Chapter Nineteen

Rush's heavy breathing in my ear as his body weighed down on mine was wonderful. I wanted to hold him here. Still inside me. Just like this.

When he moved his arms and lifted himself off me, I tightened my arms around him and he chuckled. "I'll be back. I need to take care of you first," he said and then kissed me on the lips before leaving me alone on his bed.

I watched his naked butt in all its perfection walk across the room and into what appeared to be the bathroom. I heard water running and then he was walking back out completely bare in the front. My eyes immediately went south. I heard Rush chuckle and I closed my eyes embarrassed to be caught looking.

"Don't get shy on me now," he teased then reached to reopen my knees. "Open up for me," he said softly and pulled my knees open. I noticed the washcloth in his hands for the first time.

"Not too much," he said, washing between my legs as I watched him in fascination. "Does it hurt?" he asked with concern in his voice as he gently wiped the tender area. I shook my head. Now that we weren't wild with passion this was embarrassing. But having him clean me up was sweet. Was this what guys did after sex? I'd never seen this in a movie.

Rush seemed pleased with his clean up job and he threw the used wash cloth in the trash can beside his bed. He crawled back on the bed beside me and pulled me against him.

"I thought you weren't a cuddler, Rush," I said as he ran his nose along my neck and inhaled loudly.

"I wasn't. Only with you Blaire. You're my exception," he whispered then tucked my head under his chin and pulled the covers up over us. Sleep came fast. I was safe and I was happy.

Slow kisses being placed on the inside of my calf and along the arch of my foot was the first thing that registered with me. I forced my eyes open. Rush was on his knees at the end of the bed kissing my feet and up the side of my leg with a wicked grin on his face.

"There's your eyes. I was beginning to wonder just how much I was going to need to kiss in order to wake you up. Not that I mind kissing higher but that would lead to some more incredible sex and you now only have twenty minutes to get to work."

Work. Oh crap. I sat up and Rush put my leg down. "You've got time. I'll go fix you something to eat while you get ready," he assured me.

"Thank you, but you don't have to. I'll grab something in the staff break room when I get there."

I was trying not to let the morning after awkwardness set in. I had had sex with this man. Really good sex or at least I thought it was. Now it was daylight and I was naked in his bed.

"I want you to eat here. Please."

He wanted to me here. My heart thumped harder in my chest. "Okay. I need to go to my room and get a shower."

Rush glanced back at his bathroom then at me. "I'm torn, because I want you to shower in there but I don't think I'll be able to walk away knowing you're naked and soapy in my shower. I'll want to join you."

Holding the sheet over my chest, I sat up and smiled up at him. "As appealing as that sounds I'd be late for work."

Rush sighed and nodded. "Right. You need to go to your room."

I looked around for my clothes but I didn't see them anywhere.

"Put this on. Henrietta comes today. I'll have her wash and press your clothes from last night." He threw the tee shirt he'd had on last night at me. I caught a whiff of him as it landed on my chest. I was going to have a hard time giving this back. I modestly tried to pull it over me without letting the sheet fall.

"Now stand up. I want to see you," he murmured, backing up. He was wearing a pair of pajama pants as he eased off the edge of the bed and waited for me to stand up. I let the sheet fall and I stood up. His shirt hit me just above the knees.

"Can you call in sick?" he asked as his eyes traveled down my body.

A warm tingly sensation ran through me. "I'm not sick," I replied.

"Are you sure? Because I think I have a fever," he said stepping around the bed and pulling me up against him. "Last night was amazing," he said into my hair.

I hadn't expected this kind of reaction from him. I'd been worried that he might toss me out this morning. But he wasn't. He was being sweet. And so incredibly yummy I was tempted to call in sick.

It was my day on the drink cart and if I didn't show up then Bethy would have to do the whole course by herself on a Friday. That would be cruel. I couldn't.

"I have to work today. They're expecting me," I explained.

He nodded and stepped back, "I know. Run Blaire. Run your cute little ass down stairs and get ready. I can't promise you I will let you go if you stand here looking like that much longer."

Giggling, I ran past him and down the stairs. The amused laughter I left behind was perfect. Rush was perfect.

The heat was only getting worse. I really wished Darla would let me wear my hair up. I was ready to take a bottle of that ice water and pour it over my head. I'd dry in seconds out here in this heat. Why were men golfing in this weather? Were they crazy?

Pulling the drink cart to back to the first hole I noticed the dark head of hair that belonged to Woods. Great. Not who I was in the mood for today. Jace was probably wanting to wait on Bethy to make her rounds anyway. I could probably skip them. Woods turned and looked back at me and a smile touched his lips.

"Back on the cart today. As much as I like having you inside this makes golfing a helluva lot more fun," Woods said in a teasing tone as I pulled the cart up beside them.

I wasn't going to encourage his flirting. But he was my boss so I couldn't make him mad either.

"Back off, Woods. That's a little too close," Rush's voice came from behind me and I spun around to see him walking toward us with a pair of dark blue shorts and a white polo shirt. Was he playing golf?

"So she's why you suddenly wanted to play with us today?" Woods asked.

I didn't look away from Rush as he walked toward me.  He was here for me. At least I was pretty sure he was. He'd asked me where I was working today during breakfast.

His hand slipped around my waist. He pulled me up against his side and bent his head to whisper in my ear, "Are you sore?"

He'd been worried about me being sore today and having to work on my feet all day. I'd told him I was fine. I just felt stretched. Apparently he was still concerned.

"I'm fine," I replied quietly.

He pressed a kiss to my ear. "Do you feel stretched? Can you tell I've been inside you?"

I nodded, feeling my knees go a little weak from the tone in his voice.

"Good. I like knowing you can feel where I've been," he said then pulled away from me and leveled his eyes on Woods.

"I figured this was gonna happen," Woods said in an annoyed tone.

"Nan know it yet?" Jace asked. Blondie hit him in the arm and scowled at him.

Why did Nan always come up? Would I ever know?

"This isn't Nan's business. Or yours," Rush replied glaring at Jace.

"I came here to golf. Let's not talk about this out here. Blaire, why don't you get everyone's drinks and head on to the next hole," Woods said.

Rush tensed beside me. Woods was testing us. He wanted to see if I was going to act differently now that Rush was making some claim on me publicly. I was here to work. Just because I had slept with Rush didn't change my place in the grand scheme of things. I knew that.

I stepped out of Rush's arms to open the cooler and started handing out everyone's choice of drinks. My tips weren't as high as they used to be with this group. Except, of course, for Woods. I figured that would change today too.

I could see the hundred dollar bill that Woods put in my hands and I was sure Rush did too. I quickly closed my hand and shoved it into my pocket. I'd deal with him later when Rush wasn't watching. Rush walked up and stuck his payment in my pocket. He kissed me softly and then winked at me before he walked over to get a golf club from the caddy.

I didn't give Woods a reason to correct me. I quickly got back on the cart and headed for the next hole. The phone in my pocket buzzed startling me. Rush had tucked it in my pocket before I left this morning. I was having a hard time remembering I had it.

I stopped the cart and pulled it out.

Rush: I'm sorry about Woods.

Why was he sorry? He had no reason to be sorry.

Me: I'm fine. Woods is my boss. No big deal.

I slipped the phone back into my pocket and headed to my next stop.