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Hendrix

I should’ve closed the blinds before I passed out in Raven’s arms.

We spent an epic night fucking. I ate her pussy a few more times. She sucked my cock a few more times. I bent her over the couch. She rode me like a bull. She even let me put my dick in her ass, and holy shit, I came so fast, it was embarrassing.

Now she’s lying across my chest. Her thick, chocolaty hair is spread over my skin in silky waves, her full lips are pouty. My eyes glide down her gorgeous body, and she is so damn sexy. I almost wish…

“Ugh… not the sun.” She lifts a hand, holding it over her eyes in a way that makes me chuckle.

“You’re not secretly a vampire, are you, Rave?”

“I might as well be after last night.” She turns her face, burying it between my arm and my side.

Shifting my body, I do my best to shield her from the light while stroking her hair off the side of her cheek. Her eyes are closed, but her lips curl with a smile .

Lifting her chin, she blinks up at me. “We didn’t get enough sleep.”

“Sleep is overrated.”

“I can’t believe I’m not hungry. I always wake up ready for breakfast.”

“To be fair, you swallowed a lot of cock last night.” Her eyes flare, and she pinches my side, making me yelp a laugh. “Ow! I wasn’t complaining.”

“I could use some coffee.” She sits up slowly, and I admire the shape of her body, her narrow waist, the curve of her hips. “I’ve got to get on the road soon.”

A twinge of something like sadness moves through my stomach, but I immediately dismiss it. “I’ll make us coffee.”

Standing, I walk through the room to the kitchen. Her eyes follow me, but I’ve never been shy about my body. I fill the carafe with water, and when I turn, she’s standing at the bar with my white dress shirt loosely buttoned over her naked body. Her dark hair falls around her shoulders in messy, silky waves, and she looks amazing.

I hit the on button and return to lean across from her. “I can drive you to the house when you’re ready.”

She nods, looking down. “I wish I had something to wear besides my bridesmaid’s dress. Talk about the walk of shame.”

“No shame—hold that thought.” I walk around the bar, returning to the bedroom where the king-sized bed is several inches away from the wall.

I grin at the sight of it, remembering how wild we got last night.

Scooping up my boxer briefs, I pull them on quickly, stepping over the condoms dropped in a neat stack beside the nightstand. I’ll clean all this up later.

For now, I dig in my suitcase, taking out an old cotton practice jersey and a pair of sweats. “These are going to be too big for you. ”

“I doubt it.” She takes the clothes from me. “Do you mind if I take a quick shower?”

“Of course not. Take as long as you need.”

I pull out a pair of jeans and a navy tee, and I’m standing in the kitchen with a cup of coffee when she emerges from the bedroom dressed in my clothes.

“I can’t believe they fit.” She’s looking down, with her hair over her shoulder, then when she straightens, my old jersey tightens over her breasts and hips in a way that makes me want to suggest a Round 2… or is it 20?

“That looks better on you than it does on me.”

“I think my padding hits differently than yours.”

“You look great.” Stepping to the coffee pot, I take out the carafe. “Go cup?”

“Nah.” She waves a hand. “I’ll stop at McDonald’s on the way out of town and grab a coffee and some breakfast.”

Damn, I hate that she’s leaving so soon. I can’t help thinking if things were different…

Clearing my throat and my mind, I motion to her dress looped over her arm and her silver heels hanging from her fingertip. “Is that all you brought?”

“And my phone.” She gestures to the thin terry-cloth slippers on her feet. “I think it’s okay if I keep these?”

“I’m pretty sure they throw them away once they’re used.” I hold the door, leaving the Do Not Disturb hanger out, so housekeeping doesn’t try and get in here while I’m gone.

We don’t say much on the drive to my family’s home, but it’s a comfortable silence. My mind filters through everything we talked about over the last twenty-four hours. I think I’ve told her more about myself than any woman in my life, but I decide not to read too much into it.

Raven’s easy to talk to, and we had an instant connection—probably because from the start, we knew it had an end date.

Still it feels like too soon we’re pulling up at the house, and when we stop in the driveway, I hustle around to hold the door for her.

“Such a gentleman.” She gives me a wink.

“Not always.” I give her my naughty grin, and her ears turn pink. Damn, I’ll miss doing that.

Once we’re inside, I wait as she goes to the stairs to collect her overnight bag. “I’ll change out of these clothes and leave them in the room for you. It’ll only take a minute.”

“Keep them. I like to think of you wearing my jersey.”

Her nose wrinkles, and she hesitates. “I don’t really watch football.”

“Maybe it’ll inspire you to start.”

Taking her bag from her hand, I walk with her out to the car. She changed out of the thin slippers and into a pair of Ugg ankle boots.

I hold the door of her car as she tosses her bag onto the passenger’s seat. When she turns and looks up at me with those big brown eyes, my stomach twists. My throat clogs, and I don’t say what I’m thinking.

We can’t keep in touch. We’re too far apart, and it’ll only make things awkward.

I remember when I was just starting to notice girls, my dad took me to the side and asked me how much I loved the game.

I said football was the only thing in the world, and he smiled that wise old smile, patting my shoulder. “As long as you feel that way, it’s best to keep things easy with the ladies. It’ll save you a lot of heartache.”

I live by that advice to this day.

“Well…” Raven pushes her hair off her shoulder, blinking up at me. “I had a really great time last night.”

“Me too.” I smile down at her pretty face. “If you’re ever in LA, and you’re looking for something to do…”

Her nose wrinkles. “If you’re ever in Atlanta and want to risk a second date… ”

A wistful smile lifts my cheeks, and I nod. “I’d risk it for you.”

“Thanks, Hendrix.” She steps forward to give me a brief hug. “You’re really sweet.”

I huff a laugh. “Pretty sure I’ve never been accused of that.”

Stepping into her car, she grins. “Your secret’s safe with me.”

“Be careful out there chasing storms.”

She pulls the door closed, lowering the window. “Be careful out there getting hit in the head.”

That makes me groan. “It’s not all like that.”

“I think it might be. I just spent the night with you.”

Leaning down, I kiss her cheek. “Lucky me.”

Our eyes meet, and we hesitate. A fleeting sense of something… a sense of almost … passes between us. I’m sure she feels it, too, but it’s time to say goodbye.

I’ve got plans, and they don’t include romance—or “widows” of any variety.

She starts the engine, and I step back, crossing my arms over my chest as I watch her drive away.