Consumed by a Stranger (Craved Series #4) (10 page)

I
barely had the energy to stumble onto the bed after our bath.

I
scooted over to my preferred side and lay down, watching Jack towel himself off
and wrap his white towel around his waist. 

I
swear to god from the way it pulled across his hip bones and hugged his ass
when he was done, I almost wished he would wear just a towel all the
time. 

He
walked around to my side of the bed.

I
rolled over to greet him as he sat down. 

"What
a night, eh?" he said. 

"You
said it." I reached up and grabbed one of my bed pillows so I could prop
up my sleepy head. 

"I
know you probably have work to do in the morning," he said. "And I
don't want to be presumptuous-"

"Stay,"
I said. 

"Are
you sure?"

My
eyes flicked up at my alarm clock. It was after midnight. "Of
course."

He
smiled at me. 

“As
long as you promise not to be offended when I fall asleep in record time-"

He
laughed. "I'll probably be more proud than offended."

"And
not to get the wrong impression about the kind of girl I am," I said,
laying a hand against his lower back and dragging my fingers along the base of
his spine.

"There's
nothing wrong with the kind of girl you are."

“Good,”
I said. “Then stay.”

I
couldn't believe he thought I'd kick him out after the night we had. I know he
was just trying to be a gentleman, but it was too late for that. I was so
sprung it would've been impossible for me to ask him to leave with any
conviction. 

"Lay
down," I said, scooting back and patting the bed in front of me. 

"I
think you should get under the covers," he said. "So you don't get
cold when the heat from the bath wears off."

"Whatever
you say," I said, getting on all fours and yanking my comforter down.

He
helped lift the covers over me and then went to hang his towel up in the
bathroom… which is the point when my Mother would've decided he was a
keeper. 

A
moment later, he returned and crawled in naked beside me. 

Seeing
him under my covers was surreal even after everything we'd done. It may even
have been the strangest moment of all. 

Jack
pulled me towards him.

I
threw a leg over him so we could scootch closer. "Thanks for such a
lovely evening."

"It
was lovely, wasn't it?" he asked. "And to think twenty four hours
ago, I was wondering if you would even invite me in."

"I
guess I wasn't quite as over you as I thought I was."

He
furrowed his brow. "You wanted to get over me?"

"It's
not that I wanted to," I said. "I just didn't think I had a choice."

"You
always have a choice, Audrey. Always."

"I
know you’re right, but my life experience hasn't exactly led me to the same
conclusion."

"I'm
glad I came when I did anyway. I would've been devastated if I'd been too
late."

I
raised my eyebrows. "Devastated, huh?"

"That's
probably an understatement."

"You're
really smitten with me then?"

"Another
understatement."

"I
like you, too, Jack, and I'm glad you came after me. I think we might have
something here."

"I
know we do."

"What
do we do now though?" I asked. "I mean, I can't exactly afford to
come visit you in Thailand every other week."

He
pursed his lips. 

"And
I can't expect you to live out of a hotel down the street in a city that's not
yours just so we can keep dating."

"It
would be a small price to pay."

I
could see in his eyes that he was serious, that he was wracking his brain for a
solution as hard as I was. But I couldn't see one… unless one of us agreed to
move and it seemed too early to talk about such a big step. 

And
while the feelings were there, I knew as they got deeper, being apart from him
would only get harder. Besides, my life was complicated enough without adding a
long distance relationship to the mix. 

I
sighed, enjoying the way it felt to be bathtub warm under the covers… not to
mention sexually spent.

"Do
you want a glass of water?" he asked. 

"Have
I failed to offer you a drink again?"

"Not
at all," he said. "But do you mind if I get one?"

"Help
yourself," I said, letting my eyes linger on his ass as he walked out of
the room.

I
couldn’t help but smile to myself. How could I not? There was a sexy doctor
walking around naked in my apartment. Plus, not only was he gorgeous, but he
was funny and kind and dynamite at sex and wanted to freaking snuggle with me! 

And
not only had I not messed it up yet, he said smitten was an understatement! 

I
listened as he opened a few cupboards and found a glass. 

"Can
I drink the tap water here?" he asked, popping his head back in the
room.

"Yeah,"
I said. "Go nuts."

"Thanks,"
he said. "It's been a while since I could do that."

I
listened as he turned on the faucet. Then there was a pause- probably him
slamming some water- before he let it run again.

When
he came back, he had two glasses and set one down on my nightstand before going
back around to the other side of the bed. 

"I'm
so happy you're here," I said. "But it makes me sad every time I
remember that you have to go back to Thailand."

"I
know," he said. "Especially when we're having so much fun."

I
nodded. 

"And
I know we haven't known each other for very long, but doesn’t it feel like
we've been dating for a while?"

"Yeah,"
I said. "I just wish there was something we could do, something that would
make this whole thing easier."

Jack
lifted a hand and traced the outline of my face with his fingers. "Maybe
there is something we could do."

"Like
what?" 

"Well,
you make me happier than sunshine and banana pancakes."

I
narrowed my eyes at him. "I'm not following."

"What
I'm trying to say is, when I find something that makes me happy, I’ll do
whatever it takes to make sure I can enjoy it every day."

"Okay."

"And
you're one of those things." 

"Thanks." 

"And
I can't imagine ever getting sick of you or ever not wanting more of you."

I
smiled. "And I'm much better for you than too much sunshine or banana
pancakes."

"I
know."

"So
what are you suggesting?"

"I
guess I'm suggesting we get married."

I
laughed. 

He
didn't.

I
furrowed my brow. "Oh my god you're serious?!" 

"Yeah."
He shrugged. "I am."

"We
can't get married, Jack."

"Why
not?"

"Because...
because we've only just met."

"Which
is exactly why we shouldn't waste any more time apart."

"That's
crazy," I said, wondering if it was the wine talking. 

"Would
it seem less crazy if I got down on my knee cause-"

"No,"
I said. "Plus, you're naked."

"What's
that got to do with anything?"

"I
don't know," I said. "But somehow it compromises your whole
proposal."

"I
assure you my judgement isn't impaired by my own nakedness." He pulled me
close. "Yours on the other hand is an entirely different matter."

I
shook my head. 

"What's
wrong?"

"I
just feel like you're making light of something that isn't frivolous at
all."

"Yeah,
well, maybe I'm feeling a bit awkward at the minute because you haven’t said
yes."

"I
don't mean to make you feel awkward," I said. "I just don't think you
know me well enough to ask me something like that."

"I
know enough," he said.

"I've
never even made you a piece of toast."

"You
can make me one in the morning."

"And
if I'm a terrible cook and you wish you hadn't asked me to marry you, then
what?"

"I
wouldn't be marrying you for your cooking skills so that's not going to
happen."

"And
what would you be marrying me for then?" 

"Your
excellent company," he said. "And your fantastic genes."

"Shit."

"Is
that a no?" he asked, his face falling. 

"Do
you really expect a serious answer?"

"It's
a serious question."

"I
know it's a serious question. That's why I'm confused. Because I don't think you
realize how serious it is."

He
fixed his eyes on me. "Audrey."

"What?"

"I
do."

Thank you
for taking the time to read this story.

If you
enjoyed it, please take a moment to leave a review and tell your friends!

To find out
what’s next for Jack and Audrey, check out the final book in the Craved Series,
Chosen by a Stranger
.

Coming
Soon!!

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in touch?

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. I would
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Thanks
again for your support and until next time,

Happy
Reading,

Xo Hazel

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