“Well,” I said, nipping on his earlobe, “this woman adores it.”

He leaned back onto the bed and pulled me on top of him. “Remind me to buy a razor.”

We fell into a deep kiss and then he shifted me to his right side. This was nice. I’d never been able to enjoy the feel of a man lying naked beside me without foreplay or sex. I liked his natural, musky smell. And my fingers couldn’t stop brushing over his soft chest hair—short, sparse, and pale brown. He bent his left knee and casually moved it back and forth, tucking his right arm behind his head.

“Do you smoke?” I asked.

“Nope. But after what we just did, I’d say that justifies a cigarette. You?”

“Does my kiss taste like smoke?”

“You taste like dark cherries.”

Well, that was one I hadn’t heard before. “Did you really like my chicken spaghetti?”

Wheeler chuckled. “Your mind is all over the place. If that’s just a sample of what you can do in the kitchen, then I might lock you in here for good. I love a woman who knows how to cook.”

“Mmmm, and I love a man with an appetite.”

Wheeler touched my eyelashes before stroking his finger over my brow. “How did you get such exotic eyes?”

His hand smoothed down my neck, across my breasts, and then between my legs. I lightly gasped—hot with desire once more. As I rolled onto my back, Wheeler’s teeth locked on my neck and lightly bit down. I moaned as his fingertips explored my sex and his heated breath skated against my skin.

A knock sounded at the door, and I stood up in a panic.

“Be chill,” Wheeler said coolly. “I locked the door.”

“Naya! It’s Lexi.”

“Not a good time, girly!”

I heard keys jingling. “Naya, I’m coming in!”

I don’t even remember Wheeler moving. One minute I heard him say, “Shit,” and the next he was running.

Running where? Oh my God!

The key slid into the lock, Wheeler slipped on the spilled soda by the door, and I reached down and whirled a sheet around me when the door opened.

“This can’t wait, Naya. I have to sort out the stuff for the party now. Austin’s giving me a hard time, and he’s stressed out over the food order. He kicked me out of bed and said if he has to work late, then so do I.” She held her laptop in one hand and glanced down at the wet floor. “What the hell happened?”

The bathroom door slowly closed behind her but didn’t shut all the way.

“And why are you standing on the bed?” Lexi began to look around and I leapt onto the floor.

“Do have a seat on the sofa. I was just settling in for the night.”

She glanced at the tipped-over coffee table.

“Sorry,” I said apologetically. “I had a little tantrum because we didn’t get Delgado. I was hoping he’d be there.”