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By the time I brush my teeth and come out, she’s pushed the cover that was originally on the bed over to my side, and pulled the extra blanket over her. The pillows stand like a fortified castle wall.

Cute. Very cute.

I pad over to my side and slide under the blanket. The mattress molds to my body perfectly, but the bed is definitely snug with the two of us. Gotta take care to not move around too much or I’ll land on the floor. Wouldn’t that be embarrassing?

Dad always sounds full of shit when he says a man’s gotta slay a dragon or two for a woman—and look suave doing it—in order to get laid. Of course, he’d never even get to step up to the plate if he didn’t have money.

But I’m starting to understand where he’s coming from. I don’t want to look silly in front of Max. Not just because I need to establish my authority as her boss, but because I want her to actually admire me for the person I am. The realization is startling—and kind of unsettling.

Not sure when the physical attraction turned to something softer and warmer. Is it because I’ve seen a glimpse of her vulnerability and foibles? She always seems so capable and put together. When she doesn’t know something, she never panics, just calmly asks questions. She doesn’t let people walk all over her, but at the same time understands when to retreat and cut her losses. There are whispers around the firm that she must bleed radiator coolant.

She shifts on her side.

I kill the lights and let my body sink into the mattress. “Feels nice, doesn’t it?”

“What?” she squeaks.

“The bed.”

“Oh.” A sigh. “Definitely. I won’t be needing my neck cracked tomorrow morning.”

I laugh. “Lucky for you, I’m always at your service.”

“You could go to jail for practicing medicine without a license.”

“There’s the Good Samaritan law…”

She chortles.

“…and you said you wouldn’t sue.”

“For this morning,” she says with a smile in her voice. “Not forever.” She sighs again, sounding wistful. “Nothing is forever.”

Chapter Eleven

Max

Warmth envelops me, keeping my muscles loose and happy. A truly worthy compensation for yesterday’s pain and suffering. I smile and burrow deeper into the pleasant heat, raising my leg to wrap around it so it doesn’t dissipate too fast. Besides, this position eases the pressure in my lower back. Wearing high heels all day makes my lumbar ache at times.

Dadum-dadum-dadum. White noise, mmm. Rhythmic and soothing. The pillow I’m wrapped around smells nice, if a bit too hard and—

I inhale sharply as my reveries come to a screeching halt.What the hell?My eyes fly open, my fingers flexing. I blink in the dark. My ear’s pressed over a chest, my hand resting a few inches away. And my leg is thrown over narrow male hips, and his hand rests on my shoulder, keeping it warm.

Panic wells. I press my lips together to contain a shriek.

What happened to the pillow border fortress?

I don’t feel anything that resembles pillows between me and Rhys. If I slide away now, will that wake him up?And then what?Embarrassment heats my face.

But…no need to jump to conclusions. It’s possiblehemoved to the center and put me on top of him because he didn’t want me falling off and accusing him of violating my territory.

Or maybe you just flopped over on top of him!

A silent scream swells. I press my lips tight. I’d never! I’m not that kind of—

But you do like to cuddle, my inner voice says, uncaring of my internal turmoil.

I scrunch my face. I’d better extricate myself before Rhys wakes up and…notices…our tangled limbs.