Hot Secrets (Tall, Dark & Deadly #1)(24)

“I don’t rattle easily, and I wouldn’t have slept if you hadn’t stayed with me. That’s not me. I see a lot of nastiness and I’ve learned to compartmentalize it outside my job.”

“You have to,” he said. “Believe me, I know. And I’m here.” He slid his hand under her hair, around her neck, “And not just because of these threats. I’m here because I want to be.” He leaned in and brushed his lips over hers, and a shiver of pure need slid down her spine.

“I’m glad you are,” she whispered, unsure what was happening to her, between them. She’d never felt so consumed by a man’s presence, so completely drawn to him.

He ran his hand down her hair. “I might have woken you up but I do have morning gifts.”

She laughed. “Morning gifts? Hmmm. Please tell me its toothpaste because I shouldn’t have just kissed you.”

“Better,” he assured her. “I called the corner deli and they delivered donuts.”

“You had donuts delivered and I didn’t hear the door but I heard the phone? Now I’m questioning my survival instincts.”

“I was smart enough to step in the hallway to make the call and then have the doorman text me when he was bringing them up. I wanted to ask him a few questions anyway, so I made it worth his while. Cash and donuts buys a lot of information. A little trick an ex-cop taught me.”

She laughed, liking that he shared those insider jokes with her, but somehow didn’t seem a part of the insiders at all.

He pushed to his feet. “Stay put and I’ll bring them to you.”

Lauren smiled as he headed to the kitchen, and wondered if he even realized when he gave orders. Somehow, she didn’t think so, and was odd considering what she knew of herself and her dislike for bossy people, she found it endearing rather than irritating. And this wasn’t an order she intended to follow. She threw off the blanket and rushed towards the bedroom and her bathroom.

Not five minutes later, Lauren had brushed her teeth and hair, and washed her face, before returning to find Royce sitting on the couch with donuts and coffee for them both laid out on the coffee table.

“A girl could get used to a big brawny man attending to her caffeine needs every morning,” she said, joining him and sitting down beside him again. She reached for the coffee mug and inhaled. “The only thing better than caffeine in the morning is sugar.”

“I couldn’t agree more,” he said. “And you just happen to live down the road from one of the best donut makers in the city.”

“I’ll be the judge of that,” she said, opening the bag and pulling out a chocolate glazed variety, to take a bite. “Hmmm. Okay. Pretty darn good.”

He leaned in and kissed her, licking his lip afterwards. “You had icing on your mouth.”

Lauren felt her cheeks heat, and pretty much, her entire body, too.

“I’m staying the rest of the weekend.”

“What?” She asked in surprise at the announcement and then immediately set her donut on a napkin he’d placed on the table and shook her head in rejection. “You don’t have to play bodyguard, Royce. The building is secure.”

“And yet you wouldn’t have slept if I hadn’t been here last night. I’m staying with you or you’re staying with me. I’d rather stay here so I can evaluate what is going on with these threats in your environment and whether they are likely to continue. But,” he pulled her close, his lips lingering above hers, “I’d welcome the opportunity to have you in my bed.”

“Royce,” she said, trying to think past the warmth spreading through her body. “You’re impossibly”

“Bossy. Yes. I know. But I’m going to fight you on this one and I’m not going to apologize. I told you to listen to your gut. And my gut tells me to keep you close.”

“I don’t want you to babysit me, Royce.”

“Apparently I’ve not been clear. You interest me, Lauren Reynolds, like no other woman has in a very long time. I want an excuse to stay with you. Now, I just need to hear you say you want me to stay.”

She did want him to stay but he confused her, sent her mixed messages. “Where did you sleep last night?”

“I didn’t.”

“You didn’t sleep? Were you that worried about these calls?”

“I dozed off leaning against the couch at some point,” he said, dodging the question.

She studied him a long moment, reading between the lines of his many mixed messages. He was worried and he wasn’t someone to worry without cause. He thought she was in trouble and no matter what his motivation, his duty, or his interest in her, it mattered to her that he was here for her.

She brushed her hand over her cheek. ”You can’t stay with me if you’re not going to sleep. You have to be exhausted.”

“I’m not promising either of us are going to get any sleep.”

Heat and nerves collided inside her at those words. She wanted Royce, and yet, she was way over her head with him, inexperienced and vulnerable, two things she didn’t like to feel. She was too drawn to this man and it scared her.

“How about we go to my place so I can shower and change and pick up some things?” he asked, continuing. “Then, we can hunker down here and watch a movie, or I can beat you at tic tac toe. I don’t care what. Anything that will get your mind off this mess.”