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‘Won’t that get weird?’ she asked with her usual directness. ‘Tomorrow morning?’
He brushed her hair back to hook the unruly curls behind her ear, captivated all over again, and he wasn’t even sure why. She wasn’t wrong. He wasn’t a snuggler—once sex was done, he preferred to sleep alone—and mornings after could be just plain awkward, if his latest hookup had expectations of anything more substantial. But somehow, with Charlotte, he doubted that would be a problem.
And weirdly, her reluctance only made him more determined to get her to stay.
‘Why would it be weird?’ he asked to delay her.
She shrugged. ‘Walk of shame-wise? You really have to ask?’
‘I’m not ashamed of what just happened,’ he countered. ‘Are you?’
‘No, of course not,’ she said, but a hot rush of colour suffused her features.
He pressed a kiss to her forehead, feeling strangely protective of her. As a kid she’d been left to fend for herself in a very adult world. No wonder she was wary of being caught leaving his place. After theBlushpiece—and the viral storm still raging online—he knew what it felt like now to be objectified by social media’s keyboard warriors.
‘How about I help you to leave incognito tomorrow?’ he said. ‘The people hounding me on social media aren’t aware I’m in San Francisco yet.’ Or he certainly hoped they weren’t.
He’d like to see her again, but he could take his time if no one found out what had happened tonight. Luke’s party was famous for its privacy. And they hadn’t been seen anywhere public. So they were both good.
But why not make Charlotte his summer date after all? They’d have to figure out some stuff—logistics-wise—because she lived in London. And her brother might pitch a fit—but it would be worth the extra effort. One thing was for damn sure, he didn’t see himself getting bored with her soon.
She looked at him for the longest time, the flush on her pearly skin intensifying. His insides clenched. The desire for her to stay overnight and be here in the morning was unprecedented. And did not have one damn thing to do with the bet, if he were being honest.
Then her face broke into a huge yawn.
‘Come on.’ He took her hand, drew her toward the bed.
Throwing back the sheet, he guided her in, then climbed in to drag her body against his. Spooning for the first time in his life.
His body responded accordingly.
She shifted against him. ‘FYI, I’m far too shattered to do anything about that...’
He smiled against her hair, his arm tightening around her waist. ‘Ignore it. It’ll go down eventually.’
Although it took a while, because listening to her breathing deepen was impossibly arousing, too.
He stared out into the San Francisco night, his body pounding with need, and wondered when and how he had become so enchanted by her.
But as he drifted into sleep himself, finally letting the hunger go, he persuaded himself his desire to keep Charlotte for longer than he’d originally planned was all about finding a way to win the bet...while also having an entertaining and enjoyable summer.
No big deal.
CHAPTER FIVE
CHARLEY’SEYESFLUTTEREDopen to find her nose pushed into firm tanned flesh which smelled of salt and pine woods and man.
Mmm... Delicious.
But then full consciousness returned.
Cade Landry!
She was wrapped around the man she had spent one incredible night with at Cassandra Broussard’s party. But the awareness making all her pulse points pound was soon joined by a wave of panic.
She shifted away from him, her disorientated senses becoming aware not just of all the places her body felt different—well-used, a little sore—but also that the night had meant more to her than it should.
Why else was she still in his bed? She had never spent the whole night with a guy.
