when I got naked.” The look of confusion on his face prompted a giggle and she brought one hand up to stroke his bristly cheek. “But it’s not going to 80
Sweet as Sin
happen tonight for three reasons. One, I’m exhausted. Two, you need a shower and three, it’s not the right time.” His brows shot up quizzically and she rolled her eyes slightly. “Of the month, Murphy. Wrong time.”
Understanding dawned and he nodded before bending to take her mouth in his. Light and tender, his kiss fit her mood. His body molded into hers, hard where she was soft, firm where she was yielding. The rightness surprised her. Even his height seemed to fit perfectly with hers, his chin at easy rest on her crown.
He drained the orange juice, then pulled her out of the den and down the hall. The kitchen light shone harshly and he squinted while opening the refrigerator door. His rumbling stomach brought a wry smile to her lips. “If you shower, I’ll fix you something to eat.”
“You don’t have to cook for me, Liv. Despite what my sister thinks, I can take care of myself.”
He upended the carton of orange juice and drank directly from it. Livvy opened her mouth to protest, then remembered this was his house. He could do as he pleased. His throat moved as he swallowed, and she fought the urge to kiss his Adam’s apple. Would the stubble feel like sandpaper under her lips? The imagined coarse sensation spiraled lusty thoughts into erotic visions and she shook her head to clear her mind.
Inez Kelley
81
“Did you sleep at all?”
John tossed the carton into the trash and turned to the cabinet. “I conked out for a few hours in the chair yesterday then went to bed this morning for a while.” He dug peanut butter out of the jar with a tablespoon and ate it.
Livvy cringed, took the jar from him and
recapped it. He was such a bachelor. “Let me feed you real food.” John leaned on the bar while she scavenged in the refrigerator. “I’m glad you’re over your writer’s block.”
“Yeah, first time that’s happened. I’m not ashamed to say it scared the shit out of me. I don’t like being without my monsters.”
“You talk like they’re real.”
“They are, to me anyway.”
“Hungry enough for pasta?”
“Anything that’s easy, I’m not picky.” He shrugged and flipped through the full sketchpad.
He frowned at something then tossed it in the trashcan. He scratched his jaw furiously. “Do you care if I go shower now? I need to shave. My chin is itching like crazy.”
“Go clean up.” She smiled. “Food in five
minutes.”
Livvy set leftover marinara sauce to heat and dumped dried bowtie pasta in a pot of water. The sketchpad in the trashcan caught her eyes and she lifted it out. How could he just throw something 82
Sweet as Sin
full of such creativity away? She opened the book, searching for one picture.
A pixified Livvy stared out at her and she grinned. Did he really think her breasts were that big? And could he possibly draw her eyes any wider? Snorting in soft humor, Livvy tucked the notepad in her oversized purse. His trash was her secret treasure.
After retrieving some sausage from the
refrigerator, she sautéed it with onions and peppers. The lateness of the hour dawned on her.
This might be too spicy a meal. One flick switched the burner off and she went to ask about his stomach’s tolerance.
She peeked around the half-open bedroom door, listening for the shower. Silence met her and she frowned. The bathroom door stood ajar and she didn’t want to barge in. He’d probably left it open out of habit, not spiteful invitation as she had.
“Murphy?”
“Yeah?”
“You decent?”
“Depends on who you ask. Door’s open
though.” Livvy crossed the bedroom and stuck her head inside. John stood at his bathroom vanity with a deep green towel wrapped around his hips and his eyes closed, a bottle of contact solution in his hand.
Inez Kelley
83
Sexual awareness slammed into her
Sweet as Sin
happen tonight for three reasons. One, I’m exhausted. Two, you need a shower and three, it’s not the right time.” His brows shot up quizzically and she rolled her eyes slightly. “Of the month, Murphy. Wrong time.”
Understanding dawned and he nodded before bending to take her mouth in his. Light and tender, his kiss fit her mood. His body molded into hers, hard where she was soft, firm where she was yielding. The rightness surprised her. Even his height seemed to fit perfectly with hers, his chin at easy rest on her crown.
He drained the orange juice, then pulled her out of the den and down the hall. The kitchen light shone harshly and he squinted while opening the refrigerator door. His rumbling stomach brought a wry smile to her lips. “If you shower, I’ll fix you something to eat.”
“You don’t have to cook for me, Liv. Despite what my sister thinks, I can take care of myself.”
He upended the carton of orange juice and drank directly from it. Livvy opened her mouth to protest, then remembered this was his house. He could do as he pleased. His throat moved as he swallowed, and she fought the urge to kiss his Adam’s apple. Would the stubble feel like sandpaper under her lips? The imagined coarse sensation spiraled lusty thoughts into erotic visions and she shook her head to clear her mind.
Inez Kelley
81
“Did you sleep at all?”
John tossed the carton into the trash and turned to the cabinet. “I conked out for a few hours in the chair yesterday then went to bed this morning for a while.” He dug peanut butter out of the jar with a tablespoon and ate it.
Livvy cringed, took the jar from him and
recapped it. He was such a bachelor. “Let me feed you real food.” John leaned on the bar while she scavenged in the refrigerator. “I’m glad you’re over your writer’s block.”
“Yeah, first time that’s happened. I’m not ashamed to say it scared the shit out of me. I don’t like being without my monsters.”
“You talk like they’re real.”
“They are, to me anyway.”
“Hungry enough for pasta?”
“Anything that’s easy, I’m not picky.” He shrugged and flipped through the full sketchpad.
He frowned at something then tossed it in the trashcan. He scratched his jaw furiously. “Do you care if I go shower now? I need to shave. My chin is itching like crazy.”
“Go clean up.” She smiled. “Food in five
minutes.”
Livvy set leftover marinara sauce to heat and dumped dried bowtie pasta in a pot of water. The sketchpad in the trashcan caught her eyes and she lifted it out. How could he just throw something 82
Sweet as Sin
full of such creativity away? She opened the book, searching for one picture.
A pixified Livvy stared out at her and she grinned. Did he really think her breasts were that big? And could he possibly draw her eyes any wider? Snorting in soft humor, Livvy tucked the notepad in her oversized purse. His trash was her secret treasure.
After retrieving some sausage from the
refrigerator, she sautéed it with onions and peppers. The lateness of the hour dawned on her.
This might be too spicy a meal. One flick switched the burner off and she went to ask about his stomach’s tolerance.
She peeked around the half-open bedroom door, listening for the shower. Silence met her and she frowned. The bathroom door stood ajar and she didn’t want to barge in. He’d probably left it open out of habit, not spiteful invitation as she had.
“Murphy?”
“Yeah?”
“You decent?”
“Depends on who you ask. Door’s open
though.” Livvy crossed the bedroom and stuck her head inside. John stood at his bathroom vanity with a deep green towel wrapped around his hips and his eyes closed, a bottle of contact solution in his hand.
Inez Kelley
83
Sexual awareness slammed into her
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