THE BACHELOR'S BED by Jill Shalvis

Author:Jill Shalvis [Shalvis, Jill]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2012-11-07T22:57:04+00:00

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Chapter 8

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Getting lost in his work was the last thing Colin had expected to do, especially with thoughts of Lani dancing through his head, but by the time his thoughts switched from work to life, it was 2:00 a.m. How had that happened? Hours had passed.

Lani would be waiting for him.

She'd be warm and inviting, he imagined, smiling as she lifted her arms to welcome him.

Wrong.

It was the middle of the night. She'd be asleep, and if she wasn't, she'd be mad as hell. Rightly so.

Racing home, he found her pretty much as his wildest fantasies had dictated, sprawled on the bed. There was one difference however. She wasn't hot and bothered, instead she was fast asleep with her arms squeezing his pillow close to her heart.

Damn, he'd really blown it. He had to have hurt her feelings again, and he hated that. Much as he loved his work, right then and there he experienced a first—a spurt of genuine anger at how it consumed him body and soul, to the point of such forgetfulness.

He had to make it up to her, had to at least apologize. "Lani?"

It didn't help that the sheets and blanket had become tangled in her legs, below her hips. She wore a tiny white camisole that looked soft and silky, and even tinier panties. Her skin was pale and creamy and glowed in the faint moonlight.

She took his breath away.

Helplessly drawn to where she lay, he kneeled on the mattress. "Lani?"

In her sleep, she frowned, and from deep in her throat came a low sound of irritation.

Still Colin leaned over her, hand outstretched, hoping to wake her, planning on starting with sweet, sexy promises.

But then he was stopped cold, frozen by the tracks of dried tears on her cheeks.

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The next morning Colin was back in his office downtown, unable to concentrate on a damn thing except Lani and how she'd looked in his bed.

As if she belonged there.

The long restless night on his floor, listening to Lani's soft, deep breathing, hadn't improved his disposition.

"Line one's for you." From the door, Claudia thrust her chin at his phone. "The Institute."

"Great," he said, meaning anything but. He had nothing new to report. He still wasn't finished and wasn't sure when he would be. "Claudia?"

She'd turned away and was hallway out the door when he said her name. She stiffened, but didn't look at him. "Yeah?"

"Next time you want to scare off a woman for me, can you check and make sure it's one I want scared off?"

"God." She winced and turned back to face him, her expression full of guilt. "I'm so sorry! I'm so used to trying to chase off everyone your mother sets you up with, I didn't realize she was the real thing."

The real thing. His stomach hurt. "Has word gotten around?"

She smiled. "Oh, yeah. Women from all over the county are having a wake in honor of your lost single status. You're the talk of the town. So is Lani.

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