He seems to believe me because after a moment, he smiles. Then he relaxes back into the cushions with a yawn and says, “It sounds like both of us could use a more relaxing night.”
He has no idea how right he is.
“What does relaxing look like for you?” I ask.
“Depends,” Nico says with a shrug. “After a fight it means devouring all the food and rotting on the couch for a few days. But on an average rest day during the week, it could mean grabbing a drink with my brothers, or going to the movies with a teammate.” He turns toward me. “What about for you?”
“I like bubble baths,” is the first thing that pops into my mind. I feel my cheeks heat at the confession, but Nico only smiles with amusement. “Sometimes I’ll watch reality TV to destress and turn my mind off.”
“Can I tell you a secret?” he asks. I nod too eagerly. “I got really into watchingDancing With The Starsrecently,” he whispers.
A laugh bursts out of me at the image of Nico being riveted by celebrities dancing. The thought is adorable.
“Have you seen the latest episode?” I ask.
He shakes his head. “Not yet. I’m caught up except for that one.”
I only hesitate for a moment before asking, “Do you want to watch it?”
He seems surprised but excited about the idea. “Hell yeah.”
I watch as he stands and moves over to the couch I’m sitting on, the one that has the best view of the TV. He keeps a respectful distance between us, but I manage to move a few inches closer when I shift into a more comfortable position. If he notices, he doesn’t comment on it, but I think I see his mouth twitch.
“Haveyouseen it?” he asks as he turns it on.
I shake my head, but I’m lying. I don’t want to say anything that will make him change the channel.
And as the familiar intro starts to play, I relax for the first time all day. Allweek, maybe. I don’t know what it is about Nico, but…
A few minutes later, I’m fast asleep on his shoulder.
TWELVE
NICO
I let her sleep.
The show’s been over for a while now, but I can’t remember a single thing that happened. I’ve been too busy staring at her.
She looks…peaceful.
There’s no tension on her face, no stress lines visible anywhere. And there’s a soft smile on her lips, one I’ve never seen before.
Her head rests on my shoulder, her body tucked into my side with her hand wrapped around my arm, and I can hear the tiny sounds of her snoring.
She’s adorable. I could stare at her for hours.
I can’t reach my phone from here—not that I’d want to—so I click the guide on the TV to check the time. 9:37 p.m. She got here at 8:00. Our appointment tonight was for an hour.
Should I wake her? Am I supposed to wake her?
But also,whydid she fall asleep? Was she that tired? I would’ve noticed when she walked in if she was exhausted. She just looked a little tense.
I can’t help brushing a hand down her hair, taking in her features and the way she’s curled into me. I don’t even know if Icanwake her up.
Before I can help it, my thoughts start to shift.
Is this…normal for her? Not just the tiredness, but feeling comfortable enough with an essential stranger to fall asleep on them?
