Eternally Yours - Brenda Jackson [37]
Clayton couldn’t help noticing how the shirt had ridden higher when she’d sat down, exposing one luscious-looking bare thigh. He tore his gaze away from her thigh and back up to her face. “A month’s supply of place settings are in your dishwasher.”
Syneda shrugged. “They’re clean, aren’t they?”
Clayton nodded. “Yes, they’re clean. But don’t you put your dishes away in the cabinets after they’re washed?”
“No. But I suppose you do.”
“Yes.”
Syneda’s lips tightened and she glared at him. “Well, I don’t. I see no sense in going to all that trouble when I’ll be using them again. So don’t start in on me, Madaris.”
Clayton grinned. “Are we about to get into an argument?”
“If you start it, I’ll sure enough finish it for you,” she said, giving him a look that said she meant business.
“Does that go for anything else I start?” he asked in a challenging voice, walking toward her.
Syneda stood and met his gaze. “Just try me.”
Clayton looked at her, his dark eyes thoughtful. He had one hell of a woman on his hands. She was full of fire, and he was determined to make sure her fire burned just for him. He swept her into his arms. “You’re on.”
She glowered up at him. “You have a one-track mind, Madaris. I wasn’t talking about this and you know it. And what about breakfast?”
He smiled down at her. “We’ll have it in bed.”
So much for wanting to do the right thing and leave her alone for a while, Clayton thought, snuggling closer to the woman in his arms. He and Syneda were two strong, stubborn, argumentative people who were accustomed to having their own way. It seemed it was only while in the throes of heated passion they were totally and completely of one accord.
He gathered her closer to him. Even while she slept, his hands continued to caress her. He would never get tired of touching her.
He glanced at the clock. It was past noon. They hadn’t eaten breakfast yet, but during the past couple of hours neither of them had cared. They’d been too busy satisfying another type of hunger.
He frowned. Syneda was turning into a sort of a mystery. She was definitely full of surprises. There were some things about her that he didn’t understand; things that didn’t make sense. Like the spiel she’d given him about why she’d remained a virgin. Had she been talking for Syneda or was she the spokesperson for someone else? Had some man once fed her or someone she’d cared for a line they had believed? And then there was the question that he had pondered since their trip to Florida. Who was the man responsible for her never wanting to love again?
He wrapped his arms around Syneda. She belonged to him now. She was his. And he would always see to her happiness.
His thoughts quieted and, like the woman he held in his arms, he drifted off to sleep.
Syneda’s eyes slowly opened and they flickered over the sleeping man holding her in his arms. He was as solid as a rock. His muscular thighs were entwined with hers in an unnervingly sexual way, almost holding her to him in bondage. If she’d wanted to get out of bed, she’d have to wake him to do so.
She snuggled closer to him, satisfied for the moment to remain just where she was as memories washed over her. Last night when he had stood before her completely undressed, she couldn’t help appreciating his powerful masculine frame. No wonder women were drawn to him. His physique absolutely radiated virility. She shivered when she remembered the sheer male size of him and the arousing effect seeing him had had on her. At first she had felt wary wondering how on earth she would handle it all.
A satisfying smile touched her lips. Somehow she had handled all of him, and had enjoyed every tantalizing moment doing so. He had entered her easily, filling her with all his masculine power and strength. She had felt very little pain.
“I hope that smile is for me.”
Clayton’s words startled her. She thought he was still asleep.
“No, sorry. It’s for someone else.” She could tell by the gleam in his eyes that he didn’t believe her.
“Then maybe I better try this all over