Brooke was too filled with emotion to really respond to that, she just leaned back a bit as Anna unfastened the button and hook on the waistband of her slacks, watching as Anna helped push her pants down to puddle on the floor at their feet. Brooke stepped out of her pants, leaving her in just her boxer briefs, undershirt and bra.
Anna’s eyes drifted down Brooke's body and then quickly away.“How, uh… how do you want to do this next bit?” Anna asked.
Brooke bit her bottom lip.“I think I’m just going to wiggle out of my bra and sleep like this. Good Housekeepings says I need to wash the pajamas you got me if I want to wear them again.”
Anna snorted out a laugh.“I’m sorry, what?”
“Wiggle out of my bra,” Brooke said, reaching up behind herself to undo the clasp.“You know what I mean.” She pulled one bra strap down under the short sleeve of her plain white under shirt and did the same with the other side. She pulled the entire bra out from under her shirt.“Ta-da.”
Anna watched her with a rather amused expression.“Not that, but thank you for the demonstration. I meant the Good Housekeeping bit.”
“The magazine,” Brooke said as she flopped back on the bed to fight with her socks.
“I’ve heard of it,” Anna prompted, urging Brooke to say more.
“They have good articles. They also say you should wash your pajamas every three to four wears. No longer than a week, max. But I always stick to what’s recommended.”
Anna’s expression was so sincere and so genuinely soft.“I like that about you.”
Brooke stopped fighting with her second sock for long enough to look up.“You like that I don’t wear my pajamas for more than three nights in a row?”
Anna laughed and kissed Brooke on the cheek, moving back around to get back in the bed.“Yes, amongst other things.”
Brooke crawled under the covers.“I like lots of things about you, too, Darling.”
“Tell me tomorrow?” Anna asked, her eyes hopeful.
Brooke rolled on her side to face Anna and nodded.“I promise.”
Anna held out her pinky. Brooke stared at it for a second, her mind drifting back to Nate in the entryway. She looped her pinky around Anna’s without another thought.
Chapter Twenty:
There was a sharp rap on the bedroom door that jarred Brooke awake. She was vaguely aware of Mel’s voice filtering through the door and the rumble of Anna’s chest in an answer, but Brooke's head was ringing. She let out a low grumble, trying to get her eyes to open. She felt fingers rake through her hair, scratching her scalp on the back of her head. Her grumble melted into a happy hum and she snuggled in tighter. It was the feeling of Anna’s laughter against her cheek that caused her eyes to flash open.
She was completely on top of Anna, with her head snuggly using Anna’s chest as a pillow. Her hands had fisted in the sides of Anna’s oversized T-shirt. Brooke frowned at it, that was her shirt, not Anna’s. It all rushed back to her then, last night, almost having sex with Anna, Nate, the bar, getting too drunk for her own good, coming back, Anna helping her get ready for bed. Brooke blushed and lifted herself up into a plank so that she wouldn’t be fully on top of Anna anymore.
Anna frowned up at her.“B, Honey, what uhhh, what are you doing?”
“I’m so sorry,” Brooke whispered, trying to figure out—in her very hungover state—how to smoothly get off Anna.
Anna’s hand reached up and cupped Brooke's jaw.“Honey? Look at me.”
Brooke did as she was asked.
“Relax,” Anna smiled softly at her.“Please relax? I was so warm and you are a wonderful book rest.”
It was only then that Brooke noticed a book in Anna’s hand. She was almost done with the book that Brooke had gotten her. Brooke frowned, still trying to take in the morning. Anna pushed a sticky note back into her book and set it down on her bedside table. Brooke remained frozen in place, trying to orient herself.“My head hurts,” Brooke mumbled.
Anna nodded.“That checks out. Lay back down? I’ll rub your head for a bit before we have to get up?”
Brooke couldn’t help the little whimper that ripped itself free from the back of her throat. She still wasn’t used to being cared for. She slowly settled herself back down on top of Anna.“I’m not squishing you, am I?” Brooke asked. She didn’t know how she was supposed to relax with her face resting on Anna’s chest, but if Anna wanted her here, she wouldn’t fight it.
Anna wiggled a little bit beneath her and picked her book back up from her bedside table.“Not at all. You’re right where I want you actually.” Her free hand carded through Brooke's hair.
Brooke hummed a bit, happily.“What did Mel say? I heard her knock.”
“She just gave us a time check. If we’re riding with them to the wedding, we need to be ready to go in two hours.” Anna stopped rubbing Brooke's hair for long enough to turn the page.
