Branded as Trouble (Rough Riders #6)(38)

They stared at each other in silence for several long minutes.


“Talk about spilling our guts, huh?” she said with a laugh.


“Yeah. Mine hurt a little, to tell you the truth.”


“Regrets?”


“No.” Pause. “You?”


She shook her head.


“So the question is…you still up for datin’ me?”


“Uh-huh. But no sex? Seriously?”


“Nope. To start with, just havin’ you in my arms all night tonight would be good enough.”


“It has been a while since you’ve had sex, if you think cuddling is a good substitute for it.”


Colt laughed.


“Would there be kissing?”


“Some.”


“Touching?”


“Some. Only over our clothes, not on bare skin.”


India’s mouth dropped open. “We’re going to have our clothes on?”


“Yep.”


“All our clothes?”


“Well, you can take your socks off as long as you don’t put your cold feet on me.”


Her surprised look morphed into a shrewd one. “Fine. I’ll literally only sleep with you tonight. On one condition.”


“What’s that?”


“We have an end date for the moratorium on sex.”


He considered it. “Two weeks. From last night. That sound fair?”


India rolled her eyes. “I was hoping for two days.”


“Be glad I didn’t go with my original plan of two months.”


“That’s just cruel, McKay.”


“I’ve—we’ve—waited this long, a couple of weeks will be a snap.” He ran his knuckles down the side of her neck.


India leaned forward and kissed him. “I’m gonna so love tempting you into giving in before the official time is up.”


“You can try. But I can be damn stubborn.”


A cry sounded from the baby monitor. Then silence. When he looked back at her, she was yawning.


“Let’s call it a night. How about you check on the girls, I’ll set the alarm system and track down blankets and pillows?”


“Sounds like a plan.” India popped up off the couch like a jack in the box.


Less than five minutes later, they looked at the couch and then at each other. “What now?”


“Now we do what parents with little kids do. We fall into bed, exhausted, with thoughts of raunchy, hot sex the furthest thing from our minds.”


“That’ll work. But if you snore, I’m punching you in the nose.”


Colt tumbled them onto the couch, wrapped her in his arms and felt at home for the first time in years.


***


“But I really am a princess,” India read. She covered her hand with her mouth and yawned.


The book jiggled and an impatient Eliza said, “Innie. Read.”


“Eliza, we’ve read this book twice already. It’s boring me.


Can’t we read something else?” Headlights swept across the living room windows. “Hey. I think your mom and dad are home.”


The book flew and Eliza slid off the couch. She ran to the foyer and jumped up and down in front of the window.