In His Sleep

by Jennifer Talty

  She snuggled in and once again let her body drift of into a subconscious state, dreaming about being liked, maybe loved.

  Chapter Six

  Chad bolted up in bed, blinking his eyes and scanning the room. “What the…oh shit.” She wasn’t next to him, or in the room, and then he heard the water running. He glanced over the side of the bed and let out a sigh of relief when he saw her tiny thong still dangling from the chair’s armrest. At least he knew he was in her room.

  He wiped the sleep from his eyes, and then tried to collect his thoughts. The night’s events jumbled inside his head. He remembered waking up in her room and the events that led to them making love.

  “Settle down,” he told his morning hard-on.

  He remembered watching television, and he remembered looking for her. That must have been in his sleep. All in all, he’d survived his trip. “Awe, shit.”

  “What?” She appeared at the foot of the bed, wrapped in a towel, water pellets beading on her creamy skin.

  “I have to find a way to get into my room.”

  “Not a problem.” She smiled, then bent at the waist and pulled the towel from her head. “Except for having to meet them in the hall in your underwear.”

  “Thanks for reminding me.” He ran a hand through his own unruly hair as she shook her head this way and that way and the towel strapped across her breasts loosened. “You’re not helping my situation here?”

  “What situation is--” Her gaze dropped below his waist, and her eyes widened. “Oh, that.”

  He smiled at her reaction, then frowned. He didn’t have a condom. “I think I’ll take a cold shower.”

  “Won’t be necessary.” She dashed back into the bathroom and came out holding another condom in her hand.

  He smiled. He liked the way she thought. “Where did you get that?” He tugged the towel off and draped her across his body. She smelled like coffee. “Condom and a cup of coffee?”

  “I had a bagel, too.” She smiled. “Better put that thing on before it’s too late.”

  He groaned as slipped the condom on, and then pointed to the bed. “You better get on your back before it’s too late.”

  “Right.” She laid herself on her back, spread eagle.

  “Nice.” He didn’t waste any time climbing on top of her sweet body and slipping his dick into her moist folds. “Not fair,” he whispered, brushing his lips against hers. “I want coffee, too.”

  She rolled her hips over him, slowly, then faster, then slow again as he nibbled on her breasts. “I brought you up some.”

  “How thoughtful,” he said, barely maintaining control. She knew exactly how to drive him to the brink. Saying his name as her insides tightened around him didn’t help make it last.

  She rubbed her clit against his pubic bone, rocking back and forth. Raspy breaths and soft moans escaped from her lips. He could feel her body shiver beneath his. Her orgasm clutched his cock. He rammed himself into her hard and deep, letting out a gut wrenching groan as his own climax ripped through his bloodstream. “Yeah, I like liking you more.”

  He’d barely had a moment to relax in the aftermath when a knock at the door startled him. “Are we expecting anyone?”

  “Yeah. Security to let you in and Kirk to help me pack.” She kissed his neck. “You need to get off me.”

  “No, I don’t.”

  “Yeah. You do. I need to put some clothes on and answer the door.”

  “That sucks.” Reluctantly, he shifted to the side and watched her scurry about the room. “You’re cute when you’re flustered.”

  She hiked up her shorts and then pulled her tank over her head. “Get you’re undies back on, unless you want to wander the halls in your birthday suit this time.”

  “Probably a good idea.” Although, he’d much rather go another round with her. “You need Kirk to help you pack?” he questioned as he started his search for his boxers.

  “The camera stuff. You’re cup of coffee and bagel are in the bathroom on the sink.”

  “Interesting place for them.” With a sadness he didn’t quite understand, he walked into the bathroom, underwear in hand, and shut the door. The room smelled as if he’d walked into an orange juice factory and that didn’t help.

  He brought the mug to his lips, and sipped. “Angie?”

  She pushed open the door. “Yeah?”

  “You’re flight leaves at eleven?”

  “Something like that.”

  “Share a cab?”

  “Share a cab with that hussy, never,” Kirk’s voice screeched in his ears.

