In the gray light streaming through the gap he’d left in his blackout shades, she glanced over her shoulder and found him still asleep. His face was slack, his mouth slightly open while he breathed softly, his hair perfectly tousled around his head like a halo of shadow. A single stray strand fell across his forehead, a streak of darkness cutting across speckled moonlit snow, and she marveled again at how much of his face she could see now. At how much of himself he’d bared to her.
Audrey wriggled closer to his warmth, and when her head shifted on the pillow they’d somehow ended up sharing, Theo responded in his sleep by tightening his arms and automatically pulling her against his chest.
And that’s when she noticed it.
Not only was his arm actually beneath her shirt, andhadbeen, his hand easily sliding from her ribs to cover one of her breasts entirely with one wide palm, but—
He was also hard.
When he’d pulled her closer, she got an exceedingly stiff idea of what exactly his briefs were barely concealing.
She gasped in surprise, and Theo startled at her sharp inhale, slowly blinking awake, his face twitching as his pupils adjusted to the light streaming through the windows. But as soon as he seemed to realize she was still there, his mouth cracked into a lopsided grin.
“Good morning, sweetheart.” He smiled so wide, both dimples revealed themselves carved deep into his cheeks. His scar tape shifted on his face to make way for them, and he leaned over her shoulder and pressed his lips softly to hers. “I thought I dreamed you stayed.”
“Nope. I’m still here.”
He hummed. “Good.”
His eyelids drooped again. He was still half asleep and hadn’t seemed to notice where his hand was. Instead, he swept it gently over the curves of her breast, trailing his fingertips along her skin. His other hand was busy burying itself in her hair, absently combing through her tangled locks still silky-soft from his fancy shampoo.
Half asleep, but wholly preoccupied.
Audrey waited, half turned in his arms as she studied his face, wondering when he’d realize what he was doing and where exactly he was touching her. She bit her lip at the thought of the inevitable, impending meltdown and simply chose to snuggle closer anyway.
He’d figure it out any minute.
“How long can you stay?” he slurred, his eyes still shut. But he pressed another kiss to her head, soft and gentle and sweet.
Well. This was unexpected.
Sleepy Theo wasadorable.
Was he not actually a morning person? He was always at the coffee shop so early. Much earlier than he strictly needed to be, since he didn’t work an office job on someone else’s timetable.
Either way, she could get used to this.
“I have some homework and reading I need to do, but it shouldn’t take me too long. I could stay until this afternoon if you want me to.”
“Don’t ever want you to leave,” he mumbled through a yawn as his hand kept up its caress. “Give you a key if you want one.”
“You would?”
“Give you anything you want.”
She suppressed a snort. “That’s a dangerous promise. What if I asked you for a pony?”
“M’kay.” Theo nuzzled into her neck and inhaled deeply.
“Just ‘m’kay’?” She was tempted to turn over if only so she could run a hand through his hair. God, she’d never get over howgoodit was. But she was too busy enjoying this unguarded moment. “Where would I keep it?”
“Stables.” His mouth fell open and his breathing slowed again. Seemed he was struggling to fully wake up. “Can rent a stall. And tack.”
“That’s some rich people shit if I ever heard it. You sound like you’ve done horseback riding before.”
“Mm-hmm. Polo.” He nodded. “Don’t tell anyone. Might ruin my artist street cred.”
“I Googled you. Thoroughly. You don’t have artist street cred.”
