“Maybe, a little. It’d be with Gwen and my parents.” He relaxed into my touch when I ran my hands over his chest and shoulders.
“Nothing has changed for me, Hop. I love your family. Plus I want to be there for you. Tonight will be hard. Let me take care of you.”
“You’re fucking perfect.” He pulled me into his lap, kissing me hard.
“Hayden, morning breath—”
“I don’t give a shit.” He wrapped my hair around his fist and tugged so my head tipped back. He kissed my neck and nipped under my ear. “I’m obsessed with you.”
“Feeling is mutual.”
Chuckling, he pulled back and stared down at me with so much love that my heart stuttered. “I already told Christian I was driving you back to get your car. They are at the café waiting on Garrett and you to say goodbye.”
“It’s barely eight. Why are they up?”
“It’s your brother, not mine. You explain what’s wrong with him.”
I yawned and rested my forehead on Hayden’s chest. “Can I just cuddle you for a little bit more?”
He laughed and tugged me toward his chest. “I knew I’d like morning Char. You’re nothing like your brother.”
We remained like that for a few minutes before I finally got up. It took more effort than I cared for. Wincing, I bent down to grab my underwear.
“Hey, you alright?” Hayden saw freaking everything.
“I’m a little sore.” I blushed. We had sex three times last night, exploring positions I had never done. It was the best night of my life. “Worth it, so don’t feel bad at all.”
“I’ll start a warm shower for you. Grab what you need from your bag, and I’ll take everything to the car.” He frowned. “I’m sorry I wasn’t more gentle.”
“No, shut your mouth.” I pointed a finger at his chest. “None of that. You were perfect. I loved every second of it and am honestly trying to figure out how to get you naked again.”
His lips quirked up. “If you want to stay over tonight, Gwen is down by eight. I’ll go slower this time.”
I shivered. “Deal.”
It wasn’t a hair wash day, so I showered and was dressed within fifteen minutes. Instead of my normal skin-care routine, I applied a layer of mascara and called it a day. Another pro of being with Hayden? He had seen every side of me. Bedhead, no makeup, wounded, sick one time. There was no shielding him or worrying if I exposed too much. It was liberating.
I tied my hair up into a messy bun. Hayden was at the door before I could even open it, and my stomach swooped. He wore his glasses again, and seriously, they were dangerous. “Hi,” I whispered.
“I hope you never stop blushing around me.” He licked his lips before sliding his fingers under the hem of my sweater. “You look gorgeous.”
“Thank you.”
“You know, I was thinking,” he said, letting go of my sweater as I stepped into the hall. There was a distance between us now, but we knew we had to act that way for a few weeks.
I hated it though.
“Hm?” I probed.
“There are moments this feels like a first date with you. Then there are others where this seems like we’ve been together for years. It’s strange, but in a good way.”
“I know exactly what you mean.” I beamed at him as we headed toward the café. This version of Hayden communicated a lot. It wasn’t like before, or with the other guys I hadtried dating, where getting an answer out of them felt like pulling teeth. Hayden said what he felt, and the impact on me was astronomical.
“Let’s say goodbyes fast. I’m not a fan of acting like we aren’t together.”
“You can survive ten minutes, Hop,” I teased.
“Barely.”
