“It sounds creepy when you phrase it like that.” A frown creased his brow. “I was going for romantic.”
Pursing my lips, I gave him some credit. “You did help me enact one of my wildest fantasies.”
There were a million times I’d daydreamed about him sweeping me off those beds and carrying me away.
Granted, he hadn’t implied I smelled in any of those half-formed wishes.
“The first thing you say after spending more than five minutes in the infirmary is you want a shower.” He smoothed a hand across his scalp. “I had this planned out in my head. I brought your favorite breakfast, I granted your biggest sickbed wish, I carried you upstairs for a shower in your own apartment, where you could change into your own clothes. The details kept me sane while you were just…lying there.” His arm fell to his side, and he huffed out a soft laugh. “And I got it wrong.”
Until this exact moment, I would have sworn that each corner of my heart already belonged to Midas. Yet I couldn’t deny the warm glow as every square inch lit with a bright and blinding love for him.
“You didn’t get it wrong,” I rasped, throat tight. “You got it just right.”
He cast me a doubtful glance that roved across my face to decide if I was humoring him.
“You are the single best thing to ever happen to me.” I crossed to him and rested my cheek on his chest, right above his heart, and tilted my head back to see him. “I love you more than chocolate, more than tacos, more than food trucks.”
The aquamarine of his eyes, bright and shining, shaded to a darker hue as he stared at me from under his thick lashes. “Really?”
“I would give up coffee,” I said solemnly, “pizza, and fried chicken for you.”
“I would go vegan for you,” he countered, unable to stop the twitch in his left eye as he made his vow.
“Big talk.” I leaned back, a smile tickling my cheek. “Are you sure about that?”
“I said I would do it.” His lips tightened on the verge of a curl. “I didn’t say I would enjoy it.”
“Hmm.” I traced our initials over his left pectoral. “I bet I know something you would enjoy.”
As my hand drifted over his stomach, the hard ridges of muscles clenched beneath my fingers.
“Are you sure you feel up to this?” He searched my face. “I could run you a bath instead, let you soak.”
“Let me guess.” I let him see how much I wanted this, wanted him. “You’ll volunteer to scrub my back.”
“It’s a hard job, but someone’s got to do it.”
“I showed extreme maturity in ignoring the opening about how up to this we both obviously are, though some of us are more up than others.” I cast a lingering glance down at where his hard length pressed against the front of his jeans, and a swarm of naughty butterflies launched an assault on my stomach. Which, when I thought about it, had the makings of a great B-movie title. “But a hard job? Come on. You’re giving me way too much material here.”
“You’re a pervert, but you’re a cute pervert.” His lips twitched. “Even if you’re not a funny pervert.”
The growl that rose in my throat caught his attention, and he wet his lips, his eyes sparking crimson.
Then his hands got to work unbuttoning his jeans and sliding them—and the galaxy underwear I bought him as a joke—down to his ankles. He stepped out of his clothes and kicked them aside before cocking his eyebrow in a dare that I join him.
“I’m shy,” I lied through my teeth. “You’ll have to turn around while I strip.”
“Not a chance.” His interest stirred. “You’ll run the second I give you my back.”
“Why must you insist on insulting my honor?”
“Hadley.”
I kept my arms where they were. “What?”
“Keep it up, and I’m going to take you to our cabin and clear the woods.” He stepped closer. “I’m going to steal all your clothes, and then I’m going to chase you through the forest until I catch you.”
Heat flushed my chest and worked up into my neck. “What happens then?”
“Use your imagination.” He raked his teeth across his bottom lip. “And maybe pack some bug spray.”
“Attack of the Gwyllgi Prince Part Three, huh?” I frowned at his discarded pants. “That’s weird.”
“Hmm?”
“I didn’t hear a thunk when your roll of quarters hit the floor.”
A growl revved up his throat, and I couldn’t stop from pivoting on my heel and bolting across the living room. It was too much fun teasing Midas. And maybe I did enjoy a good chase to get the blood pumping.
The new furniture gave me a slight advantage. It cost him precious seconds to maneuver as I zigzagged around the couch, the coffee table, and the bar in the kitchen. I was about to finish a lap when he spun on his heel, reversed direction, and anticipated my next move. He leapt at me, grabbed me around the middle, and flung me onto the couch. I didn’t get a chance to bounce before he jumped onto the cushions and settled his weight over me.
“I let you catch me,” I said primly. “You were so worried about me, I tossed you a pity win.”
“Mmm-hmm.” He ducked his head like he meant to nuzzle me then scooped me up and over his shoulder. “I could tell.”
“Hey.” I popped him on the butt. “What are you doing?”
“To the victor go the spoils.” He carried me into the bathroom, started the shower, and waited until the water got warm to set my feet on the tiles. “You can undress in there.”
The glass booth made escape difficult. Not impossible. But I would have to Hulk-smash my way out, and I didn’t want to break anything I would have to pay to get fixed later.
“Hmph.” I yanked the ties on my hospital gown, slid it off, and rolled it into a ball. I let it get nice and soggy, then I hurled it at his face. It made a satisfying smack on impact, and I grinned. “There you go.”
His growl shouldn’t have made chills dance over my skin, not with the water so hot, but he was very naked, and he wore it well.
A steady rumble poured out of him. “Can I still join you?”
“You’ll just stand out there and watch me bathe like a creeper if I say no, so why not?”
“How can I resist an invitation like that?” He followed me in and wrapped his strong arms around me. “How did I get so lucky?” He kissed my cheek. “How is it you’re mine?”
“You set your bar low, I tripped over it, and when it hit the ground, I started to look good by comparison.”
Laughter vibrated through his chest into my back, and he nipped my shoulder. “That implies I settled for you.”
“The sucker prize had to go to someone.”
The next bite was harder, and it made me shiver.
“Now you’ve done it,” he whispered in my ear as he slid a hand down my stomach. “Say it.”
Oh, I knew what he wanted, but only Addie could guilt me into voicing my mantra.
“Is that a roll of quarters in your…?” I frowned. “Dang it. You don’t have any pockets.”
The tips of his fingers continued their lazy downward path until he reached his destination, and I whimpered a sound that might have been his name.