Page 58 of Rocky Mountain Home

He’d already pulled back the sheets, and she collapsed, punching her pillow into position as she sank into the mattress.

“Good night, darlin’.”

A gentle, chaste kiss landed on her cheek, shocking her enough she opened her eyes to peek into a slice of heaven, his blue eyes only inches away.

She stared for a moment before remembering what she was going to say. “You’re really putting me to bed alone?”

“I really am.” He stood and backed away, his deep voice wrapping her in a warm cocoon. “I know where to find you come morning. Now, hush. Rest.”

Dare was about to protest when she woke, sheets toasty around her, the room dark.

Seemed she’d ended up catching a few zzzs in spite of herself.

She leaned up on an elbow to check the clock. It blinked at her, pale blue digits in a dark background. Two a.m. and she was wide-awake.

Dare lay back, slowly stretching a hand toward the far side of the mattress, surprised and somewhat disappointed to discover she was alone in the big bed.

Disappointed. Huh. Maybe she should do something about that.

She poked her head out the door, not sure what she expected to find at this time of the morning, but the house was quiet, the ranch as well, and she made her way to the sink to get a drink.

Her gaze skittered to a stop on the medical report Jesse had pinned to her fridge. She bit her lip to stop from laughing out loud.

Over the years she’d gathered an eclectic collection of fridge magnets, and he’d strategically gone through them, using the ones with happy faces to hold the paper in place. But the starring role had been given to an oversized yellow arrow that proclaimed TO DO in bold black.

He’d strategically lined it up to his name.

The turkey was trying to be funny, but she totally understood where he was coming from. With so many things to figure out, and an entire relationship to build, she was sure there was something wrong with her that sex was the only thing currently on her mind.

His voice echoed in her brain. This part was simple, and she had to agree with the sentiment. Maybe they shouldn’t base a long-term relationship on sex alone, but it seemed like cutting off her nose to spite her face to deny that she wanted him.

So? What was she waiting for?

Dare headed to the office, pushing the door open carefully. Moonlight shone in the window like a pale blue spotlight. Jesse took up most of the surface of the small, single mattress, blankets kicked off to reveal his muscular torso, the edge of his boxers barely covering more interesting territory. She stepped toward the bed, the merest brush of guilt washing past for waking him up.

Considering what she was about to offer, she didn’t think he’d mind.

She sat on the edge of the bed, and his eyes popped open, searching the room quickly before fixing on her face.

“You okay? What’s wrong?”

Dare hurried to reassure him. “Nothing’s wrong only…”

Suddenly awkward for no good reason, she hesitated.

Jesse sat upright, reaching for her. “You have a nightmare?”

She ignored the question and instead curled herself up on the mattress next to him. “It was lonely in my bed.”

He wrapped an arm around her, laughing softly. “Here I thought I was being a gentleman and letting you sleep with no one making you twitch.”

“Maybe I don’t want to sleep.”

He tensed. “Really?”

Dare went for the gusto, rolling as rapidly as the tiny space allowed until they were face to face. “Is it morning yet?”

His grin brightened. “You’re one of those kids. On Christmas morning they had to lock you in your room to stop you from waking the entire household, right?”