Her grin fading, Merissa watched him with big fascinated eyes. He didn’t remove his boxers. It’d be safer, for now, to leave them on.
“You’re hard,” she pointed out needlessly.
“That surprises you?” He stretched out over her. Her long hair was now tangled and residual amusement left her eyes sparkling.
“Does it mean you liked swatting me?”
He liked knowing she’d be his tonight. “Did it make you contrite?”
“Yes.” She kept smiling while trying not to and, damn, it charmed him.
“You don’t sound all that sorry, Stretch.”
She bit her lips and blinked those mesmerizing eyes at him. “Was I supposed to moan?”
“Mmm.” He bent to kiss her. “And get wet.”
Her eyes widened. “Well...”
“Yeah?” Interesting. “So maybe I should check.” Watching her, he flattened a hand to her belly and slowly moved it down, over her panties and between her legs. “What do you think? You’re hot.” So damn hot. His voice went rough. “Bet you’re wet, too.”
Her eyes turned all smoky and heavy and her lips parted.
He loved seeing her this way. “You like that?”
“I like you.”
Armie wouldn’t let himself get too pumped over that. Aroused women said all kinds of stuff in bed, some of it true, some of it bullshit. Merissa had wanted this, sex with him, for a while. Now that she was getting her way, she might say anything to keep on track. “What else do you like?”
“Not spanking.”
He grinned with her. “You had that coming.”
“I really am sorry.” She cupped a hand to his jaw. “I honestly thought you’d shower and see it and just...maybe think of me.”
He thought of her all the time, even when he shouldn’t. “It’s permanent marker. How am I supposed to get it off there?”
“Do you have any rubbing alcohol?”
“Should.”
“Then I could use that to remove it.”
Which meant she’d be fiddling around on his ass again—and he’d have to have his pants off. “Only if we’re both naked.”
“Okay.”
That immediate answer shouldn’t have surprised him. Merissa had made her interest more than clear. But for a girl with the giggles, she’d gotten serious real quick.
So many times she’d come on to him, but he’d always had to put her off. No more. “You want to have sex with me, Rissy?”
“Yes.”
Another fast reply. He felt compelled to ask again. “You’re sure?” He didn’t want her to have any regrets.
She pushed against his shoulders and he willingly went to his back. Now she loomed over him, her long hair spilling across his chest and shoulders. “I want you, Armie. You can’t have any doubts at all.”
His dick rejoiced.
His heart tried to join in, too, but he ignored it. One step at a time, he told himself. “We need to come to a few understandings.”
“If you mean more spanking—”
God love the girl, she turned him on. “No. Not unless you want me to.”
She shook her head fast. “Nope.”
He couldn’t hide his smile. “You have a very sweet ass, Rissy.”
“Really?”
“And gorgeous legs.” He put his hands on her waist and eyed her cleavage. “Everything about you is sexy as hell.”
“I’m so glad you think so.” Fretting, she touched the bandage on his head. “You’re okay?”
“You’re almost naked, talking about sex, stretched out on top of me. I’m better than okay.” He tangled a hand in her hair, drew her down so he could kiss her bruised jaw. “You?”
“I’m fine.”
“How was work today?” Hard to believe he’d just asked that. With any other woman, he’d be zeroed in on getting fucked. But this was Rissy, and she’d been important to him for a very long time.
She shrugged one narrow shoulder and didn’t meet his gaze. “I was antsy at the bank. Dumb as it is, I couldn’t stop thinking that the guys might return.” She released a big sigh. “Thank you for letting me be here with you.”
He needed her to know that she’d be spending the night. “Tomorrow,” he said, “if you wake before me, no more sneaking off. Understand?”
“I’m off tomorrow, so that should be okay. Anything else?”
“Yes.” He moved her to the side of him and came up on one elbow. “I’ve thought about this, about you, a million times. But the reasons I held off so long are still there.” With a hand at the back of her neck, he held her still for a gentle kiss. It was something he savored, being free to kiss Rissy whenever, however, he pleased. He wanted other, deeper, hotter kisses, but he didn’t mind building up to it. “I can take it if anyone attacks my character. I’m braced for it and I’ll deal with it. But I won’t let you get caught up in it.”
She narrowed her eyes, studied him, then said, “You don’t want Cannon to know.”
“I have a feeling your brother already does, but he’s being cagey about it.” Armie had no idea what Cannon was up to, but he wasn’t a mental slacker. He knew Armie better than anyone else, so no way would he think Rissy spent the night, twice, and nothing happened.
She looked momentarily nonplussed, then resigned. “You’re probably right. I never could keep anything from him.”
And everyone knew she had a thing for Armie. Maybe an infatuation, maybe curiosity because of his rep. At the moment Armie didn’t know and didn’t care.
He’d savor her nearness and take the rest day by day.
“What about the other guys? Their wives?” She rubbed her fingers over his bristly jaw. “I’m supposed to lie to them?”
Armie knew he had to be firm on this. “They know you stayed with me because of the bank robbery, but they respect you too much to outright ask you. Let them suppose whatever they want, just don’t confirm anything publicly.”
She snorted. “The guys might not ask, but believe me, Cherry is going to grill me until she hears every detail.”
Armie grinned. Cherry was a superstacked doll, and so in love with Denver it was fun to watch. “I still remember telling her how hung Denver is.”
Rissy’s face went red.
“Yeah, you should blush, because I remember how nosy you were about it, too.”
Her smile twitched and she whispered, “I’d heard so many rumors...”
Whispering, too, Armie said, “He’s not here, Stretch. He can’t hear you.”
Laughing, she turned into him, her face tucked near his throat, one of her legs between his. He wanted her bad, but he didn’t feel rushed because it all felt so special.
It was nice, indulging in presex laughter with Rissy. Probably the nicest thing he’d ever experienced.
They’d have all night, so he didn’t need to miss a thing.
He hooked an arm around her, keeping her close. “Denver’s a damn stallion.”
“I know,” she admitted. She tipped her face up to see him. “Cherry brags.”