Temporary Bliss (Bliss #1)(25)
Author: B.J. Harvey

“Well,” he continues, “I’m glad you want to be honest with me, but I kinda need you to explain the f**k buddy thing because I’m kind of losing my mind right now with the possibilities.” He runs his hand through his gorgeous brown hair.

I wait till he looks at me before I explain it to him. “I haven’t slept with anyone since we met, like at all, and I’ve liked our dates and I like you, and I definitely liked what happened last night and this morning, despite my little freak out.”

“I’m still confused. You have multiple men you sleep with?”

“Ah, kind of. They know the score, they know they’re not the only one, and they each give me something different that I need at the time. But we always use protection, just so you know.”

“That’s good. But you said give, so is this going to be an ongoing thing? Even after last night?” I can see his jaw is clenched, and he’s unsure how to handle this.

“Well, I’m not sure. It’s been about a month since I last saw one of them, but if we’re not using protection, I want to be totally honest with you. It’s one of the reasons I was freaking out this morning.” I look down at my plate and start playing with my food, suddenly losing my appetite. In fact, I kind of feel sick now that I’ve come clean to him.

He gets up suddenly and takes his plate to the kitchen, then stands at the kitchen sink with his back to me and his head down, both hands gripping the counter.

I can tell he’s trying to process this. “I need to know, Mac. Are you going to keep seeing them while you’re seeing me?” he asks, not turning around.

“I don’t know. I don’t do relationships, Daniel.” He turns around and leans back on the bench. He is clenching and unclenching his fists, putting me on edge. Maybe this wasn’t a great idea.

“Do you want to keep seeing me, dating me?” he asks, his frown deepening as he looks at me.

“Are we seeing each other? Like exclusively?” I ask warily.

“We’re not not seeing each other. I definitely don’t want to see anyone else. I don’t want to take any other women out to dinner.” He pushes off the counter and starts stalking towards me, slowly but with a definite purpose. “Or to the pier, or to the lake, or anywhere else, and I definitely don’t want another woman in my apartment, or in my bed, other than you.” He stops in front of me.

My breathing quickens. He just stalked me in his own living room and made me wet and wanton without even touching me.

“But it has only been three weeks,” I whisper.

“Three f**king good weeks, gorgeous. Three weeks that make me want to see this through.”

Well, hells bells how can I argue with that?

“Okay.”

“So we’re not not dating then,” he says, leaning over the table to rest his hands on my chair, caging me in.

“We’re not not dating,” I confirm with a sly grin.

“I will tell you this, Mac. I’m going to try and be everything you need me to be both in and out of the bedroom because I like seeing you smile. I like seeing you laugh, and I definitely like you when you’re underneath me calling out my name.”

“Oh God,” I whimper.

“And for the record, since I’m on a roll, I already had the impression that you don’t date like this, but I’m glad you’re willing to try. For you. For me. Maybe for us?” he says, just a whisper’s breath away from my mouth. I tilt my head and get lost in him.

“Okay,” I acquiesce.

“Okay,” he whispers, inching forward and gently brushing his lips against mine before pulling away and sitting down beside me this time.

“There’s one more thing.”

“Mac….” He warns.

“One of the guys, you kind of know him…..well.”

“Oh, shit. No,” he spits out.

“Ah, yeah. I’m Noah’s nurse.”

“Damn. That explains why he was being cockier than normal at the football game. You should’ve told me, Mac. We could have just gone straight to our seats. That must’ve been weird for you.”

“Just a little, yeah, but you made it worth it,” I say, putting my hand on his leg.

“No more Noah?”

“Oh God, no. To be honest, his cockiness was getting irritating at best.”

“So why did you keep doing it then?”

“Routine? Familiarity? Knowing that he’s The Walking Dildo?”

“Fuck me. You call him The Walking Dildo?”

I feel my cheeks flame red. “Yeah. It’s kind of his nickname around the hospital.”

He cracks up laughing. “Please tell me he doesn’t know about it? That guy’s head is big enough already by being a hot shot surgeon.”

“You could say that.” I smile over at him. “So you’re really okay with this?”

“Well, I can’t say I’m okay with it because honestly, I hate knowing that you’ve been with Noah Taylor. But if you want to try and see where this goes with me, and only me, then I’m not going to say no, Mac. I have a feeling that you’re worth it,” he says, running the back of his hand against my cheek before leaning in for a soft kiss.

“Does this mean we get to have a bath now? Because I honestly reek, and I kinda want to see you naked again. I’m all for conserving water and saving the planet, you know.” I wink at him as I take my dishes to the kitchen and start cleaning up.

“Saving the planet…yes, let’s do that. One shower head induced orgasm at a time,” he says behind me before grabbing my hand and leading me towards the bathroom. “Do you need a change of clothes because I kind of like the idea of you wearing one of my t-shirts and nothing else.” He waggles his eyebrows at me.

God, he’s goofy. Check!

“Well, I do have a change of clothes, but I like your idea better.”

Daniel tugs my arm, pulling my body hard against him. “I’ve been remembering the way you taste all day. So f**king sweet,” he says, burying his face in my neck as his tongue starts tracing rousing circles up my neck. “Still sweet.”

I wrap my arms around his neck as my body goes limp against his.

“Shouldn’t we start the bath?” I say hoarsely, my voice totally giving away how much I really don’t want a bath right now unless it is bathing myself in all things Daniel. I seem to lose my head around this man and his addictive mouth.