  “Shut up,” Angie said. “We’ve got a limo, but you can hitch a ride.”

  “Not until the bastard pays me for the condoms,” Kirk said, giggling.

  “Sorry,” Angie whispered.

  “I’ll just take the shuttle.”

  She stepped in and closed the door. “I don’t want you to. And Kirk is just being an ass. He’s jealous that you weren’t interested in him.”

  Chad tried to toss that thought away. “I don’t want to get you in trouble with your boss.”

  “You won’t, so the ride’s on me.” Quickly, she lifted her T-shirt, giving him a nice view of her still puckered nipples.

  “You don’t play fair.”

  “Nope, I don’t.” She turned, bent at the waist and lowered her shorts, showing off her adorable ass.

  “That does it.” He pushed her aside and flung open the door. “Where’s your wallet,” he snapped at Kirk.

  “Huh?” Kirk gave him a puzzled look but reached in his back pocket and pulled out a small, brown leather wallet.

  Chad yanked it from his hands and opened it up.

  “What the hell? Give it back, man,” Kirk yelled. “Angie, your lover boy is ripping me off.”

  “Chad?” her voice questioned.

  Chad ignored them both until he found what he’d been looking for. He snagged the two condoms and tossed the billfold back at Kirk. “Thanks, man.”

  “You bitch,” Kirk said. “No, not in there while I’m out here. Have you people no pride? Better not be noisy.”

  “I can’t believe you just did that,” Angie said once Chad closed the door. “And what makes you think I’ll do it in here?”

  “Because you’re still wet.” He reached inside her shorts, gliding his fingers across vulva but not inside her.”

  “Bastard,” she whispered as she pulled the crotch of her underwear aside, giving him full access.

  “Yeah, I’m a bastard.” It surprised him that his dick was hard and eager for another encounter. He hoisted her onto the sink.

  Immediately, she grabbed his cock, shoving it inside her pussy and wrapping her legs tightly around his middle. No way would he last very long with the way her hips moved in a circle motion. But it didn’t matter.

  “Yes! Oh, God, yes.”

  He focused on the way their bodies were intertwined. The way her climax pulsated against his cock, pulling him so deep he thought she would completely consume him. Unable to control his desires any longer, he let himself go with a deep growl.

  “I bet Kirk heard that,” she said with a wide grin.

  “If that wasn’t the hottest sex I’ve ever had, that would have killed it right there.”

  “Ah, Angie.” Kirk pounded on the door.

  “Go away,” she said.

  “Security is at the door.”

  “Fuck,” Chad said. “I think I’d better get back to my room.”

  “Yeah,” she said. “Probably for the best.” She opened the door and let Chad step out first.

  “Looking for a Chad Gregory. Something about being locked out without ID.”

  “That would be me.”

  “Meet us in the lobby at nine, okay?” She touched his arm. “Thanks, for everything.”

  “My pleasure.” He tilted his head, kissed her cheek, then turned and followed the hotel security guard to his room, kind of forgetting he was in his underwear, holding a colored condoms in his hand.


  “Well, I never,” some woman said. “And how dare you stand there and stare.”

  “I did a whole lot more than stare,” Chad heard Angie say, and then the door slammed closed.

  “Sir, your sister called and asked that we find you and have you call her as soon as possible.”

  “Thanks.” Chad waited for the man to open his door, ignoring the silly stares and gasps from the people walking by. For the first time in his life, sleepwalking wasn’t so bad.

  * * * *

  Angie paced in the lobby biting her nails and glancing at the clock. If she didn’t leave soon, she’d miss her plane.

  “Let’s go, honey,” Kirk called.

  She sighed, scanned the lobby one more time, then headed out the main doors and slipped into the limo. “Jerk.”

  “This is why you shouldn’t do one-night stands. You have sex once, and bam, you think you’re in love.”

  She rolled the window down and let the hot hair smack her face as they pulled away from the hotel. “I’m not in love with him.”

  “Maybe not, but you need to let him go. He wasn’t looking for anything other than a quick roll in the hay. Maybe he wasn’t even sleepwalking. Ever think of that?”

