I nod.
“I’d rather stay if you’ll have me?”
I stare at him in the semi-darkness. “Why?”
“Because I like you a lot.”
“Okay.” I tug at his sleeve. “But you’ll be more comfortable without a suit on.”
He chuckles. “So would you.”
We roll to our separate sides of the bed and strip down to our underwear. I shouldn’t be even remotely surprised that Stefan’s is black. He’s wearing boxer briefs, which, even in black, leave nothing to the imagination. My pulse spikes, and my knees buckle. Somehow, I manage to end up sitting on the edge of the bed rather than on the floor. It’s a shame I’m still too tired to act on my desires. I look over my shoulder and gawp at him. He’s got a lean build, which makes me think of a runner. Even though he’s not particularly muscly, there’s a quiet strength about him. I think it’s his demeanour as much as anything. Something about him always makes me want to defer to him, maybe even submit to him. My breath catches in my throat, and my thoughts stray to what he might do to subs in his dungeon at The Library. My head nods to my chest as the fantasy of being commanded to kneel at his feet pops into my mind.
“Are you okay?”
I blink as my head jerks up. I test that my legs are working again. “Yes.”
We slip back into bed and meet in the middle. He wraps his arms around my shoulders, and I drape mine over his chest. He has a spattering of hair on his chest, which becomes a thick dark trail disappearing beneath the waistband of his boxer briefs.
He puts his hand over mine and kisses my hair. “Night.”
I tilt my face up, silently asking for a kiss. Stefan obliges, pressing his lips to mine and caressing my tongue with his own for a few precious seconds. I savour his taste as I rest my head on his chest. After several minutes, his breathing becomes more relaxed until he’s snoring softly again. It’s an oddly comforting sound, and I have to admit it’s nice not to be alone. Having Stefan here makes my waking phase feel less lonely, even if I am still counting the seconds and the minutes as they tick along at a snail’s pace.
The next time I wake, I take my drawing pad and sneak down to the lounge for a couple of hours. When drowsiness hits me again, I return to my room. Stefan is fast asleep, but the moment I get back into bed, he finds me and pulls me into his arms. I go happily, enjoying the warmth and comfort he gives me.
It’s still dark when I wake again, reminding me how much I hate the darker months. I’m tired. Exhaustion sits in my bones, making them heavy. No matter how I lie, I can’t get comfortable again. My limbs want to move, but I want to sleep. I toss and turn until Stefan wraps his arm around me and pulls my back against his chest. He kisses my nape and then rests his cheek there, his warm breath puffing over my skin. I don’t think he’s awake, which is probably a good thing. Even in his sleep, he strokes me and helps me relax as he spoons against me.
By some miracle, I’m in the same position when my eyes flutter open. Grey light filters in through my window. Rain pounds on the glass and patters onto the window ledge. It’s the perfect day for staying indoors. Stefan’s heart thrums against my back. His arm warms my body as he hugs me to him. His morning erection is hard against my thigh, but I can’t say I mind.
I stroke my fingertips over the back of his hand as I stare at the artwork on my walls and wait for him to wake. I can hear movement outside on the landing, housemates walking softly past. It’s probably Beau, Fraser, or Preston going downstairs for breakfast. Perhaps all three of them, judging by the number of footsteps. I half close my eyes and listen to them moving about downstairs. The soft hum of quiet conversation reaches me through the floorboards. I can’t hear the words, nor would I want to. It’s a comforting sound all the same and one of the reasons I decided to live in a shared house rather than get a place on my own.
Not long later, I hear them all leave, and the house falls quiet again. I could get up, take my medication, have breakfast, and maybe do some work, but I’m comfortable where I am, listening to the patter of the rain and the gentle purr of Stefan’s snoring.
His snoring stutters as he wakes. “Morning.” He kisses my shoulder.
“Hey.”
“How long have you been awake?”
“Not long. Sorry if I disturbed you.”
“You didn’t.” He twirls his fingertip over my shoulder.
“Not even during the night? I’m pretty restless, even when I’m asleep. Not that you’d be able to wake me.”
Stefan chuckles. “I’m a fairly heavy sleeper. I think that makes us a good match.”
I smile at the thought.
He flattens his hand on my shoulder and sweeps his palm over my chest. “How awake are you?”
“Awake enough to pick up where we left off last night.”
“With kissing?”
“Yes, but hopefully more.” I wriggle against his hard cock.
Stefan moans. “I was hoping you’d say that.”
