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No doubt she’d be asleep before he got dinner warmed up, he mused, laying her down. She switched off faster than a power cut when she was tired; there was no slow drooping of her chin to her chest or head bobbing as she fought the pull. She just dropped from one state of consciousness to the other in the space of a breath.

Just one of the little things he’d learned in the last few days.

That, and her snoring was adorable.

Fuck, he was in way over his head.

Chapter Four

Tamsyn

For the third night in a row, she watched Merrick walk into the bedroom in nothing but a towel. She knew his routine now—he’d walk to the dresser and pull out a pair of black briefs, which he slid on beneath the towel, sometimes giving her a glimpse of his butt. Once his unmentionables were covered, he’d use the towel to dry the rest of that big body and give his stark muscles a thorough drying.

Black jeans usually came next, along with the slow pull of a thick leather belt through the loops, before he tightened and fastened it with the shiny silver buckle. A quick adjustment so the silverware was front and center, then he’d sit on the bed to pull on his socks and boots.

But it was the next part she enjoyed most, when he picked up the black T-shirt with the embroidered goldCSbisected by what appeared to be two crossed riding crops, and dragged it over his head, popping his stomach muscles as he yanked it down into position.

The man was all tight skin and muscles she’d never seen on another person.

“Stop looking at me like that, little owl.”

All innocence, she batted her lashes at him and lifted her hand in alike what?gesture.

When he lifted an eyebrow at her, she shrugged her shoulders and pretended her attention was back on the romantic comedy playing on the TV, even though her eyes were utterly focused on him and him alone.

The way he lifted the comb to brush through his hair until every strand was perfectly in place. The brush of his hand over his short beard, smoothing it down. How he sprayed just a tease of some dark, tantalizing scent on his wrists.

In two minutes, he’d give her his standard lecture, then disappear until two o’clock in the morning. She didn’t know where he went, presumably the place where he’d found her, but all he would say is that he had to go to work.

It was the loneliest six hours of her day.

As he pulled a plaid lumberjack-style jacket from the closet, Tamsyn prepared herself forThe Lecture. It was unnecessary—she knew it off by heart now, after spending two nights rolling the words around in her bored brain, in his voice for added impact.

“Should know the drill by now, darlin’. You’ve got everything you need until I get back. No more logs on the fire after midnight, and the bathroom is as far as you go by yourself. In case of an emergency, press One on the cell phone like I showed you, yeah?”

He’d been very thorough in showing her how the phone operated. It was simple, really, even for someone like her who had no previous experience handling such things. She felt sinfully prideful at being trusted with a valuable item.

“Answer the door to no one. The spare key is on a piece of string hanging on the handle, and your robe is at the foot of the bed.” He pinned her with those wonderful green eyes. “What do you do if you get dizzy?”

She jabbed a fingertip into the covers.

“That’s right, you sit down until it passes.” Merrick shrugged on his jacket. “Stay inside, little owl. I won’t be long, okay?”

What else could she do but nod? It wasn’t like she was unused to spending quality alone time; the community didn’t allow women to socialize on a regular basis, so talking with those she knew was limited to rare occasions. As a guest in her father’s house, she was required to eat with him and his wife, but once she cleared the plates and washed the dishes, she was confined to her room for the night.

At least here she had a comfortable bed, warm covers, and snacks. Snacks were an exciting addition, especially chocolate. Not to forget the TV, she thought. There was only so much time that could be lost in sleep, and she was reaching that limit.

It was only a few hours without him; she’d cope.

Still, her heart sank when he left.

She’d thought a lot about what he’d said a few days ago about being the wrong man for her. Honestly, she never believed she’d beinterestedin any man. After all, she’d grown up in a world where they did what they wanted, when they wanted, and took whatever their black hearts desired.

The problem was, her heart didn’t care.

“Her first time should be with someone she loves… Someone she can spend the rest of her life with if she wants. Not a man who likes his sex with an extra kick. Certainly not one who’ll cause her pain every time she’s with him… Don’t get attached, little owl. You deserve so much more than I can ever offer.”

Tamsyn didn’t know if she loved him. What was love really? If it was physical attraction, she did find him very appealing. She liked how he was strict and growly, even though it made anxiety crawl under her skin, yet squishy and kind beneath the gruffness. He never touched her like she was a possession for him to snatch and defile, but as something precious.