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Somehow his pants had been worked off, and it was just them, skin to skin, on her mattress starting a fire that she could only hope would never burn out.
     
    Arianna’s heart pounded in her chest. Strands of her hair stuck to her sweaty face, and John’s arms were wrapped around her, his rapid breath warm against her neck.
    They had done it—broke that sacred bond of growing friendship and traded it for hot, sweaty, amazing sex.
    “I don’t know how old you think you are, but,” she said, trying to catch her breath, “you’re absolutely amazing.”
    “I’m glad you think so.”
    She rolled over so they were face to face. He brushed away the strands of hair from her face. “You didn’t want to do this, did you?”
    “Oh, hell, I wanted to do it. I just didn’t think it was the right thing to do. And it kinda puts us in a strange situation, doesn’t it?”
    “Not at all. Your rent just went up. Now you don’t have to feel guilty.”
    He laughed as he interlaced their fingers. “What will your sister think?”
    “Are you going to tell her?”
    He adjusted to look at her. “I assumed you would.”
    “Well, of course I will, in time.” She pressed a kiss to his lips. “But I don’t tell her everything.”
    “I don’t believe you.”
    She turned away again and pressed against him, wrapping his arm around her. No, he was wrong. She certainly didn’t tell her sister everything. Regan had no idea what had made her come back to Nashville.
     
     
     

Chapter Six
     
    Arianna had fallen asleep wrapped in John’s arms, atop her bare mattress with only his flannel shirt draped over both of them. When she’d awaken, he was propped up on his elbow staring down at her.
    “You didn’t run away.” She rolled against him, resting her cheek against his chest.
    “Did you expect me to?”
    “You didn’t want to do this, remember?”
    “No, I just didn’t think it was a good idea. But I’m having second thoughts on that.”
    Arianna tipped her head to look at him. “So you did think it was a good idea?”
    “I was thinking that doing it again would be the good idea.”
    She bit down on her bottom lip to keep from smiling, but she was sure it carried in her eyes.
    “I think we should eat first,” she offered as she brushed her fingertips over the hair on his chest.
    John gave a glance at his watch. “Too late for grilling, I think.”
    Arianna gave a grunt. “I only have the few groceries you bought yesterday.”
    “And I only have Hungry Man dinners.”
    She propped herself back up on her elbow. “Tell me you have Salisbury steak.”
    “All of this getting tangled up and your eyes light up with the thought of a Hungry Man salisbury steak dinner?”
    She nodded and rolled from the bed.
    “Let’s go.”
    “Don’t you think you should get dressed first?”
    “It’s not like we have to drive there.”
    John shook his head. “And how many times have one of your siblings just showed up?”
    She thought about it. Logically, Curtis and Regan were much too busy to just drop by, but then again, she hadn’t talked to Carlos in a day which meant he just might check up on her even at, she glanced down at John’s watch, eight forty-five.
    Arianna crawled back up on the bed and pressed herself up against John. “Maybe we should stay right here for just a little bit longer. You know, at least my clothes are close.”
    “Thought you were hungry.” He brushed his fingers through her hair.
    “I think I could wait a little longer. Couldn’t you?”
    “Oh, hell yeah.”
    He rolled her onto her back and began what would be another hour of thrilling her and causing her mind to go blank.
     
    Arianna sat at John’s kitchen table and watched as he prepared her dinner in the microwave. She felt bad that her house hadn’t been put together, but she had to admit that rolling around on the mattress that tried to kill her was much more fun. But now what would happen?
    John was quiet again. That was normal, but it