  “No.” She rolled the window up and slide across the plush leather into Kirks arms as the limo pulled away from the hotel. “I hate that I do this.”

  “At least tell me he was good.”

  “You’re a jerk, too.”

  Not another word was muttered during the rest of the ride to the airport. Once at the ticket counter, she decided to treat herself to first class and offered to pay for the upgrade for Kirk, too, who graciously accepted. After all her bags where checked, she got a cup of coffee and a chocolate chip muffin.

  “He was that good, huh?” Kirk took the camera bag from her shoulder and pointed to a chair.

  “It wasn’t just the sex.” Aimlessly, she sat down, opened her cup, and stirred in the sugar. “He’s really nice.”

  “You don’t know him.”

  “I know he’s got a sister name Gretchen, and he lives alone and I think he’s in the same place in life that I am.” She glanced up and looked around, hoping to see him in the sea of people hurrying to get to their plane.

  “And where is that?”

  “Looking for someone to accept you for who you are. To be with someone who you can share your hopes and dreams with.”

  “I accept you, hon.”

  She rolled her eyes. “I don’t have a penis.”

  “No you don’t. But you’ll find someone. Come on, I think that’s our flight.”

  She followed Kirk down to the terminal and by the time they arrived, everyone else had boarded. She handed the agent her ticked and looked over her shoulder one last time, but Chad was gone to her forever.

  “You have his address, right?” Kirk asked after settling into the nice oversized airplane seats.

  “He gave me his business card, but I didn’t even look to see where he lives. Besides, if he’d wanted to see me again, he would’ve taken the ride to the airport.”

  “Something might have happened.”

  Yeah, like I’m a fool.

  “Wake me when we get home.” She propped the pillow against the hard window, pulled the blanket up to her chin, and closed her eyes. She might be a light sleeper, but she could sleep just about anywhere.

  * * * *

  Chad pulled out his blackberry and sent a nasty e-mail to his sister while waiting for flight attendants to tell him to put it away. If his sister hadn’t been bent out of shape because he hadn’t been in his room when she’d called, he might have figured out how to get a hold of Angie since he’d missed the designated hook-up time in the lobby.

  Her reply was immediate. He scowled. She thought he should slow down because he didn’t even know Angie.

  “I know enough.” He typed, and then hit send.

  He had looked in every coffee shop and magazine rack he could find at the airport but never spied Angie. He even waited until the last boarding call before getting on his plane.

  The plane bucked, and the captain mumbled something from the cockpit intercom. Chad rested his head against the seat back. He’d get some kind of payment from Angie’s company in a couple of weeks. He just hoped that there would be enough information for him to find out where she lived.

  After an easy takeoff, Chad reclined his seat and conjured up a picture of Angie, the one of her giggling and mooning him. That memory would last a lifetime.

  “Must be a good dream,” Kirk’s voice sounded in his ears, startling him.

  “What then?” He blinked open his eyes, knowing he hadn’t been asleep. He looked at Kirk, who was staring at him with daggers.

  “I should beat the crap out of you.”

  “What the hell did I do?”

  “You didn’t show up or have the decency to say good-bye.”

  “I got caught up.” Chad unbuckled his safety strap and rose. “Where is she?” He looked around the cabin but didn’t see her. He’d been one of the last people on, and sitting way here in the back, if she’d gotten on this plane, he would’ve known it.

  “Gentlemen.” One of the flight attendants approached them. “Is there a problem?”

  “No, ma’am.” Chad smiled. “We were just switching seats.”

  Kirk narrowed his eyes. “If you break her heart, I’ll break your neck.”

  “Fair enough. Now where is she?”

  “Two B.” Kirk slid into Chad’s old seat.

  “Thanks.” Chad fixed his shirt and strode up the aisle with the biggest lump in his throat. What the hell did he say to her? Believe in love? Of course she did. The question was did she believe in love at first sight, or sleep, or whatever.

  He slipped into the seat next to her, trying not to wake her. He just wanted to be with her for a moment. Hear her breathe. Smell her scent. Feel her presence.

