She sunk down into the bed beside him. Her leg grazed his as she settled. Her body rolled toward him, and he wrapped her slender frame in his arms. For several seconds they were both silent. Slowly, he felt her starting to relax.

“If you need me to—”

Her soft inhale and deep exhale told him she wasn’t listening.

Erin was already asleep.

Matt kissed the top of her head and rested his hand on her hip.

This . . . the whole thing, was profoundly good.

When she woke up, he was gone, and the sun had been up for hours. Light filled the room, and the small air conditioner hummed. She hadn’t remembered turning it on.

Erin rolled over, pulled the pillow that had held Matt’s sleeping head, and hugged it to her face. It smelled like him. Her senses warmed her body, and her memory of the evening lit her soul. She lay like that for several seconds and imagined that he was still there stroking her hair and talking to her as she fell asleep.

Damn, she felt good. Better than she had in, well . . . forever. Matt had taken such care in assuring her that she was safe. And yet he didn’t handle her as if she were made of glass. He drank his fill and nibbled every part of her, and holy cow, she couldn’t wait to do it again.

Erin forced her eyes open to look at the clock.

It was after ten.

A low chuckle rose in the back of her throat until she lay there laughing. Not since she was a teenager had she slept in until ten.

She stretched like a cat, wiggling her fingers and toes in opposite directions. It was then that she realized she was wearing Matt’s shirt. The thought of him riding his motorcycle home half-naked had her laughing all over again.

The bathroom called her name so she swung her legs off the bed. Her naked butt met the air-conditioned chill in the room that made her shiver.

“What happened to your panties, girl?” Her question to herself kept her mood light.

In her small bathroom there was a sticky note by her toothbrush. I used your toothbrush. I see there is room for one more in here so I’ll bring one over. Matt.

When she was done, she took his note with her in search of coffee.

She found another sticky note on her discarded panties on the floor. I actually considered taking these. But I’m a grown-up and I didn’t. Matt.

She giggled, picked up her underwear, and went back to her room and tossed them in the hamper. Back through her home, Erin found another note on top of the kitchen counter. This is my official favorite spot in your house. Matt.

“Mine, too.”

Another note on her plastic container that housed the leftover brownies. I totally ate one of these for breakfast. Matt.

The last note she found was in the cupboard next to her coffee cups. It was longer and took up several sticky notes.

You’re beautiful when you sleep, stunning when you explode under my touch, and brave to let me see you in these vulnerable moments. I wanted to wake you with a kiss but couldn’t disturb my sleeping beauty. Please text me when you’re up so I can remind you how much I enjoyed last night. How much I enjoy every moment I’m with you. Have a spectacular day. Matt.

She crushed his love notes to her chest with a smile.

After pulling her cell phone from her purse, she noticed the low battery light blinking and plugged it in. Leaning against the kitchen counter, she shot Matt a text. I just woke up.

Within seconds, three tiny dots flashed, and she eagerly waited for his response.

Give me two minutes.

She set the phone aside and turned on her one-cup-at-a-time coffee maker before retrieving creamer from her fridge.

True to his timeline, her phone rang within the hundred and twenty seconds Matt had told her.

“Good morning.” His voice was a purr.

“Almost afternoon,” she countered.

“I’m jealous of your bed.”

Her fingertips grazed his notes. “Someone had a lot to say before he left.”

“Yeah, well . . . I would have said it all to you in person, but you were out like a light. I even made noise, and you didn’t so much as sigh in your sleep.”

“That’s unusual. I haven’t slept that good in a long time.”

He paused. “I like to hear that. What are you doing now?”

“Making coffee wearing your shirt. What did you drive home in?”

He laughed. “Costume. I looked like one of the Village People riding my bike with only my leather jacket on.”

She giggled.

“You think it’s funny, huh?”

“Gives new meaning to the walk of shame.”

“Oh, darlin’, there is nothing shameful about last night.” He sighed. “How are you feeling about it? No regrets?”

“That hasn’t entered my mind. I feel good, Matt. Really good. Like maybe I’ll go jogging this morning.”

“I didn’t know you were a runner.”

“I haven’t been. Not in a long time. But I think that’s what I’ll do. It’s such a beautiful day.” Like someone had tossed the blinds up for the first time since she changed her name. Matt had done that.

“God, I wish I was there to see the smile on your face.”

And that’s exactly what she felt on her lips. “What are we doing on Saturday?”

“Are you asking me out?” he asked.

She reached for her coffee that had finished percolating and killed it with creamer. “Actually, you asked earlier in the week.”

“Oh . . . that’s right.”

She sipped her coffee. “I have an idea.”

“Let’s hear it.”

“How about a ride on your motorcycle and a picnic lunch up in the mountains?”

“God, woman . . . where have you been all my life?”

Erin smiled into her cup. She didn’t know, but now that she was there, she wasn’t going to waste any time.

CHAPTER TWENTY

Matt felt like he was picking up his date for prom, only without the suit. He drove up to the gate and pressed the button to call the house.

“Hey, Matt. Come in,” Parker’s voice called out from the box.

He waved at the camera mounted on the fence post and waited for the gate to open. His bike announced his arrival, and he noticed Erin pop her head out her front door as he cut the engine.

“You kids be careful,” Parker yelled from the porch of the main house.

“Yes, Mom,” Matt teased.

He took the package he had strapped to the back of his bike and left his helmet in its place. He’d gotten off work, went home to change, and then headed straight over to pick up Erin. He’d thought about her constantly whenever the day calmed down. Now that she was only a few feet away, his body hummed with anticipation.

“Knock, knock.” He walked in her open door to find her sticking food in a backpack.

“Come in.”

Her jeans were snug, wrapping around her ass in a way that made his mouth water. “Don’t you look appetizing.”

“Ha. You mean the food.”

“I mean you!” He set the package on the counter—his favorite part of her home—and walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. He pressed his lips to the side of her neck, and she stopped what she was doing and leaned back.

“You’re distracting me.”