Free HisMarriageBargain by Sidney Bristol Page A

on the receiving end.
    Though the bath sounded like a good idea, he didn’t know if
he could stay awake that long. Autumn dusted the last of the petals off the bed
and deposited them on a nightstand. She stood straight into his arms. They
twined around each other, hugging close.
    “Thank you,” he muttered into her hair.
    “You’re welcome.” She hugged him back.
    Barefoot, she fit perfectly under his chin. He squeezed her
a little tighter before letting her go.
    “I’ll get the bath going.”
    Sammi sank down on the edge of the bed. He’d get his things
together in a moment.
    One of the things he liked about this resort was the quality
of the mattresses. They were just right for him.
    He flopped back and stared up at the ceiling.
    He’d get up.
    In a minute.
    Or maybe not.

Chapter Five
    Clitoral Hood Piercing—Because the clitoris is too small
to pierce in most women, the popular alternative is the clitoral hood. It can
be placed either vertically or horizontally.
     
    Autumn woke for what must have been the tenth time that
night. The clouds on the horizon were a soft gray, heralding the sunrise. She
rolled over, careful to do so without jostling the bed too much.
    Sammi slept like a rock. She’d roused him enough to get his
help stripping off the shirt and pants he’d been wearing for the wedding, but
there was no keeping him awake after that. Whatever was going on with him health-wise,
she hoped sleep helped.
    He lay on his side facing her, one arm curled under the
pillow crammed against his neck and the other flopped toward her. The sheet was
down around his waist, displaying the hip-to-shoulder tattoo she’d finished a
month ago. It was mostly black—yuck—swirling, curling baroque-style designs
with little details woven through that tied back into his family. As much as
she hated working in black and gray, Autumn had to admit it was her best
monochromatic tattoo to date. They’d left off discussing his ink with tossing
around ideas for the rest of his back, but it seemed that he wasn’t interested
in hearing about her ideas for color.
    It was crazy to think she was married.
    To Sammi.
    Her best friend.
    What happened now?
    Autumn wasn’t good at thinking things through. She leapt
before she thought. It was her natural state of being, but it had also burned
her more than a few times. She wasn’t about to change the decisions that led
her to marry him for the world, but maybe she could have asked a few more
questions.
    Sammi drew in a deep breath and his face scrunched up. He
rubbed his hand through his hair and blinked into the dimness.
    “Hey,” she whispered.
    “Hm, hi.” He reached his hand toward her and brushed a lock
of hair from her face.
    Damn. Even his touch made her want to sigh.
    “I fell asleep on you, didn’t I?” he mumbled.
    “Yeah, but you needed it.”
    “Sorry.”
    “It’s okay. Go back to sleep.”
    “Okay.” He resituated the pillows and closed his eyes.
    How had they gone from friend territory to him making her
weak in the knees?
    Oh right. She’d married him. That’s what happened.
    Autumn sighed and pushed the sheet off. It wasn’t as if they
needed it. The weather here was perfect, if humid enough to feel as if she were
breathing underwater.
    Sammi grabbed her arm. “Where are you going?”
    “Nowhere.” She eased back against the pillows and scooted
toward Sammi. “How are you feeling?”
    “Groggy as fuck.” He ran his hand up and down her arm and
she melted a little more.
    “Need anything?”
    Sammi wrapped his arm around her waist and hauled her across
to him. Autumn laughed and squirmed, but he was all muscle and rogue strength.
He tossed a leg over Autumn’s and settled her against him. It wasn’t the first
time they’d cuddled, but things had been different then. She hadn’t been
married to him and had known it wouldn’t, couldn’t, go further. Now all bets
were off. Her heart did a painful flip-flop.
    What did she expect from this