Read Online Sleeping ’til Sunrise by Mary Calmes - Free Book Online Page A

my abdomen to my chest before settling on the side of my neck. The sounds he made, the sweet little sighs, the sharp indrawn breaths, all let me know that he appreciated the feel of my skin, of me, under his palm.
    “We’re a mess,” I murmured as I wrapped him up in my arms and hugged him to me, allowing no wiggle room, just us plastered together, his head notched under my chin.
    “Yes.”
    “We’re going to make everything sticky.”
    I grunted softly.
    “I don’t want to date you.”
    “How come?” I rumbled, not worried, knowing that this was only the first part of his thought. He was getting there; sex had addled his brain.
    “We’re supposed to be together.”
    There was the rest. “Yeah, we are,” I agreed.
    “So let’s do that.”
    “What is it you want?”
    He took a breath, which had to be hard, since I’d only tightened my hold, not loosened it. Not that he was complaining. Apparently being bear-hugged agreed with him.
    “You won’t get scared.”
    “If the big thing didn’t do it, I think you’re good,” I said gruffly.
    “But you’re okay with that, with me being sick.”
    “I want you to be well, but as long as you’re okay with letting me take care of you and look out for you, as long as you don’t get mad when I remind you to eat right and get lots of sleep and—”
    “So, basically, let you be you.”
    “Right.”
    “And you’ll let me be me.”
    “I wouldn’t want you any other way, but you have to take care of yourself not just for you, but for me and for Ivy now, too, yeah?”
    “Yes, of course.”
    “Good. We’re on the same page.”
    “So then, I don’t want you to see anyone else but me.”
    “And you either.”
    “I want us to spend as much time together as we can, until the day you say, baby, this two houses thing ain’t workin’ for me anymore.”
    “Do I have to say ain’t?”
    He snorted. “No, you don’t.”
    “That’s lucky,” I teased, hooking a hand around the back of his head, taking hold of his hair, grasping tight and yanking so his eyes met mine. “But you could move in with me anytime you like.”
    His eyes fluttered as he let the obvious joy of being manhandled, of being made to hold still, wash over him.
    “That little catch of breath there spoke volumes,” I announced before I bent close, my lips hovering over his. “You’re crazy about me.”
    “Oh yes,” he rushed out.
    “That’s lucky, since I feel the same.”
    “I’m going to make you so happy,” he whispered against my lips before I claimed his and he opened for me.
    “I know,” I crooned after I pulled back, and rolled him over, lying down between his parted thighs.
    He wrapped his legs tight around my hips. “Don’t let me go. Don’t ever let me go.”
    “No,” I promised before I kissed him again.

Chapter Six
     
     
    I WAS surprised when Roark came staggering out into the living room wrapped in the quilt from his bed.
    “What’re you doing up?” I asked quietly, even as he reached me and leaned into my side.
    I myself was wrapped in the flat sheet from his bed as I stood in his living room in front of his bay window.
    “I might ask the same of you,” he said, groggy from sleep, his voice gravelly and low.
    “Oh, it’s just this thing I do.” I sighed, gesturing at the pink, red, and yellow streaked sky. “I only sleep ’til sunrise.”
    “I’m sorry?”
    “I sleep until the sun comes up, I watch it, and then I either stay up or go back to bed. Either way I’m good. I just never like to miss it.”
    “Even on vacation?”
    “Even on vacation.”
    “Why?”
    I shrugged. “My mother used to say that you needed to greet each and every new day so the Lord would always know you were thankful for the time you’d been given.”
    He lifted his gaze to mine. “I love that.”
    I smiled at him. “It’s annoyed a lot of people over the years.”
    “Oh, no, it’s perfect. I’ll wake up every day with you from now on.”
    “As long as you