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"Are you insulting my masculinity?" Ian pulled away from her and readjusted her skirt so it fell to her ankles again.
Rolling her eyes, but with no real irritation, she said, "I'm just being practical. We're going to fall if you try to carry me. And those steps are hard. Trust me, I've had the bruised knees to prove that running up them talking on your cell phone is not a good idea."
"I'm doing it."
"If you drop me, I'll curse you." Bree stood up and debated whether she cared if her panties were still lying on the floor. It seemed like a hell of a lot of effort to bend back over and pick them up when she was feeling so satisfied, sleepy, and tranquil.
Ian solved her dilemma by scooping her up into his arms, bouncing her a little to get a better grip.
"Ah!" She clung to his shoulders, off-balance. "Ian. I'm serious."
"And I'm tenacious. Get used to it." He started toward the stairs.
Bree was tempted to close her eyes so if she fell, she wouldn't see the floor rising up to break her nose and knock her teeth out, but she was too enamored by his cuteness to not take advantage of the closeness the position gave her to his face. She rubbed her lips over his jaw and the corners of his mouth.
"You think I'm going to drop you, so you go and distract me?" he asked. "Not a good idea."
"Sorry." Bree just watched him the rest of the way up the steps, studying the fine lines flaring out from under his eyes. Enjoying the length of his thick eyelashes and the strength of his jaw. "How old are you?"
"Thirty-two. In the best shape I've ever been."
His breath was a little ragged, and he had a death grip on her.
Bree laughed. "I can see that." At the risk of distracting him yet again, she brushed her finger over his lip. "But remember that you never have to prove anything to me. I know."
She wasn't entirely sure what she meant by that, but she could sense his feelings, could sense the contentment and happiness he felt with her, the wonder he had at his attraction, attachment to her. She sensed he was falling in love with her, and she was doing the same.
It was insane, but it was real.
"Thank you." Ian hit the landing, and said, "Which way?" "First door on the right."
He finished the odyssey by ungracefully dropping her down onto her bed and collapsing beside her. "Now leave me alone, Bree, I need some sleep."
"I haven't done anything! This is all you, every time." She loved their banter, that he could tease and take it back in return.
"Witches shouldn't lie." Ian stripped off his T-shirt.
Bree laughed, and shed her own skirt and sweater before pulling back her comforter. "Why not? Not that I'm lying, but if I was, why can't a witch lie?"
"I don't know. It seems deceptive." He punched the pillow to fluff it up and smiled at her.
"Such is the nature of a lie."
"Very true."
They both laughed. When Ian reached for her, she gladly went into his arms and fell asleep.
Chapte
r 6
Ian woke up, the dream still fresh in his mind, so real that he glanced around the room to figure out where he was. Still in Bree's room, the light from the bay window was gone. It was night already. He reached for her, needing and wanting to feel her warmth. He didn't understand the dream he'd had, didn't know where they had been in it.
"Bree?" he whispered, aware that she was probably still asleep, but not caring. He wanted to hear her voice in the dark.
"Yes?" she said immediately.
"Did you dream?" he asked cautiously. When he had planned this trip to Cuttersville, it had been his intent to end his dreams of Bree. Get over them, move on. Now that he'd had her, now that he was getting to know her and he saw how truly fabulous she was, he didn't want the dreams to end. In his sleep or awake. Bree had come into his life for a reason, and he wanted to explore the full length and breadth of that meaning.
