“These are comfy,” I said, tracing my hand over the oversized t-shirt sleeve and down my arm. “Thank you.”
Viol swallowed again as he watched my hand. “It’s fine.” He hesitated. “You look good in them.”
His compliment shot straight into my chest, making my heart flutter. He was always so kind.
“Thank you.”
Viol stared at me for a couple more seconds, then quickly stripped out of his leather jacket. Unlike the rest of his strewn-about clothes, he took the time to hang it properly in his closet. Then he undid his belt and threw it on the closet floor.
“You good if I’m in my underwear?” he called over his shoulder.
“I thought we were going to sleep,” I said, amused. “Don’t you always sleep in your underwear?”
He huffed, then kicked off his pants. Out of respect, I made an effort not to glance at his lower half. Not like I’d never seen it before, either.
“So, um...” I pointed to a stretch of floor without any clothes on it. “Is here okay?”
Viol raised a brow. “Okay for what?”
“Sleeping.”
His brows furrowed harder. “The hell are you talking about, Poppy?”
“When I sleep? I didn’t bring a sleeping bag or anything, so—”
“You’re not sleeping on the floor,” Viol stated.
“I—I’m not? But I thought you didn’t want me in the other room.”
Viol groaned. “I’m givingyouthe bed, you fuckin’ dork!”
My mouth dropped open. Then I shook my head, flustered. “N-no, I’m sorry, I can’t take it! It’s your bed!”
Viol ground his teeth. He marched over to me, looming like an aggressively benevolent shadow. “Get in the bed, Poppy.”
Heat rose to my face. There was no squirming out of his offer. I understood that much. But I didn’t answer right away because I liked his position. The way he towered over me with his broad, exposed shoulders. The closeness of his warm body.
Viol pulled away before I did. He cleared his throat. “Only if you’re ready to sleep, I mean. I don’t control your life,” he muttered, backing off.
I smiled, entertained by his belligerent kindness. “It is pretty late. And it was a long day...”
A pang of guilt crossed Viol’s face, but he didn’t comment.
I sat on the edge of the bed, smoothing my hand over the comforter. Unlike the messy room, Viol’s bed was tidy and clean. Sitting on it filled me with a budding sense of anticipation. It wasn’t a generic hotel bed—this washisbed. The one he slept in every single night. The one he dreamed in, among other things...
The lingering blush in my cheeks burned hotter.
“Guess I’ll set up my shit,” Viol mumbled. He left the room to gather bedding materials, then returned with arms full of stolen couch cushions and blankets. He threw them on the floor next to the bed and kicked them into place. It was a makeshift bed if I ever saw one, but Viol didn’t complain as he plopped down on the couch cushions.
“Toss me a pillow, will you, Poppy?” he asked, glancing up at me. I was so used to his height that it felt odd looking down at him on the floor.
I gathered one of the two pillows against the headrest and handed it to Viol.
He grunted gratefully. “Thanks.”
“You’re welcome. Do you want anything else?” I offered, gently probing.
Viol arched a brow. “What?”
