“Bunny?” he murmurs, his voice thick with sleep, somewhere between consciousness and dreams.
“Yes?” I whisper back.
“You’re in trouble.” His voice is barely audible, yet it carries weight—a threat, firm but somehow tender.
And still, I find myself smiling. Why? Maybe because his words don’t feel like danger. They feel like the beginning of something much deeper.
Something I’m not afraid of anymore.
This time, I’m the first to wake up. Silas lies beside me, one hand resting on my stomach, the other tucked under his pillow. His body is completely naked, sculpted, and broad, the kind of physique I remember him having back in school. He always trained like an athlete, and clearly, that hasn’t changed. My mouth waters just looking at him. How do I still want him so much after everything we did last night? The places he touched, the way he kissed, the way heclaimedme—God, I’ve never experienced anything like it. He was fierce, but so tender, protective. I still feel the ghost of his hands on me.
“You always used to steal glances at me,” he says, eyes closed but smirking. “But damn, now you're not even trying to hide it.”
I laugh softly. “How did you know I was looking at you? Your eyes were shut.”
He chuckles into his pillow, the sound deep and rich, then opens his eyes to look at me directly. “I always knew when you were watching me in school, Bunny. That’s not something that ever changed.”
He wraps his arm around my waist, pulling me closer until my back is pressed against his chest. “I thought I was being subtle,” I say softly, smiling at how easy this conversation feels—how we can speak so openly now about what used to be such a secret, such a weight.
“No, you were terrible at it,” he teases, resting his chin on my shoulder. “But it didn’t matter. I loved it. Every time I felt your eyes on me when you thought I wasn’t paying attention? That was enough. What were you thinking about when you watched me?”
I stare out at the early morning skyline, taking a breath. “I always wondered why you hated me so much. I tried to figure you out, learn what you liked, hoping maybe I could make sense of it.”
Silas tightens his hold on me, his voice low, almost a whisper. “There was nothing wrong with you, Lauren. Nothing. You were so perfect in your own way, so different. I just didn’t know how to handle the way you made me feel.”
“And now?” I ask, my voice quiet.
“Now?” He grins, his hand slipping lower as he pulls me even closer, his body heat radiating through me. “Now I still can’t control myself. But this time, I get to explore every inch of you the way I’ve always wanted.”
“What are you doing?” Silas asks, catching me mid-pack as I gather my things.
“Just getting my stuff together. It’s time for me to head home.” I’m not exactly eager to leave, but after everything that’s happened in thelast twenty-four hours—and not just the sex—I feel like we both need some space to process.
Silas crosses his arms, standing there in just a T-shirt and black briefs, his eyes narrowing as if he’s already figured me out. “Is this one of those moments where Lauren Green thinks she's doing someone a favor?”
He’s too perceptive for his own good. “No, it's not that,” I lie, trying to sound convincing. “I just need to go home, you know, I need my things and?—”
“Bring them here,” he interrupts, snatching my bag from my grip and tossing it onto the couch, effectively blocking my exit.
“Bring them?” I repeat, incredulous. “Silas, I’d have to travel with a backpack every time. That sounds uncomfortable.”
He rolls his eyes like I’m being difficult. “Bring them here. Permanently.”
“That’s even worse!” I throw my hands up, exasperated. Maybe his heart reallyisn’tgetting enough blood to his brain.
“Lauren.” His voice softens, but his grip on my shoulders tightens slightly, pulling me closer, demanding my full attention. “I'm asking you to move in with me.”
Move in with me.The words echo in my head like they don’t belong to this moment.
“Silas!” I exclaim, pushing him back, which only makes him laugh. “Are you crazy?”
“Yes,” he says, still smiling. “Ever since I met you, I haven’t wanted you to leave. I don’t want to lose sight of you, because the moment you pull away, you’ll run—farfrom me. And I can’t let that happen. Iwon’tlet that happen.”
I take a deep breath, trying to stay level-headed. “No.”
“Okay, then let me buy whatever you need to be comfortable here, with me.”
“That’s basically the same thing!” I laugh, completely thrown by how casually he’s turning my world upside down.
