Only then did I take my hand away and stop my movement, but I still lay on top of her. I kissed her shoulder blades, pushing myself up on my elbows. She shimmied her hips, and I caught the smile on her face as she looked at me sideways.
I pulled out of her, quickly removing the condom before lying back on the bed. I was half straddling her, resting on my side. I was sustaining my weight on an elbow, but the other hand was free.
“I still owe you that massage,” I said, pressing three fingers in the crook of her neck.
She sighed, whispering, “How can you make me feel like this?”
“Like what, exactly?”
“Like I’m all you want. All that matters.”
“Because you are.”
Mel pressed the side of her face in the mattress, groaning. “I can’t believe I said that out loud. Those orgasms messed with my filter.”
I pushed a strand of hair behind her ear, looking her straight in the eyes. “You can always say what’s on your mind, Mel.”
“But we agreed on just having fun,” she whispered.
“That doesn’t mean we can’t be honest with each other,” I said truthfully, moving closer to her.
“And that won’t scare you away?”
“Not one bit,” I promised. “Let’s make a deal to always tell each other everything. Okay?”
The truth was I wanted more than that. I wanted to get close to her, but I wasn’t ready to admit that yet, not even to myself.
She raised her head, smiling from ear to ear. “Okay.” Flexing her shoulders, she added, “By the way, I’d love a massage.”
I immediately pressed my fingers in the crook of her neck again, kissing her shoulder. “Your wish is my command.”
“Ohhh, that’s great because I have so many plans.”
“I’m all yours, Mel.”
Chapter Seventeen
Mel
The next morning, I woke up with a start, hearing an alarm clock. Glancing around, it took me a few minutes to realize I wasn’t home. The annoying sound came from the nightstand—from a digital clock. I immediately silenced it and checked the time. It was seven forty-five. Glancing at the other side, I realized Dylan wasn't in bed. Had he set the alarm just for me? That was thoughtful.
Rising from the bed, I instinctively looked around for something to put on before remembering my clothes were in the dryer. And he only had those pesky little towels that covered nothing. Well, then, I was going to roam naked through his apartment. I was confident he’d enjoy a peep show first thing in the morning.
As I approached the living room, I heard Dylan’s voice loud and clear. He was probably on the phone.
I yawned, rubbing my eyes before stepping inside the living room carefully, glancing around. He was on the couch, holding his laptop on his thighs.
Holy shit! There was a green dot lit right next to the camera. He had his camera on, and I was buck naked.
The next few seconds were a blur. Dylan immediately shifted his laptop to one side, looking over his shoulder. At the same time, I took a giant step to the left, hoping to get out of the radius of the camera. I slammed into a bookshelf with my forehead. It hurt as if I’d sliced it open. My teeth clattered painfully. My eyes watered. Dylan exited the online meeting and was next to me in a matter of seconds, putting an arm around my waist.
"Babe, fuck. Are you okay?"
"Um, yeah. Sorry for the peep show. I thought you were on the phone."
"They didn’t see anything. I turned the laptop away out of reflex, but that part of the room wasn’t in the range of the camera. How are you feeling? Need some ice?”
I looked up at him, smiling. "I’m okay. I wanted to surprise you by stomping in here naked, and I guess I surprised your whole team."
His jaw tightened. "Again, they didn’t see anything."
"Uh-huh. Keep telling yourself that," I teased.
"I have to or I'll go insane."
"Mr. Gallagher, are you feeling possessive again?
"Fuck yes. I don't want anyone to see how gorgeous you are. Then they'll take you away from me."
I started to wiggle my eyebrows but abruptly stopped because it was making my forehead hurt. "Please. I don't think anyone can give me as many orgasms as you do. That's an incentive right there for me to stay."
“Good to know. I have a few other tricks up my sleeve.”
Taking a step back, I took a good look at him. He was wearing jeans and a white polo T-shirt and looked suspiciously perfect.
“How come you’re so fresh? We went to sleep at the same time.”
“I always wake up at this time. Got an hour of coding done before the management meeting.”
I blinked rapidly. “Wait, when do you wake up exactly?”
“At five.”
“Holy shit. Every day?”
“Yes.” He laughed, kissing my forehead.
“Wow. This is blowing my mind.” I cuddled against him, loving the feeling of his arms around me. I rolled my hips into him, and it took me a few seconds to realize he had a hard-on. Jerking my head back, I looked up at him. “Was this here before?”
His eyes were full of humor. “You need coffee.”
“Nah, I’m not a coffee drinker. But I always need about an hour after I get up from bed to feel awake. Possibly longer after a night like the one we had.”
“You complaining, Mel?” A sly grin spread on his handsome face.
“No, no. I was making an observation.” I scrunched my nose, trying to remember why I’d come in the living room buck naked. “Oh, my clothes. They’re in the dryer, right?” Just as I said that, it dawned on me, “Oh shit. We never got them out from the washing machine.”
“Relax, I did it this morning.”
My eyes widened. “Wow.”
“The perks of getting up early.”
“True. Besides, you’re very good at fondling me.”
“Are you implying that you don’t like what I do to you when I’m sleepy?”
“I always like your hands on me.” I lowered my voice to a teasing whisper. “But your technique is better when you’re fully awake.”
He gripped my ass cheeks with his hands, pulling me against him. “See? You’re proving my point.”
I covered his hands with mine, swatting them away before turning around. “Now, I need my clothes.”
I only got a few steps before I felt his hands on my shoulders, steering me to the left. “Wrong direction. The guest bathroom is this way.”
“Ah, what would I do without you?”
“Hurry up. We have time for a quick breakfast too.”
“Are you sure?”
"Yes. I ordered it a while ago from a restaurant I really like. It’s already here.” He pointed with his head toward the kitchen island.
I followed his direction with my gaze. My eyes bulged. He’d woken up early, before his meeting, and ordered breakfast? Who was this guy, and could I keep him forever?
No, no, no. I couldn't think like that. We had agreed from the beginning that we were not on the same page, and I was okay with that. I didn't want to go in and change the rules of the game right now. That had never worked before.