Again, she had the impulse to smooth back his hair, but she was no longer sure touching him in that way would be welcome. Was last night an isolated incident?

She had no idea what his conscience would allow. “I’d better get back to the guesthouse,” she said and tried to get up to go find her clothes, but he stopped her.

“It’s early yet. Very dark and cold outside.”

“Very?” she echoed with a laugh because he’d dramatically emphasized the word.

“So dark and cold you’ll regret it the minute you leave the house.”

“Even if I’m going such a short distance?” she teased.

He kissed her neck. “Trust me. It’ll be miserable.”

She couldn’t help moving her head to give him better access and closed her eyes as his mouth moved up toward her jawline. “What’s my other option?”

“You could stay here,” he whispered right before using the tip of his tongue to outline the rim of her ear.

“And do what?”

When his eyes latched on to hers, she couldn’t look away. “Let me show you.”

As his hand slid up her bare thigh, she felt a corresponding quiver in her belly, but the fact that she reacted so strongly to his touch made her nervous. Sharing a night together was one thing. Becoming emotionally dependent was another. She didn’t want to risk getting too close to the fire.

“You’re thinking too much,” he told her. Then he kissed her mouth, using his tongue in deliciously wonderful ways, as he moved his hand higher and higher.

And once he reached his target, she could no longer come up with a good reason to refuse him.

Tia wasn’t in his bed. Still groggy from a deep sleep, deeper than he’d been able to sleep in a long while, Seth lifted his head and listened to see if he could hear movement in the house. He hoped she hadn’t left. But there was only silence.

“Damn,” he muttered. The contrast of having her warm body tucked up against him and then waking up alone made him feel strangely bereft.

After a stretch, he reached for his phone—but it wasn’t there. He’d left it outside with his clothes. Afraid that it’d rained since, he yanked on a pair of boxers and some sweatpants and ran barefoot through the house to reclaim it.

But he didn’t get all the way to the door. As he passed through the living room, he spotted his clothes folded neatly on the couch. His phone was right there, too, on top of the pile.

Thank god. Tia must’ve brought them in when she’d retrieved her own clothes.

He touched the screen and felt a surge of relief as it lit up.