“Yes. I’m sorry I’m not feeling up for?—”
“Careful, Juno,” Langston growled, his voice rumbling through the room. “Do not finish that sentence if you want to sit tomorrow.”
I swallowed hard and nodded. “I’m exhausted.”
“I’m almost asleep now. You’re like a weighted blanket. I don’t know if I’ve ever felt this relaxed in the dark.”
I wanted to ask West what he meant by that, but his deep breathing told me he truly was asleep.
“Thank you,” Langston whispered, pressing a kiss to my shoulder.
“For what?”
“Giving him peace so he can do that. His demons torment him at night. I don’t think he’s ever had a full night’s sleep, ever. Maybe you’re the one to change that. Good night, Juno. Don’t worry about anything; I’ve got you both.”
Within a minute, his breaths turned soft and even, like West’s. GG padded up toward our heads and curled up next to Langston’s on his pillow. I smiled up at the ceiling like a crazy person.
For the first time in a long time, I inhaled deeply, the weight of having to handle my safety and their expectations lifted.
As I drifted off to sleep, I wondered if I’d ever felt so utterly safe before as I did in that moment in both their arms.
Vibrationsagainst my ribs stirred me awake, my heart racing at the unfamiliar feeling. Head slowly lifting off the pillow, I gazed down at my side and a breath caught in my throat. GG lay curled against me, her fluffy tail laid over her nose so she looked more like a random puff ball than an actual cat.
Relaxing back with a slow, calming breath, I blinked a few times to clear my fuzzy vision. Sunlight poured through the blinds, but that didn’t tell me anything, considering we were at the time of the year when it was daylight most of the day.
Gentle breathing to my left had me sliding my attention from the ceiling to the man sprawled out beside me. As West lay on his stomach with the sheet draped low on his hips, I nearly choked on my spit at how utterly gorgeous he looked. Features relaxed, lips slightly parted, and with his arms up by his head, the defined lines of his back muscles were on full display.
Pulling my hand free of the covers, I ghosted my fingertips over the intricate design, careful not to touch and risk waking him. Langston’s admission from the night before fluttered to the front of my mind, making my heart clench.
What had the amazing, kind, and gentle man been through in his life that made him unable to sleep soundly? I knew little about his background, nothing at all really. My lips turned down in a frown. That needed to change. They had pulled so much information and excavated all kinds of memories from me; it was only fair to do the same to them. Plus, I was excited to learn more about them. Know where they came from, what they loved about being here, where they saw themselves in the future.
I wanted it all.
But first, coffee.
With him on one side and GG on the other, I made the tough decision to disrupt the cat instead of the sexy sleeping man, one she did not appreciate based on the side-eye and sassy flick of her tail as she jumped down. Careful not to shift the bed toomuch, I slid out from under the thick blankets, noting that the sheets on Langston’s side were cold, meaning he’d been up for a while. I started for the door, goose bumps pebbling on my arms, only to pause outside Langston’s bathroom, remembering that last night, due to my utter exhaustion and slight kidnapping, I didn’t brush my teeth.
After taking care of that with a bit of toothpaste on my finger and using the restroom, I resumed my search for Captain Asshole, who wasn’t so much of an asshole anymore.
The smell of coffee wafted up my nose with a deep inhale, the scent alone taking a bit of the edge off my brain, knowing the goodness was close. But before I could round the island to the full coffee carafe, movement outside the open back door had me redirecting to the small concrete stoop just on the other side of the threshold.
Shoulder against the doorframe, I smiled down at Langston. His bare back shifted as he lifted the coffee mug to his lips, making the inked designs dance and move. Without a word, he lifted his free hand and stretched behind him, reaching for me. Placing my hand in his, I allowed him to guide me around him, pausing between his spread knees. With a gentle tug, he urged me to sit on the step below him.
A chill from the concrete seeped through the borrowed sweatpants, making my shoulders shake with an unexpected shiver. A strong inked arm wrapped around my shoulders and eased me back until my head rested against his chest. Tipping my head, I smiled up at Langston, who was already doing the same, green eyes locked on me.
“Good morning,” he said, voice deep and raspy. “Coffee?”
With an eager nod, I accepted the offered mug and took a sip. The moment the flavor hit my tongue, my eyes widened and I whirled around, gaping at Langston. It was exactly how I made mine; it tasted so similar I would’ve thought I made it.
His shoulders rose and fell. “I pay attention.”
I should give him a blow job or something for that, right?I mean, who the fuck paid that much attention to a woman they weren’t dating or planned to date?
“Full of surprises, aren’t you,” I murmured, taking another drink.
“Oh, shortcake, you do not know how many more I have for you.” He leaned in close and nipped at my earlobe. “All good, I promise.”
“Okay,” I whispered, because what else was there to say. Screaming “show me now” seemed desperate. I swallowed hard to keep those exact words to myself and took another sip of coffee, settling back against him to gaze out at the gorgeous mountain view.
