But it never comes. And by the sounds of how she’s rustling the sheets but trying to be quiet, she’s obviously as awake as I am.
After about fifteen minutes, during which I fight like hell to ignore the fact there’s a beautiful woman I actually also enjoy talking to a foot away from me, she calls my name softly.
“Yeah?” I say back.
“I had one beer too many at dinner.” She giggles.
I smile. “Are you buzzing?”
“A little.” Pause. “Remember how I’d climb in through your window?”
“My brothers were never the wiser. Dumb-asses,” I say fondly.
“I’ve missed living near you, J.”
“Me too, darling.”
“I’m really going to sleep now.”
“Okay.”
This time, her breathing does even out.
The sound of it relaxes me, and for the first time in fucking forever, I fall asleep without effort.
The light coming in through the cabin window wakes me.
The fragrance of magnolias gets my attention, along with the soft, warm body pressed against my stomach.
I don’t know when or how it happened, but Ashley and I are spooning. Last thing I remember, we were saying good night and making sure to keep our physical space.
But shit, I feel good. I slept better than I have in a year. Not a coincidence, obviously, that I’m next to my best friend.
She’s still sleeping, and I don’t want to wake her, so I stay as still as possible. My body is reacting to her closeness, though, especially one part of me, and I try to subtly shift back from her.
“Hey, Storm.” Ashley’s voice is husky from sleep, and she rolls out of my arms instantly.
“Hey.”
She turns back to look at me. “How the heck did we end up spooning?”
I chuckle. “Old habits die hard?”
Ashley and I cuddled often as teenagers. I don’t think I can name another woman I’ve cuddled with. The irony isn’t lost on me since Ash is the only girl I’ve shared a bed with that I didn’t fuck. And yet…
“You soothe me,” pops out of my mouth.
She stares at me like I just revealed something big. Her beautiful eyes widen a fraction of an inch, and her pouty lips part.
Meow!
I glance down at the foot of the bed where a gray and white tiger-striped feline is eyeing me.
“You hungry?” I say to Louie. “Food’s in the other room.”
She jumps off the bed and, with a flick of her tail, sashays out of the bedroom.
I turn back to Ashley. “She seems to be fitting in well. Certainly doesn’t lack for confidence.”
