jumped in headfirst. No tiptoeing around. No feeling the situation out. If she wanted to know something, she asked. There was no guessing with Madeline, no wondering what she was feeling or thinking. Which meant no holding resentments back and anger in.
“Nothing. I’m just surprised the bastard hasn’t settled down yet.” He waved a hand over his hardening cock. “Apparently the damn thing doesn’t have an off button.”
Her laugh held rueful amusement. “I’m not complaining. However, without some immediate sustenance, I’m not going to have the energy for a fourth round. As you can see, I’m barely recovered from round three.”
Fair enough.
Dev dropped back to the mattress and worked his left arm beneath her back, dragging her against his side. Bare flesh to bare flesh. Her damp, flower-scented hair tangled across his chest. There was no reason recovery had to be a solo affair.
“On the other hand,” she sighed, snuggling into him, “it won’t hurt to rest for a bit before jumping in the shower.”
Thank God she didn’t want to go out. The last thing he needed was a repeat of his reaction from the night before. Besides, he liked the idea of having her to himself.
Which was another weird reaction. This obsession with having her close, particularly after sex, was strange. His usual post-sex urge to cut and run hadn’t struck. Hell, the warm weight of her against him didn’t even feel claustrophobic. It felt…natural…right. He’d shared her bed last night without getting antsy, the entire fucking night, without wanting to bolt.
Hell, he hadn’t spent the night with a woman since his marriage had fallen apart. Yet not only had he cradled her close through the previous night, waking at dawn for a long, lazy fuck, followed by a long, lazy, shower, but he wanted a repeat.
Madeline was different.
Special.
“Any idea yet when you’ll have to head back to Phoenix?” he asked absently.
She was vice president of hospitality and quality control for the Best Western corporate headquarters and had been sent to Dark Falls to assess the performance of the three Best Westerns in town. She’d finished her assessment and checked out of the motel just before Mitch had set off his smoke bombs and shot Tag. The fallout from the incident had kept her in town longer than she’d expected, as she organized and smoothed the transfer of the damaged hotel’s guests to the remaining Best Westerns in town. But that had been days ago. She must have facilitated all the transfers and refunds by now.
“I’m not sure.” Another relaxed sigh broke from her as she melted into him.
He ran a hand down her sleek back, around her rib cage and up her chest to cup her tit again. He gently squeezed and released, his cock hardening with each pulse of his fingers against her full, swollen flesh. Apparently, his libido didn’t need feeding. At least not with food.
Phoenix, where she was based, wasn’t that far from Coronado. Barely a five-and-a-half-hour drive. Or an hour by plane. It would be easy to shoot on down for a visit when he had time off. The idea was attractive. While he’d never been interested in pursuing a long-distance affair, there was something simmering between them. Something strong. Something unique.
He wanted to see where it led.
“I’m good through tomorrow. But I need to get hold of Ronnie. See what his plans are after that.”
“Ronnie?” Dev kept his face blank but couldn’t stop the tension from seeping into his muscles. He forced himself to relax. She was probably talking about her boss, or hell, Ronnie could be a woman. Madeline wasn’t married or involved with another guy. It was the first thing he’d asked, before inviting her to dinner.
“My ex-husband.”
He frowned. That was a surprise. She hadn’t mentioned being divorced. But hell, he hadn’t mentioned Sharon either. Except…he didn’t have to check in with his ex when it came to his schedule. The less contact he had with Sharon, the better. It had been what? Five? Maybe six years since he’d talked to her?
“You and your ex are close?” He fought to keep his tone level…unconcerned. But his hand went still against her tit.
It didn’t matter if Madeline and her ex remained on good terms. He didn’t own the woman. No matter how much the caveman lurking within him wanted to claim otherwise. Of course she’d had a life before they’d met. Hell, it was admirable that she kept in touch with her ex.
“Pretty close,” she said on a long, languid stretch, a