The Bacelor: Make A Sex Deal

“Almost seven.”

She took her first sip and groaned. “What’s your day look like?”

I traced across her bare hip, loving that I’d demanded she sleep naked and that she’d listened. “Horrific since I didn’t work at all this weekend.” My hand paused as I grinned. “Hooked is going to monopolize my entire day, but I have two other cases to prep, so somehow, I’m going to have to be three people at once. Tell me about your day.”

“Not nearly as stressful as yours. Lots of paperwork. I need to tweak some campaigns. I might be meeting with a client later this afternoon if they don’t reschedule on me.”

“Does that happen a lot?”

She pulled the blanket up past her chest and positioned herself a little higher on the pillows. “Often enough. This one is local, which makes it much easier. But a few times a quarter, I hit the road and travel to my accounts that aren’t in California.”

“How far do you go?”

“My farthest is New York. I’ll actually be going there a few weeks after I get back from Arizona for just a couple of days.” She rolled onto her side to face me, resting her cheek on her palm, balancing the coffee on a pillow. “Why? Will you miss me?”

I chuckled, lowering the blanket so I had an unobstructed view of her body. “I already do.” God, her smile was fucking gorgeous. “You’ve spoiled me the past few days. I’ve gotten to kiss you whenever I wanted. Today’s going to be rough without that perk.”

And that was something else that had surprised me this weekend.

That I would crave her lips so often and would lean toward them, taking them at random moments when the pressure built up to the point that I couldn’t stand it.

That I’d constantly touch some part of her body, my hands needing the heat from her skin, the softness, the feel of a curve.

“So, you are going to miss me. I love that. And I love that conversations like this do that to you.” She nodded toward my shorts that I’d slipped on before grabbing us coffee.

I adjusted my hard-on. “It’s not the conversation, Oaklyn. It’s you. Looking at you.” My voice lowered as I added, “Touching you.” I left her hip to run my fingers over my hair. “And as much as I want to spend all morning with my hands all over you, I’ve got to get in the shower. I need to be at the office before Declan so I can get a little work done before all hell breaks loose.”

“You go do that, and I’ll make us some eggs.”

Still holding my coffee, I dived my face into her neck, taking in that fruit smell that didn’t fade regardless of how many times she had showered at my place. I nuzzled that spot-one that was becoming a favorite-and scraped my beard against it, hearing her giggle in response.

I kissed her cheek before I pulled back. “See you soon.”

I forced myself out of bed and into the bathroom, where I turned on the water to a steaming temperature and stepped beneath the spray the moment the glass shower walls began to fog. I hurried through the movements, washing my hair and body, and once I got out, I shaved underneath my chin and edged the sides of my beard, brushing my teeth before I put on my suit. The last things I did were spray on some cologne and tuck my wallet and phone into my pocket, finally making my way toward the kitchen.

I was just passing through the living room when I spotted Oaklyn. She was dressed in one of my button-downs, standing at the gas range with her back to me, a spatula in her hand. Her long hair fell down her back in waves, her hips swaying to a song playing through my built-in speakers.

Even though the shirt was so baggy on her, I could see the outline of her ass and those delicious, lean, toned legs.

A view so fucking perfect that I ached.

Although the physical steps were coming on slow-a choice that I’d made and I had every intention to uphold-everything else was happening fast.

The amount of time we were now spending together.

The way I felt about her.

The way I was looking toward our future.

There was just one thing that still held me back. Goddamn it, I needed to have that conversation with my sister sooner than later. I just wasn’t ready to go there. I wanted to continue to feel things out for a little while longer. And then I’d take on the wrath that she was going to give me and the turbulence that could potentially follow.

“What are you doing over there?” Oaklyn asked, pulling me away from my thoughts as she looked at me from over her shoulder.

“Admiring.”

“Me too. You, in that gray suit and black tie …” She hissed out air through her lips. “You look beyond handsome.”

I leaned against the wall as I continued to stare at her, my arms crossing, feeling the pull of my jacket and the metal of my cuff links. “Nothing compared to you.”

“I’ll fight you on that.”

“Fight me, huh? That would be one hell of a wrestling match.” My gaze narrowed as it dipped down her waist and ass and legs. “Jesus, don’t tease me, Oaklyn. I have less than ten minutes before I need to leave, and comments like that will have me calling in.”

“In that case, you win.”

She winked and carried the pan over to the island, plating two fried eggs for each of us, followed by some toast that had just popped up from the toaster. She buttered both pieces and brought the plates to the table, where I joined her after I grabbed us more coffee.Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

“This is nice.” She held her mug with both hands, watching me take my first bite. “The before-work thing, I mean. Now that Hannah is living with Declan, I only cook for myself. It was so strange for a while since we’d lived together for so long and I always made breakfast for two.”

I dipped the toast into the runny yolk and groaned as I chewed.

I didn’t know how she had made eggs taste this good, but, shit, they were fucking fire. “You can make me breakfast anytime you want.”