Free Bidding Wars (Love Strikes) by Lacey Wolfe Page A

a woman after his heart, she just didn’t know it.
    He took a seat next to her. A good three inches was between them, but it felt like a whole foot. He really wanted her touching him, curled up in his side as he flipped through the channels, but he’d do with what they had.
    He finally stopped on a comedy, an Adam Sandler movie. His movies were always funny. They needed funny. He set the remote down on the armrest and debated reaching out to take her hand. Just as he was mustering up the courage to do so, the biggest cat he’d ever seen in his life leaped onto the couch and landed right in his lap.
    Molly laughed. “Luke, meet Tigger.”
    “What is this, a mini lion? He’s huge!”
    “ She is huge. She’s a Maine coon, and Tigger’s a girl. You better apologize or she’ll never like you.”
    He scratched the cat behind its ears. He wasn’t about to talk to the cat; a good ear scratch was always an apology. And Tigger agreed. She purred and then burrowed herself into the three inches between them. Damn lucky cat.
    As the movie came to an end, he noticed that Molly’s eyes were slowly drifting shut. The cat had slept between them the entire time, but he had gotten the courage to lay his arm across the back of the couch. Not around her though. He had told himself he wasn’t going to push himself on her. It was hard. He’d wanted to wrap his arm around her, pull her into him, and have her lay her head across his chest. But until she made a move in the direction of wanting him, he was going to force his needs aside.
    The last scene of the movie played, and her eyes were shut. He turned the TV off, and it didn’t startle her. Feeling slightly awkward, he wondered if he should leave or not. He looked at Tigger; maybe the cat could tell him what to do. He pet the animal and, out of nowhere, the cat jumped off the couch and took off down the hallway he assumed led to the bedrooms. Looks like the cat was giving him a sign—carry Molly to bed.
    He got off the couch as slowly as he could, trying not to disturb her. He bent over and started to pick her up when her eyes flew open.
    “What are you doing?”
    “I was going to carry you to bed.”
    “Oh. I can walk.” Molly pushed herself up and walked toward her bedroom.
    He stood there, not sure what to do. He supposed he should head out. He began to leave when he heard his name. She stood at the end of the hallway, watching him.
    “Luke, this might be forward, but I don’t want to be alone. I’m really tired of it. Would you lay down with me until I fall asleep?”
    He gulped. “In your bed?”
    “Yes.”
    “Uh…OK.” He started to cross the living room to her.
    “Wait, let me get undressed first and then I’ll call you.”
    He nodded. The only thing he’d really heard was undressed. As in, she was taking her clothes off. And she was going to call him back there to get in bed with her. And she was going to be undressed. How undressed? T-shirt and panties?
    His cock sprang to life and ached to know the answer.
    “I’m ready.” Her voice echoed down the hallway.
    Oh God, he couldn’t go in there with a hard-on. Down, boy. He had to think of something other than her in panties. He went down the hallway and into her room. She already had the lights off. He let out a sigh of relief. She wouldn’t be able to see what effect she was having on him.
    He slipped his shoes off and climbed onto the bed, staying above the covers.
    “You can get under the sheets.”
    No, he couldn’t. If he crawled under the sheets with her, he was going to have to learn what she was wearing. And that wasn’t a good idea. “I’m OK.”
    Molly rolled over so she was facing him. She scooted closer and laid her head on his chest. “Your heart is really pounding.”
    He wasn’t sure how to respond, so instead he wrapped his arm around her, hoping she would fall asleep quickly. He gazed up at the ceiling and willed himself to stay awake. He was positive she didn’t want him to stay