“Yeah. Clean slate.”
I’m used to anger and hurt lingering, festering below the surface until it rears up again. It’s hard to believe he means what he’s saying.
“Out of bed, we’re all right?”
“Yes.”
The relief that washes over me is like getting a good night’s sleep. The world feels lighter.
“Oh.” Licking my lips, I nod. “That works for me.”
31
ERIK
I’m in a chair reading when Arya emerges from the bathroom wrapped in a towel. I rest the book on the coffee table, preferring to watch her.
She doesn’t disappear back to the bed as I expect. Instead, she strolls across the room, grabbing a blanket on the way. Once it’s wrapped around her, she drops the towel on the floor and launches herself into the chair with me.
I catch her with a smile. “Cold?”
“Freezing,” she says, burrowing closer so her wet hair is against my neck. “Wrap me up, so I don’t freeze to death.”
It takes a second for me to realize she means wrap her up in my arms. I slide them around her, rubbing her body through the blanket.
Her cold hands slip under my sweater and t-shirt to lay against my skin. The sudden chill causes goosebumps to break out from the nape of my neck down to my calves. Any other girl would’ve landed on the couch by now, but Arya is irresistible, so I leave her exactly where she is, cold hands and all.
“What are you reading?” she asks, pushing her toe against the book.
“A novel about an Irish family who gets together for a wake.”
“Cheerful.” She wrinkles her nose. “Suits you.”
“If you want a clown, try the circus.”
Arya chuckles and kisses my neck. Which feels like every good thing rolled into one.
Unfortunately, a security alert sounds on my tablet, interrupting us. She jerks her arms away from my chest, stretching my clothes to get her hands free.
“What is that?”
Letting her go is the last thing I want to do, but I check the security feed. The motion detector picked up Shane parking his car near the main door.
“Company.”
Arya’s naked and anxious to escape, so I release her. She points as she hustles across the floor toward the path to the bedroom. “Who is that?”
“My cousin.”
“Wait, I need clothes,” she says, running back to her trunk.
There’s a loud knock on the door, but I remain seated.
“Oh, my God.” She gathers an armful of clothes. “Aren’t you going to get it?”
“As soon as the floor show is over.”
She looks up at me through her hair and then down at her chest which she’s flashing. With a roll of her eyes, she smirks. Once Arya disappears from sight, I rise and walk to the door to open it.
