I bury my face in the pillow again, my voice coming out muffled. “Fuck. You weren’t kidding about the sadist thing, were you?”
“Don’t worry, sweetheart,” he says as I feel him brush his fingertips down the length of my spine, causing me to shiver. “I’ll always make it up to you with orgasms and food. How about some breakfast?”
I raise my head again. “You cook?”
“Sure.” He grins. “Not well.”
“So maybe I should do the cooking,” I offer, matching his grin.
“Youcook?” he asks, sounding genuinely impressed.
“Don’t sound so surprised,” I tease. “My mom taught me some things.”
“How about we make something for breakfast together?”
I perk up at that. “Really?”
“Sure. Just…” He yawns and rests his head on the pillow, his eyes closing. “Five more minutes.”
I can’t stop myself from laughing again as I scoot a little closer to him, stealing some of his warmth. Propping myself up on one elbow, I rest my head in my hand as I stare down at him. “Not a morning person?”
His mouth turns down at the corner, his brows pulled together pensively. “I didn’t sleep much last night.”
“Should I not have stayed over?” I ask, suddenly feeling a little panicky. “I’m sorry I didn’t even ask. You could’ve asked me to leave or—”
His eyes fly open, and for a flicker of a second, they look angry. “That’s not it at all.”
He raises himself up and mirrors my position, reaching out to lightly trail his fingers down my side. His gaze finds a spot on my throat and sticks there. When he speaks, his voice is a whispered confession, like it’s one he has to force his lips to let go of.
“I kept waking up to check if you were still here.”
My breath catches, and I feel that swell of something warm and achy behind my ribs, stronger than before. It’s not uncomfortable, but it’s unlike anything I’ve ever felt before.
“You were worried I’d leave?”
He lets out a small, almost embarrassed huff. “I hoped you wouldn’t. But hope isn’t exactly something I trust easily.” The tips of his fingers dig lightly into my hip, and he keeps his gaze on my throat. “Every time I opened my eyes and you were still here, I’d fall back asleep. But then I’d wake up and check again. Over and over.”
I reach for his hand. He lets me take it and hold it against my chest.
“Isaac.”
His gaze finally drifts up to meet mine, and there’s a crease between his brows that I wonder if I could kiss away. One night and one morning with this man, and I’ve already seen so many different sides to him. It’s this scared, vulnerable one that brings on those protective instincts the most.
“I’m not going anywhere,” I tell him. “Not unless you send me away.”
Turning our hands until he’s the one holding mine, he lifts them to his lips, pressing a slow kiss to the inside of my wrist.
“Never.”
I smile and shift closer, my legs brushing his before tangling with them. I drop my arm and lay my head back on the pillow. “Five more minutes?”
“Five more minutes,” he agrees with a grin as he lies down, wraps his arms around me, and pulls me into his chest.
I watch as his eyes slowly close again, as his breathing evens out. He keeps holding onto me even as he floats back into sleep. I let my eyes close too and decide to join him.
Maybe last night broke things open.
But maybe today we can start putting them back together.
