My body feels like it’s wrapped in a warm hug when I blink my eyes open. My head is against Declan’s chest, and our legs are intertwined. Light is shining through the window, signaling it’s morning, and a moment later I hear my daughter from the other side of the bed.
“Mommy, did Declan spend the night?”
Oh, no.
Declan’s eyes pop open, and we both turn our heads toward my little human. I never should have taught her how to use a bobby pin to pop the locks on the doors. Theonly saving grace is that we’re one hundred percent covered by the bed sheets.
“Autumn, can you give us some privacy? Why don’t you go turn on some cartoons?”
She shrugs her shoulders. “Okay. Good morning, Dec,” she sing songs.
Declan raises his hand to wave but doesn’t say anything. When Autumn leaves the room, I rush to the door to shut it behind her.
“Fuck,” Declan says while wiping the sleep from his face. “I am so sorry. I must have fallen asleep last night. I didn’t mean to stay over.”
I take a deep breath, so I don’t freak out. “It will be fine. I’ll just tell her the truth; you were tired and fell asleep here.”
His brow quirks as he gets out of bed. Holy shit, his ass is nice.
“Because I couldn’t walk five steps next door? I screwed this up.” He pulls on his pants and then his shirt.
I follow suit and pull on some baggy sweats and a hoodie. “This whole friends with benefits thing isn’t really working. My parents suspect something, Lucas and Jordan pretty much know, and now Autumn does too. Plus, we barely have time to meet up for… this.” I wave my hand between him and me.
I let out a frustrated sigh and rub the bridge of my nose. I don’t mention the fact that we’ve broken two of the rules so far, too.
This is a fucking mess.
“Is it really that bad?” he asks.
I look at him, and there’s worry etched on his brow. “I just don’t want Autumn to get the wrong idea. She told you she loved you last night, Declan. She’s getting attached to you, and we’re just friends.” I throw my hands out wide.
He rubs the scruff on his jaw and lets out a breath. “So, what? The deal is off?”
I shake my head. “I don’t know.”
“Do you want to put a hold on the whole benefits part of this, then? Because it shouldn’t stress you out this much. It should be fun,” he tells me.
“I think if we do this, you can’t come over here anymore. I don’t want Autumn to get the wrong idea. She’s already going to question this.”
He nods his head. “I agree.”
“We have to follow the rules, okay? No more breaking them,” I tell him, one hundred percent serious.
He moves into my space and cradles my head in his hands. “Fine,” he says as his mouth slants over mine. The kiss is slow and deep, and I melt into his touch as his tongue caresses the seam of my lips to tease my mouth open.
Why can’t I pull away? I literally just said we have to follow the rules.
Oh, right, because his mouth is like a drug, and he’s an extremely good kisser.
When he finally takes a step back, he says, “Starting now.”
~ ~ ~
Declan and I explained to Autumn that he was tired and stayed the night because he accidentally fell asleep. She nodded her head, and I thought that was the end of it, but I should have known better.
As soon as my mom walks through the doors of the coffee shop after picking Autumn up from preschool, I know something is wrong. Autumn is too happy, and my mom has a grim expression on her face.
“We should talk in private,” my mom tells me when she gets near the counter. I set Autumn up in the back with coloring supplies, and my mom and I step outside to have a private conversation.
