My stomach dropped. All the playfulness leaving me. I wasn’t a skinny girl. I’d never been able to be the woman who was able to wear their boyfriends clothes because they were comfier and baggier. It had never bothered me in the past. But right now, I felt the weight of my self-consciousnessbear down on me. Sensing the shift in my mood, Oliver closed the distance between us and used two fingers to lift my chin to meet his gaze.
‘I, um, don’t think that will fit.’ I exhaled a small laugh.
His lips formed into a thin line. ‘Check the label. You don’t have to wear it. If you want to stay in the shirt you’re wearing, do that. I just want you to be comfortable.’ Quick as lightning, his lips grazed over my forehead before he brushed past me and settled back in bed.
My head was spinning. I wandered into the bathroom, closing the door behind me. I shifted the material in my hands until I found the label at the collar—XXL. The anxiety that had begun to swirl in my stomach eased—and when I slid on the t-shirt and it fell all the way down to my middle thigh, it almost evaporated entirely. Staring back at myself in the mirror, I saw his club’s crest on the shirt and I pressed my palm flat against it, feeling my heart kick like a marching band.
When I’d gained enough courage to leave the bathroom, I shuffled to the other side of the bed, fidgeting with my fingers. This was ridiculous. I’d slept in the same bed as someone before. This wasn’t an unheard of occurrence. However, most of the people I did sleep with I had been dating for months beforehand. I’d barely known Oliver for more than a month and half…
A smirk rose onto his face as he took in the t-shirt. Before any comment could pass his lips, I huffed and slid under the duvet. I could feel his eyes on me. Electricity sparked through my veins like never before. No one touched me like he did. No one had ever brought my body to life with one single glance.
And it terrified me.
This feeling bubbling under my skin was slowly makingits way to my heart and I knew if it reached there truly… I was done for.
My body remained tense—unsure how to relax with him right next to me. Seeming to know where my head was at, he removed all deliberation and slipped a hand around my waist, hauling me so I was plastered to his side.
‘Oof,’ I grunted. My head fell against his pec and I could hear the hammering of his heart.Was he as nervous as I was?
‘You were overthinking. Figured I’d short circuit it for you,’ he mumbled, his breath fanning over my hair. As thoughtful as his gesture was, I still couldn’t relax.
Mainly because Oliver’s half naked body was right there and it was giving me flashbacks to our mind-blowing, definitely never to be repeated again, sex. The ridges of his muscles flexed in the dim light. I’m not sure how he managed it but he always smelled incredible. A musk of sweat and something that was utterly male.
I squealed when Oliver slapped my butt lightly. ‘It’s like hugging a wooden plank. Go soft. I’m a grade A snuggler.’
‘You’ve been extensively reviewed then I take it?’
‘Yep, now stop thinking and snuggle me woman.’
A laugh bubbled up from my throat. I did as asked and snaked my arm over his chest and settled into his side.
We stayed in silence for a while. The only sounds were our combined breaths, syncing.
‘I’m sorry for lumping all my problems on you,’ I mumbled into his chest. My muscles losing all their previous tension the longer I was in his arms.
‘You didn’t.’ He rubbed soft circles on my back, making me melt even more.
‘If Rosie had answered I’d be snuggled next to her right now.’
‘I’m glad she didn’t,’ Oliver whispered.
My eyelids that had been drooping, suddenly snapped wide open. ‘Why?’
Silence. It dragged on so long I thought he had drifted off to sleep, but I could hear his throat working. As if he kept going to say something and then changed his mind.
‘Where’s the TV?’ I asked, changing the subject. I looked around the room expecting to see one on the walls or on top of the chest of drawers, but nothing.
Oliver took my quick change of subject in stride, clearing his throat and shifting up on the bed slightly. ‘Oh, just you wait. You haven’t seen anything yet, Pooh.’
I made a show of sighing at the nickname, a secret smile tugged at my lips as I breathed in his scent.
Oliver reached over to his bedside table to pick up his phone.
I peeked up at him, seeing his excitement at whatever he was about to show me.
‘You’re not one of those guys who has to control everything in his house with his phone are you?’
He pressed a finger to my lips.
