I wanted her and since I needed to wake her up anyway…

I moved on quick, light feet to the couch where I flicked on the lamp next to her to its softest setting. She didn’t stir while I took the book from her and set it as it was on the coffee table.

My hand went to her cheek and I brushed my thumb over her soft, warm skin. Her shoulder twitched as I leaned in, followed the movement of my thumb with my mouth until I was at the hinge of her jaw near her ear.

“Emmersyn. It’s Kane. Wake up, honey.”

“Mmm. Hi,” she whispered, her voice thick with sleep and her body shivered again as I pressed another kiss to her jaw. “What are you… oh?”

Her eyes opened and I pulled back, staying close and keeping my hand at the side of her throat, running my thumb underneath her jaw.

“You’re home.”

“I am. We should get you to bed.”

She closed her eyes and covered her mouth as she yawned. “What time is it? I tried to stay awake—”

“It’s after two. And don’t ever think you have to do that for me.”

“I wanted to tell you good game in person.”

So that was why she didn’t text me after the game.

As sweet as that was, and as much as I would have loved to have come to her, wide awake and ready for me, she yawned again and closed her eyes like she could fall back asleep in a second. “Come on. Let me help you up to your room.”

She blinked, and a quick frown appeared before she sighed. “Oh. Okay.”

“The next time I kiss you or do all the other things I want to do to you, I want to make sure you’re awake enough to enjoy them.” To prove it, I slid my arm beneath her, and my other beneath her knees, bent down to her side on the couch and picked her up.

“You don’t have to carry me.”

“I know.”

“Kane, come on, I’m not some thin thing you can just throw around like this.”

She clung to me like she was afraid I’d drop her, but instead, I readjusted my hold and shushed her. “Does it look like I’m having problems?”

“Well… no.”

I took the stairs carefully. It was dark and I couldn’t see where I was going, so we slowly made our way up the stairs, Emmersyn clinging to me in fear and uncertainty until I reached the top of the stairs and gently lowered her to her feet.

“Get to bed and sleep well.” I leaned in and kissed her cheek, another one at the corner of her mouth. She turned, caught my lips with hers, and I took her offering as gently as she gave it.

Kissing Emmersyn was a sweet experience, where she used her entire body in a simple, soft kiss. Her hands went to my arms, slid down to my hands, and I took her hands in mine and brought them up, settled them at my chest so she could feel the rhythmic pump of my heart. I held one to my chest and cupped the side of her neck with the other. A full body shiver rolled through her, eliciting a slight gasp from her, and before I could lose all control with a woman who was still half asleep, I pulled back, ended the kiss, and squeezed her hand at my chest.