“We’ll take it one step at a time,” he whispers into my hair as he lays us back on the mattress. “Whateveritis.”
I close my eyes and snuggle into him as he holds me tight, letting myself pretend—just for tonight—that I’m not balancing on the edge of a cliff. That the world isn’t closing in. That the man holding me doesn’t carry danger of his own. Or that foolishly falling for him won’t complicate everything even more.
Reality hums beneath my skin, relentless and unforgiving, as I drift to sleep in his arms. Tomorrow is coming. And with it, consequences and feelings I’m no longer sure I can outrun.
Morning comes quietly, gray light bleeding through the curtains with the city on the other side of the window still half-asleep. The world feels paused, suspended in a rare moment of stillness.
Blake is curled into me—where she belongs. Her head is tucked beneath my chin, and her warm breaths blow across my collarbone with every soft, slumbering exhale. One arm is slung across my chest, and the other is tucked beneath her small frame. Her hair is a mess, the dark locks falling over her face and splaying across the bed behind her.
She is so peaceful. I’ve seen her sharp and coiled tight, fighting against the world, but this version of her—tucked against me—is unguarded and vulnerable.Like she knows she’s safe when she’s with me.When she sleeps, there isn’t an ounce of tension in her muscles. I lie still, breathing in the faint lingering scent of her lilac shampoo, afraid I’ll break the spell if I jostle her.
I don’t do this. I’ve shared beds before—sex and distraction meant to fill space or silence—but notlikethis. The quiet closeness and sense of rightness? It’s new. Dangerous. Addictive.
I slide my thumb gently along her shoulder, across her shoulder blade, and down her spine, memorizing every curve of her skin. She stirs, brushing her nose against the crook of my neck as she lets out a sweet, soft sigh.
Fuck…I could get very used to waking up with her in my arms and her tiny body nestled against mine.
Her long lashes flutter open, slowly revealing her soft chocolate eyes. They find mine instantly, and she sleepily murmurs, “Morning.”
“Morning, Doc.”
Her lips curve into a faint smile, and she snuggles closer, her knee nudging my thigh. The intimacy of it hits me square in the chest, figuratively knocking the air out of my lungs, and I kiss the top of her head without thinking.
We lie tangled together for a while in silence, except for the soft sound of our breaths. My arm is snug around her back, and I hold her against me as she lazily traces the patterns of ink swirling over my ribs.
Mindlessly dusting my fingers along her spine as I stare at the ceiling, I quietly confess, “I know this is ridiculously new, but I’ve never met anyone like you.”
She stills, her body tensing slightly.Shit… I’ve spooked her.Without saying a word, she resumes tracing my tattoos.
“I’m not saying…” I pause, craning my neck and tilting my head to see her face as I search for the right words. “I’m not throwing around the L-word… I’m notthatreckless.” Blake exhales a shaky laugh, a mixture of relief and nerves tangled together that causes the corners of my mouth to lift. “But I have feelings for you. Real ones. And I don’t usually get those. I just… I know this could besomething. If you want it to be.”
Silence stretches between us, but I don’t fill it. I don’t want to rush her. Her fingers curl against my skin. “I’m not good at this, Jagger.”
“Me neither.”
She lets out a long exhale, softer than a sigh, then looks up at me. Her guard is lower than I have ever seen it, vulnerable in a way that causes something fierce and protective to unfurl in my chest. “I like you,” she admits. “Which is… terrifying.”
“I’ll take terrifying.” I pull her tighter and press a long, soft kiss against her hairline.
We lie there, suspended in our own little fragile bubble, as I fight the urge to keep my mouth shut. But because I can’t leave well enough alone, I gently nudge the other elephant in the room. “About last night…” She tenses, and her heart starts to race, thumping against my chest. I add quickly, “You don’t have to tell me anything. I mean that completely. But you can. If you want to.”
Her heart races a little faster, and she swallows hard enough that I catch the audible gulp. “It’s…complicated.”
“I’m good with complicated.”
“Really?You’regood with complicated?” she scoffs.
“Not usually,” I admit. “But I’m willing to try.”Willingdoesn’t begin to describe the lengths I would go through to make this work.
Her fingers flex anxiously against my side, and I can see the war playing out in her eyes. The urge to finally let someone in, battling against her instincts to protect something—and someone—bigger than herself.
“I’m here for you. In whatever way you want me,” I insist softly. “You can tell me anything.”
Her inner turmoil surges, her mouth opening, closing, and opening again like she’s trying to find the courage to tell me what I already know. “Okay.” Her voice trembles slightly. “I?—”
The ring of Blake’s cell phone tears her attention from me, and I can practically see her walls rise.I’ve lost her…“I should…”
“Yeah,” I agree, already nodding. “Go ahead.”
