Page 66 of By Invitation Only

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Peyton

Iwoke to a blaring alarm that caused me to shoot straight up only to see darkness. There were fumbling sounds, and then the alarm stopped. An arm hooked around my waist.

“Sorry, that’s my alarm,” Booker said against my naked side.

“Alarm? It’s pitch dark.”

“Have to go to the gym.”

I blinked down at him. Gym? Who the fuck went to the gym at this hour?

“But first, I need to stop and get my suit and shit for work. Wasn’t expecting to stay the night, and I’ve been forgetting to replace the backup one I used to have in there.”

After we’d discarded my soaked sheets the night before, I’d placed them in the washer before heating our dinner in the microwave. The piccata was still delicious despite being reheated. Then we lounged on my couch until the sheets were dried (because the best feeling was putting fresh sheets out of the dryer on your bed and then crawling into it), took a shower together, and diditall over again minus the headboard banging. Sometime after, we both fell asleep.

I lay back down and moved so my leg wrapped around his waist, almost spooning him. “Everything was going so well until you woke the dead.”

He chuckled. “If it isn’t loud, I don’t wake up. I’m a hard sleeper, especially after multiple rounds of sex.”

“Want me to make you breakfast?”

I could feel his head move against the pillow, but it was still dark, only a sliver of light slipping through my blinds. “If you do that, I’ll never make it to the gym or work, and neither will you.”

I smiled. “I like the sound of that.”

“I do too, gorgeous, but I need to get as many billable hours as I can these next two months.”

“Oh right. Partner.”

Booker rolled, his arm still under my head, but now he was on his back. “Yeah. Clint thinks he’s hot shit.”

“Like you?” I teased. I didn’t want to get Booker worked up and remind him that Clint had asked me to drinks once.

He chuckled. “Yeah, exactly like me.”

“I understand.” A thought occurred to me. “But Ava and Trent’s case getting dismissed means fewer hours on that case.”

He sighed. “Yeah. But they’re my friends, so it’s okay.”

“And if we have a conflict of interest with potential clients, that’s less for you too.”

“I’ve already thought about all this. It will be fine.”

I was silent for a few moments. “Okay.”

“I gotta go, though. Go back to sleep, and I’ll call you later.” Booker leaned over, kissed my lips softly, and then my forehead. I melted. I could get used to waking up with him every morning. However, we’d need to figure out a solution for his alarm situation.

He got out of bed, and I heard him as he put on his clothes. Before he left, he came to my side of the bed, kissed me again, and then he was gone. I stared up at the dark ceiling and sighed.

Then I fell back to sleep.

My entire body ached. No matter how much I stretched, every muscle was yelling at me. Maybe I needed to go to the gym too. I thought it would get better since it wasn’t the first time Booker and I had tangled in the sheets for hours,but damn, my body needed to get used to my new exercise regimen.

I didn’t need to be in court this morning, so I went straight to the office. As I approached Lorelei’s desk, she looked up and met my gaze. A smile spread across her face and mine followed.

“Details. I want all the details.”