  She sighed and shifted, lifting his arm and tucking her head in his shoulder. Her other hand came around his stomach, looping her fingers in his belt. “You smell like Chad.”

  “I do?” His pulse quickened. She’d been thinking of him. This was good.

  “You sound like him, too.” She snuggled in deeper. “The first time I heard his voice, I knew.”

  “Knew what?”

  “I don’t know, just knew I liked him. Weird, I hadn’t even seen him yet.”

  He chuckled. “Not so weird.”

  She jumped, pulling back from him. “Chad?”

  “In the flesh.”

  She brushed her muffled hair from sleepy eyes. “What the hell is so funny?” She’d obviously been completely out of it.

  “You talk in your sleep.”

  “So.” She scowled, leaning back. “Where’s Kirk?”

  “Back where he belongs.”

  “He’s my assistant. He belongs up her with me.” She wiped her eyes. “Besides, I’m mad at you.”

  “Are you going to stay mad at me forever?”

  “Yes. Maybe. I don’t know.” She brushed her hair from her face. “How did you get on the plane?”

  “Same way you did.” He laced his fingers through hers. “I’m sorry I was late. My sister was ripping me a new asshole for not being in my room last night. She worries about me.”

  “I waited as long as I could.”

  “I know.” He tugged her closer. “Still mad?”

  “A little,” she said. “Where do you live?”

  “Connecticut. I commute into New York City. How about you?”

  “You’re kidding right?” She shifted in her seat. “I live in Connecticut.”

  Could the strange turn of events be any stranger? Could this all be just one major coincidence? “Where?”

  “Wilton. I’m renting a garage apartment from one of my many pesky older brothers.”

  “I’m in Ridgefield.” Chad had forgotten about the older brothers. “Are your brothers really protective of you?”

  “That depends on ho
w mad I am.” She allowed a slight smile. “Have you always lived in Ridgefield?”

  “I grew up in New York,” he said. “Buffalo.”

  “I’ve never been to Niagara Falls. Is that where your sister lives?”

  He shook his head. “She lives in Wilton, too. Her husband and I work together. My parents still live in Buffalo, so I could take you to the Falls sometimes. Did I tell you I own a house?” He sounded like a complete moron but didn’t much care at this point. Regardless of how little he knew about her, he knew that he had to have her in his life. She provided him with a comfort level he’d never known before but always craved. Five older brothers included.

  “I’ve got a dog,” Chad said. “Do you like dogs?”

  “Love them. My favorite is the Chocolate Lab. I used to have one, but my ex-husband has custody

  “I’ve got a yellow lab. Her name is Mitsy.”

  “Mitsy?”

  “My niece named her. You do like kids, right?”

  “Yeah. I do,” she said. “You going to tell your family you met me in your sleep?”

  “Stranger things have happened to people while they were awake.”

  About the Author

  Jen Talty co-created Cool Gus Publishing with NY Times Best-Selling Author Bob Mayer, and runs the technical side of the company. She is a published romance author, and teaches Creative Writing at various writing conferences across the country.

  Jen grew up in Rochester, NY, a city with the highest murder rate per capita in the entire state. With notorious cases such as The Alphabet Murders, The Genesee River Killer (Arthur Shawcross), The Murder of Kali Ann Poulton by Mark Christi, and the case of funeral homes stealing body parts from corpses awaiting cremation, Jen became fascinated by the darker side of human nature. She brings this fascination to her romances, creating dark villains who wreak havoc on the hero and heroine, and producing page-turning suspense.

  Jen received a BS degree in Business Education with a concentration in Marketing and Sales from Nazareth College of Rochester. She taught Business Applications at both the high school level and in Continuing Education. She was a co-leader of Distributed Education Clubs of America and worked with students in developing marketing, sales and public speaking skills. After leaving the teaching profession, she worked as a product and sales trainer for various hardware and software companies such as 3Comm, HP and McAfee, and was the regional merchandising representative for Buena Vista Entertainment.