“Yeah,” I said softly.
The corners of Eric’s mouth twitched into a small smile. “I don’t think we’re at the point of having sex just yet. But, if it helps with your nightmares, I’d like to sleep next to you and see if it works with me, too.”
“Right. Um, thank you.”
He laid down next to me, and I slipped back under the covers. I shut my eyes, listening to the sound of night crickets and wind gently rustling the pines. With my eyes closed, Eric’s scent seemed even stronger. There was a twinge in my gut, like I felt when I stood in front of his room earlier.
Part of me wanted to be closer to him, but something held me back. What if he didn’t want me to touch him? He’d already pulled away from my touch once at Ramsay’s house. But this was different. Eric had come on his own terms. Eric had chosen to bein bedwith me. That had to count for something, right?
I inhaled sharply as his hand touched my arm.
“Matheson,” he said quietly. “You’re still shaking.”
I hadn’t noticed. “I am?”
He grunted and shuffled a bit closer, still touching my arm. We were face to face, but his head was higher up on the pillow. If we were a few inches closer, my face would’ve been buried in his neck.
“When I had nightmares as a kid, my mom would hold me,” Eric said quietly. “Would you like me to do that for you?”
A lump formed in my throat and my heart beat a little quicker. “Yes.”
“Okay. Come here, then.”
I allowed myself to nestle into his chest. His body was comforting and warm, and as his arms wrapped around me, I felt safe. I exhaled, feeling the tension leave my muscles.
I was wrong before. If just the simple act of Eric holding me felt this nice, a relationship between us could definitely work out.
* * *
“Wake up, Matheson.”
I blinked wearily. “Huh?”
Eric smiled down at me. Then I remembered what had happened last night, with my nightmares. His pillow was still there next to mine.
“I just wanted to wake you up before I left so you didn’t think I disappeared,” he said. “There’s breakfast on the table, so help yourself. Don’t worry about cleaning up, I’ll get the maid to do it.”
“Where are you going?” I asked, my brain still foggy from waking.
“I’m doing a perimeter check based on the reports I got yesterday. I won’t be gone all day. I should return before the afternoon.”
“Okay.”
Eric paused, almost as if he wanted to give me a quick kiss on the forehead, but he didn’t. He pulled away, said another quick goodbye, then left.
“Okay… Guess I have this place all to myself,” I mumbled.
I decided to take a hot shower to clear my muddled head. The bathroom was spotless and bright, like the fancy human hotels I’d seen on grainy TV channels growing up. As the room filled with steamy air and hot water drenched my skin, I shut my eyes and let myself take just one moment to relax.
But then I felt a stab of guilt. Wasn’t relaxing all I’d been doing lately? I hadn’t done anything to combat the gryphons or try to solve the prophecy beyond spending time with the three alphas.
I sighed and poured a dollop of shampoo in my hair. It was sweet and strawberry scented. I blinked, then glanced at the bottle. In my daze I hadn’t realized that it was kids shampoo, complete with the cute pink bottle.
“Huh,” I mumbled to myself.
I didn’t see any other shampoo on the ledges. Had Eric put it away before I came over? Did he give it to me for a specific reason or… was thishisshampoo?
I smiled in amusement at the thought, then finished up. In any case, it tore my thoughts away from guilt.
