Page 20 of Huntress Unleashed
“Sometimes Princess snores.”
Dane laughed.
“Night, everyone,” Dane said to his brothers.
“Night,” everyone echoed back.
As soon as Princess realized Jacqueline had entered the house, she followed her and Dane to the bedroom. Jacqueline wanted to see the whole house and the swimming pool. But for now, she just wanted to go to bed.
The king size bed featured a big fluffy black comforter with a box-pleated, blue and black striped bed skirt.
She sat down on a blue, velvet loveseat in the bedroom and removed one of her boots but before she could get the other, Dane crouched down and untied it, then pulled it off. Wow, that was nice. Van would never have done that for her.
“Which side of the bed do you want?” Dane asked.
She looked at his bedside table that had an alarm clock and a stand to charge cell phones and other electronic devices so she was pretty sure that was his side of the bed. She pulled off her socks and rose from the loveseat and pointed to his side of the bed.
He gave her a knowing smile, plugged his phone in, then stripped down to his boxer briefs. “Is this okay with you or do you want me to dress more?”
“Dress however you usually do.”
He cast her more of a sexy grin this time and she suspected he usually slept in the raw.
“I’ll be right out.” She grabbed her pajama shorts and top and headed into the bathroom. Despite that he was sharing his bed with her to protect her from Heskel, they were not dating. So she didn’t want to give him the impression that was how she was viewing this.
She brushed her teeth and changed into her pajamas, then carried her clothes out and set them on the love seat. She would organize her clothes tomorrow. Dane was lying underneath the black comforter on the bed and Princess was curled up beside him as if Dane was her newest best friend. It was true love.
Jacqueline climbed into bed, assuming Princess would move over and snuggle up to her until she got too hot, but nope, she stayed right next to Dane. Maybe Jacqueline was dating Dane, and Princess knew it before she even did.
“You’re all right with me seeing your parents, aren’t you?” Dane turned to face her.
“Yeah, sure. What are you going to say to them?”
“That you’re their only daughter and they should be thrilled that you are alive at all. That family means everything, unless you had all parted ways some years ago.”
“We hadn’t.”
“I hadn’t figured you would. The rift between you has to do with you being turned.”
“Maybe…maybe they’re just worried that Heskel will force me to kill them or something, when they’re least expecting it.”
“Which is why they should have solicited all the help they could get to take the maniac down.”
“I agree.” She swore Dane looked like he wanted to hug her, to tell her that he was now in her life and would be there to protect her even if she no longer had family to aid her.
But they had one problem. She was actually changing her mind about dating him, and wanted that hug, if he was so inclined. Princess was the problem. She was cuddled next to Dane, keeping him from reaching her. It was probably just as well.
She reached over and squeezed Dane’s hand. “Let’s go to sleep.”
“Yeah, in case we have any more trouble. If he communicates with you again, wake me.”
“I will.” Then she released Dane’s hand and closed her eyes and finally fell asleep. Until Princess ran over her body and jumped off the bed. Then Jacqueline moved over and cuddled against Dane, and he wrapped her in his arms…before Princess could separate them again.
7
Dane woke to the aroma of eggs and bacon cooking in the kitchen, coffee brewing, a big fluffy cat sleeping behind him, and in front of him was the beautiful redheaded huntress whom he held in his arms in bed. He smiled. She was still sleeping, but she had moved against him as soon as Princess had left the bed. He was enjoying their deepening friendship and hoped it would continue.
Then he got a call on his phone on her side of the bed. He didn’t want anyone to disturb her!