Page 27 of Paging Dr. VanRyan

“Good. Then we’re on the same page. Exclusive.”

She shook her head, but she didn’t argue. Instead, she yawned, and I had to smile as she tried to cover it up.

I held out my hand. “I’ll walk you upstairs then head home. You need to sleep.”

“We both do.”

“I’m used to going on a couple hours’ nap. I’ll be home by one and up at five. That’s a bonus.”

She locked up, and I followed her up the steps. At her door, she turned to me. “I have a queen bed—you could sleep here. I’m ten minutes from the hospital. If you want to, have a shower now to freshen up after all your work, and you can get an extra hour in. I’m sure you have scrubs you can change into in your locker.”

I brushed my knuckles down her cheek. “Sleeping together so soon?” I murmured.

“Just sleeping,” she warned.

The thought of nestling close and falling asleep with her was too tempting to resist. “I’d like that.”

Inside, she bustled around, handing me a towel and a still-wrapped toothbrush. “You shower first,” she instructed.

“We could save water and time and shower together,” I offered.

“Nice try.”

I bent and kissed her cheek, rubbing my nose to hers affectionately. “Can’t blame a guy for trying.”

She cupped my cheek. “I would have been disappointed if you hadn’t.”

A short while later, I was in Maddy’s bed, surrounded by her scent. It was in the sheets, filling the air in the room. The fragrance was delicate and subtle—flowers and citrus. Pleasing. Alluring. And everywhere. When she slid in beside me, it was even deeper. I inhaled, enjoying the floral notes and the feminine perfume. My place smelled like me, I supposed, not that I ever noticed much. But this was new and different.

Maddy glanced at me, appearing nervous. “Comfortable?” she asked.

“Very. But I can sleep on the couch.”

“You’re fine,” she replied, tugging on the blanket so it covered her. She wore sleep pants and a T-shirt to bed. Loose and comfortable. I usually slept naked but had tugged on my boxers and T-shirt after my shower, pretty certain she would prefer I not be nude in her bed.

At least for tonight.

She turned off the light, and I felt her nestle under the blankets with a sigh of weariness. I rolled over, draping my arm along her waist and tugging her back to my chest. For a moment, she stiffened, then relaxed and melted into me. I buried my head into her neck with a smile. “Hmm. I like this,” I murmured. “You smell good and you’re so warm.”

“You feel nice too.”

I pressed a kiss to the silky skin of her shoulder. “Night, Maddy.”

She patted my hand, then laced our fingers together. “Night, Matty.”

And I let sleep take me.

I woke before my alarm went off, feeling oddly warm and content. It took me a moment to remember I had spent the night in Maddy’s bed. Somehow while sleeping, we had become completely entangled. My leg was between hers, I had her locked in my embrace, and my head was buried into her neck. My cock was hard and aching, pressed tightly between us. I took in a long breath, fighting down the impulse to wake her the way I wanted to—with me inside her, starting her day with an earth-shattering orgasm.

Instead, I willed myself to calm down, trying to disentangle my legs and arms from hers so I could slip from the bed without disturbing her.

I failed.

As soon as I shifted, she moved with me. I tried not to groan as she moved my hand to her breast, holding it there, her nipple a hard peak under my palm. She dragged her foot up my leg, her toes teasing the skin. She moved her hips, rubbing back against my dick, torturing me. She shifted, lifting her leg, and my cock slipped between us, trapped in the heat of her.

I groaned. “Maddy baby, you’re killing me here.”

“Matthew,” she whimpered. “Please.”