Page 139 of You Found Me

“Did that just happen?” Della whispered. She didn’t even want to look at Ward in case she saw regret in his eyes. “I have pretty vivid dreams. Are we awake?”

“Yes,” Ward said, his voice low and soft. “And yes.”

“That’s good.” She felt spent and sleepy and deliciously satiated. “I was so tired when we got home, I thought maybe I’d hallucinated.”

He grunted.

She eyed him with a sideways glance. “You too?”

“Something like that.” His lips twitched.

Della turned onto her side to face him. “What time is it?”

His hand lay warm and heavy and comforting on hers. “About five.”

“We have to be there by ten thirty?” Her laugh bordered on helpless hysteria. “Oh, that’s bad. I’m going to be so tired. I’ll be practically delusional.”

“Shhh.” He caressed her hand, his fingers working their way around hers in a rhythmic pattern that threatened to start a fire inside her all over again. “Sleep now. Panic later.”

His tone was rueful, like there was no way to avoid the oncoming train of consequences.

Did he wish they hadn’t?

She wanted to ask if this counted as getting personally involved with a client, but she didn’t want to break the spell. She was just a girl, cuddled up with a boy.

Tomorrow would take care of itself. It always did.

Della wiggled onto her other side and snuggled her back against his chest. Ward pulled the covers up and then put his arm around her.

She felt sheltered.

Secure.

Safe.

“Sleep,” he whispered against her hair.

She ran her hand along his arm. It felt so natural, and comfortable, and right to be laying in his arms. Like it was something they’d always done. Would always do. “Will you be here when I wake up?”

He kissed her hair and hugged her a little tighter. “Yes.”

Chapter Twenty-Two

Ward woke to a face full of sunlight and a gut full of guilt.

Della lay curled up next to him in what should have been an empty bed, her bare shoulder peeking above the covers. Her red curls stuck out in all directions in the most seductive case of bedhead he’d ever seen.

Fuck.

Sleep deprivation and weeks of sexual frustration had resulted in the worst decision of Ward’s personal protection career.

The bitch of it was if he had it to do all over again, he knew nothing would change.

Hell, he’d like to go for round two right now.

He closed his eyes to block the temptation.No personal relationship with the client, huh?He was officially a hypocrite. A real do-as-I-say-not-as-I-did-last-night asshole.

Ward carefully slid out of bed. Della made a soft snuffling noise, but settled down after he pulled the covers up around her shoulders.