I stretch and blink sleepily at the unfamiliar surroundings, taking a few seconds to remember that instead of my bedroom, I ended up in Garret’s.

I glance at the other side of the bed where I spot an indented pillow, but no Garret. I don’t know whether I should feel disappointed or relieved.

Normally, I hate strange beds, but Garret’s is comfortable, even more so than mine, almost as if the mattress was made specifically for my body. For a moment, I debate pulling the covers over my head and snuggling back into the pillow and letting myself fall back to sleep, but with a sigh I throw the blankets back and sit up. As nice as getting some more sleep sounds, I’ll only be putting off the inevitable. Sooner or later, I’m going to have to face Garret, and I suppose in the grand scheme of things, sooner is better.

I pull my clothes up and onto the bed, and have already shimmed into my panties before I notice a familiar thumping sound. I glance at the foot of the bed where Harlan is sprawled on the floor, tongue lolling out of his mouth, feet going a mile a minute, and his tail banging on the edge of the baseboard.

“Chasing squirrels again, I see.” I tug my T-shirt on and reach for my shorts. “I wonder if you’re any better at catching them in your dreams than you are in real life?”

Fully dressed, I square my shoulders and walk toward the closed bedroom door and march through it.

I find Garret sprawled on the couch in the living room. He’s wearing nothing but a pair of jeans, the fly zipped but not buttoned, reading the latest James Patterson novel. His cat is curled up on his lap, purring away like a chainsaw, looking every bit as happy as my dreaming dog.

My heart flutters and my body hums. Garret is always sexy, but the cat and the book shoot his sexiness to a whole new level.

Suddenly, the cat’s tail lashes and it sits bolt upright, turning its head to look straight at me. Alerted by the cat’s attention, Garret uses his finger to mark his spot before turning to me.

An instant smile softens his features. “Hey.”

Heat floods my face and I bury my toes in the soft carpet. “You know, I just realized one of the great things about not sleeping with most of the guys I’ve dated.”

His expression falters. “What’s that?”

Despite the butterflies floating in my stomach, a small smile touches the corners of my mouth. There’s something about his sudden wariness that’s so cute. It’s nice knowing I’m not the only one who’s nervous.

“I rarely have to deal with this awkward, morning-after nonsense.”

“You’re nervous?” Garret picks up a battered playing card, the eight of diamonds, and tucks it between the pages. He puts the book on the coffee table and nudges the cat off his legs. “Think about me. I was married for eleven years and have been single for five. Do you know how long it’s been since the last time I had to deal with this whole ‘after’ thing? Forever, that’s how long. I don’t know what the correct protocol is these days, so, as the experienced one, I’m putting you in charge of this particular scene. Okay?”

Something about what he said triggers an uneasy tickle in the back of my brain. My brow furrows as I try to figure out the sudden sense of foreboding, but before I can Garret stands up and faces me. My pussy hums as my libido sits up and takes notice. Will it always be this way when I’m around him, or will the attraction fade after a few days? Surprisingly, I’m looking forward to finding out.

He walks toward me, stopping just a few feet away, and crosses his arms over his chest. “So, coach, what’s the first step?”

“Well, based on my last relationships that have reached this point, I get dressed as soon as possible and run from your place. Once I’m home, I give you a call and say that while I had fun, I’m just not interested anymore.”

Garret wrinkles his nose. “I don’t like the sound of that.”

I shrug. “But if you were one of the guys I’ve slept with in the past, you’d be okay with it.” I don’t mention Dillion, who still swears that he loves me. Technically, since I never had sex with him, he doesn’t count. At least not in this particular scenario.

Garret reaches out and takes my hand. “Any other options?”

“Well, Dan, the last guy I slept with. I kicked him out of my apartment almost as soon as we were finished. I did go out on a date with him afterwards, but as you know, that didn’t end on a high note. I don’t anticipate ever seeing him again.”

“Well, that’s another sucky situation.” Using his hold on my hand, he draws me close until our bodies brush lightly together. “I suppose we’ll have to explore option three.”

“Which is?” I ask breathlessly.

“We play things by ear.” Garret lowers his head and my knees go all watery. “But I think it’s going to involve lots of kissing.” His mouth covers mind and we enjoy a leisurely exploration of one another’s mouths. Breathing heavily, he breaks the kiss.

“So far, I’m a big fan of your approach.” I rest my free hand on his chest. My thumb runs over his nipple, causing him to inhale sharply. “Got any other ideas?”

Garret’s free hand slides over my hip before coming to rest on the curve of my ass. “I’m thinking we go out to dinner, take your dog for a walk, and then watch some old movies in bed. Oh yeah, and there might be some sex mixed in there somewhere.”

I stand up on my toes and press a quick kiss to the hollow of his throat. “That sounds like the best plan I’ve heard in a long time.”