I'd found one of his t-shirts in a laundry basket a few days after he left, and it was the only thing I'd slept in since then. I told myself it was just comfortable, but I knew it was more than that.
When Niall came back with three of my water bottles and wordlessly slipped into the hot tub with me, I took the one he handed me and didn't comment on his nudity.
Or his straining erection.
He left a few feet of space between us when he sat down, his arms spreading over the ledge that ran behind our shoulders. His eyes closed immediately, his body relaxed.
I ignored my raging headache as I drained the first water bottle, then grabbed the second one.
When that one was gone too, I started bouncing my toes on the floor of the hot tub. It hurt, but the pain was better than the jittery anxiety.
My headache had eased to an annoyance rather than a stabbing pain, thanks to the electrolytes Niall knew would help.
I was going to have to start swimming laps soon, though, which was going to make the headache worse again.
My gaze flicked back to Niall, who looked completely and thoroughly at ease. I envied that, the way I always had.
The ability to be so calm. To sleep well. To have full control over yourself, without your magic pushing you into a panic attack.
That's what it would mean for me to have my fated mate.
At least when I was with Niall, we'd kept my magic at bay in a way that was a lot more fun for me. Since we'd been apart, I'd only gotten worse at controlling it.
The man had wrecked me. Thoroughly.I'd enjoyed it too much to regret it, though.
He cracked his eyes open, and found me staring at him.
"Are you thinking about what we would be doing right now, if things had gone differently?" he asked me.
"Of course not." I looked away.
"Liar."
I ignored the remark. There was no real heat behind it anyway.
"I am." Niall sank deeper into the water, resting his head against his bicep. "Really fucking thinking about it."
"We're supposed to be just friends," I grumbled.
"Wearefriends."
I shot him a dirty look. His eyes were closed, but his lips curved a little, like he could see it.
"I haven't tried to seduce you yet, and I probably could. So don't suggest I'm not playing nice, Livvy."
"You couldn'tseduceme."
He lifted an eyebrow without opening his eyes.
I wanted him to try it. To do it.
Screw Jonah.
He was with Gwen—I could have Niall. Just this once. Just until I knew for sure whether or not he and I were soulmates.
"You couldn’tseduce me," I said, knowing that he would act on the challenge.
Knowing that he’d never had totryto seduce me. I always wanted him. Constantly. Endlessly.
