Page 117 of Unlikely to Stay
He lifted her off the stool and breathed in the familiar scent of raspberries and vanilla so essentiallyherit stopped his breath.“You are so welcome, Freckles.God, I’ve missed you.”
“You said that already.”
“But I don’t think I realized how much I actually missed you until I smelled you.”
She wrinkled her nose.“What?”
“You smell like raspberries and vanilla.Comfort and home.Familiarity and sarcasm.You smell like everything I’ve ever wanted and nothing I want to forget.I know initially I was brought to Parker for student loans but I honestly think I was mainly brought here to find you.I love you, Freckles.”
Brant looked down at CC, whose eyes were wide, tears glistening under her lashes.“Snaps,” she breathed, “That was—”
“Good lord in heaven,” Sadie said with a sigh.“Go to her apartment with her.Just no hanky panky until she’s finished with all the stuff I sent Clyde up to her apartment with.Got it?”
Brant saluted Sadie.“Got it, Sadie.I’ll even use my excellent scissor skills and cut some things.I’m a pro.”
“Don’t think I won’t come up there and check on you two if I hear anything that sounds like you’re doing anythingbutthe work she’s supposed to be doing.”
This time, it was Freckles who saluted.“You have my word, Sadie.We’ll work on what Clyde sent up to my apartment before we do anything else.”
“I guess that means no watchingStranger Things?” Brant asked with a smile.
“I’m afraid not…at least until later.”
“Then let’s go and get cutting.I’ve missed my episode watching.”
Sadie wrinkled her brow.“Am I missing something?”
“Not at all, Sadie,” he replied.“Just talking about one of our favorite shows.”He wasn’t going to spill the beans about whatStranger Thingswas code for.It was something he shared with Freckles and Freckles only.
“Yep,” Freckles said with a wink.“Just one of our favorite shows.”
Brant made a mental note to cut out whatever Clyde had left for CC in her apartment faster than he’d ever cut anything before.There was alotofStranger Thingshe needed to catch up on…not to mention a lot of things he had to say to the redhead who had captured his heart.
CC felt callusedfingers running softly up and down her bare back.True to his word, Brant had sped through the things needing to be cut in record time.What would have taken her all night had only taken a couple of hours with Brant flying through the pieces of paper.They had spent the rest of their evening catching up on their favorite show without, ironically enough, watching a single episode.
“Mmmmm,” she said into her pillow.“That feelssogood.”
“Look at you, Freckles,” he said, his lips following the trail his fingers left.“It’s not even nine in the morning and you’re already in a good mood.”
“If I woke up like this every morning I might just become a morning person,” she said, trying not to moan when his hand moved her hair and ran kisses up her neck.
“Liar,” he whispered on her skin.
CC laughed softly.“True.I’ll never be a morning person.”
“Even if I do this?”he asked, cupping her bottom in his hand and squeezing gently.
“I…hate…mornings,” she finally whispered.It was really hard to utter even those words when his hands were roaming all over her body.
“Let’s see if I can change your mind,” he whispered.Gently, Brant rolled her over onto her back and looked down at her.Neither one of them had gotten dressed the night before, their clothes still leaving a trail to the bedroom from the living room.“Damn, you’re gorgeous.I’ll never get tired of looking at you.Even your sleepy morning face.”
“I have a sleepy morning face?”
Brant grinned and ran his thumb across her cheek.“You do.Your eyes are sleepy, your hair is wild and your cheeks are pink.It’s the most adorable thing I’ve ever seen.”
“I’m just warning you,” she said, covering her mouth.“I have a serious case of morning breath.”
“Then I guess I’ll have to kiss you everywhere else then.”