know I only sleep well when you’re here.”
Wordlessly, they made their way to the bedroom, all of the Christmas decorations left in the living room for the next day. Even though he’d complained about her suggestion to decorate, the gesture sent a feeling of warmth through him. Christmas had lost its magic once his mother died. Samantha was the first person to make him consider getting into the spirit of the season. The realization should have made him nervous, but instead, it made him smile as he stripped off his clothes and climbed into the bed beside her.
Samantha had stripped her clothes off and gotten into bed without bothering with pajamas, showing just how exhausted she was. With little effort, he pulled her close and wrapped her in his arms, his body relaxing against her smooth skin.
“Get some sleep,” he said before placing a kiss on top of her head. He then followed his own suggestion.
Chapter 16
Bright sunlight made its way through the thin curtains of the bedroom, causing just enough light to wake Samantha. Wearing only her bra and panties, it was Bryce keeping her warm under the blankets. He was still sound asleep, snoring softly. The clock on the nightstand read 9:00, and she stretched realizing she’d slept later than she had in what felt like years.
“Good morning,” Bryce greeted as he gave her a quick squeeze.
“Good morning,” she responded, raising her arms above her head in another stretch.
She felt much better than she had the day before, proving that her issue had been a lack of sleep. Turning her body, she rested her head on his chest and listened to the steady beat of his heart. His heartbeat picked up speed when she used her free hand to trace the contours of his abdominal muscles.
“Careful,” he warned, his voice a sexy rasp.
Ignoring his warning, she moved her hand further south, stopping only when she reached the waistband of his boxer briefs. His breath hitched as she traced the sensitive flesh with her fingertips.
“Careful of what?” she asked coyly.
In a quick move, he grabbed her hand, holding it still. “Careful you don’t start something when I know you’re tired and should be taking it easy.”
Feeling bold, she pulled her hand free and straddled him, taking pleasure in the look of surprise on his face. She was feeling a hundred times better than she had the past few days and saw no use wasting their alone time “taking it easy”. Leaning forward, she captured his mouth in a hungry kiss as she continued to run her hands over his body.
His groan rumbled through her as he met her kiss with a hunger that mirrored hers. He roamed her body, starting at her hips and sliding up until he carefully wrapped his hands around her neck, stroking her jaw with his thumbs. Trembling at his touch, she pulled back to look at him, her brown eyes locking with his hazel gaze.
“I don’t deserve you,” he breathed, his eyes never leaving hers.
“Make love to me,” she requested in a voice so husky she barely recognized it as her own.
His breath hitched, and for a moment she was frozen in place, looking down at him as he stared back at her, his fingers brushing against her cheek when he tucked a braid behind her ear. Without a word, he pulled her down to him, covering her mouth with his. She had gotten used to hard and fast. Ever since their first night together, they had been in a frenzy to get to each other. The rigorous rehearsal schedule left her feeling weary, and her insecurities threatened to overwhelm her when she thought about cooking and sharing a meal with a woman who Bryce used to date. She needed soft and gentle. She needed to know their connection was real.
Placing a hand on the back of her neck, he pulled her down to him, capturing her mouth in languid kisses, his tongue dancing along hers. Relaxing into his kiss, her hands caressed his nearly naked body, taking the time to appreciate every dip and ridge.
