“I don’t starf—” I throw up my hands, then stop mid-motion, grimacing. “Okay, I do starf—” My shoulders slump as I gesture helplessly at the bed, like it’s the evidence against me. “Look, I’m a sprawler, alright? I’m six-eight, I need space.” I stretch my arms wide as if to prove the point, nearly smacking the nightstand in the process.
I take a slow step forward until I’m standing just in front of her, close enough to smell her perfume, something dark and sweet that’s already settled into my sheets from the second she walked through the door.
Even face-to-face, she barely reaches my chest, so I dip my head low, bending until my mouth hovers by her ear. The movement brings my shoulders forward, caging her in without even trying, and I can feel the top of her head brushing my jaw. My breath fans hot against her skin, the scrape of my cheek grazing her temple as I murmur low enough for only her to hear.
“I won’t bite, dollface,” I whisper, “unless you ask nicely.”
She freezes.
I pull back just enough to catch her eyes, and it hits meall over again how fucking beautiful they are; green that shifts with the light, glowing like backlit emeralds, beneath those long, thick lashes that sweep across her cheeks every time she blinks.
She looks like something that shouldn’t be real, like I dreamed her up in quiet hours, and she just stepped out to taunt me. Her skin’s pale and soft, kissed by a constellation of freckles that scatter across the bridge of her nose and down to her cheeks, faint enough that most people would miss them.
My gaze lowers, catching the curve of her mouth. The gloss on her lips smudged from her chewing them, leaving them pink and swollen.
She leans in just slightly, her chin tilting up in challenge, and jabs her finger against my chest. Her voice is a quiet blade when she hisses, “If you even graze me in your sleep, I’ll stab you with my claws.” Her nail lingers against the fabric for a beat before she pulls back, eyes flashing like she dares me to test her.
I grin so wide it hurts. “Bet.”
She turns, stalking toward the bathroom.
“Dollfaceee,” I call after her.
She stops in her tracks, whipping around to face me, her green eyes blazing with heat.
“I’m going to stay with Carter and Catalina!”
I snicker to myself, walking toward her slowly. “Trust me, you don’t want that.”
She raises a brow, pouting. “And, why not?”
“If you want to catch them fucking on every surface, then, be my guest.”
“Excuse me?”
“I’m serious,” I say, trying not to laugh in between words. “I stayed over one night, and I regret it with mywhole being. No fucks were given on their end. Full volume, kitchen counter, the front porch, and I’m pretty sure in their lake.”
Amelia blinks at me, amused.
“The front porch so that everybody can see?”
“I think they are trying to repopulate this small town.” I say, “Don’t get in their way.”
She presses her fingers to her temple, rubbing at the skin there.
“All of you are so nasty.”
I laugh to myself, and without even realizing it, I find myself standing right in front of her again, with barely any space between us. As I gaze down at her, I get lost in her beautiful green eyes, with flecks of honey when the light dances on her irises. I force myself not to reach out and brush the strand of hair away from her face.
“You done?”
“Hmm?”
“You have a real staring problem, whatever, just don’t touch me when we sleep.”
If she only knew that I’ve been in love with her the moment she graced me with her presence two years ago.
She walks off into the bathroom, slamming the door shut without giving me a chance to respond.
