“Hey, I get that. I drown my feelings in food.” He grimaces as he says this, then looks away. “Just sayin’. We all have our things. Whatever brings us comfort.”
His shameful tone makes me want to hug him, but he shakes it off and smirks. “Anyway, the real question is, are you in bednaked? Because that’s the ultimate comfort.”
I bark out a laugh. “What?”
He snickers. “I’m kidding! I was just trying to cheer you up.”
I slant my head. Something tells me he was only half kidding. “Areyounaked?”
His face turns a deep crimson and he mutters a curse. “Just forget I said anything, okay!”
My eyes widen. “Miles! You naughty boy.”
“What!” He hides half of his face. “Like I said, we all need comfort, and I like it, okay! Sue me.”
I’d rather hold you.
The thought is so abrupt, I look away, afraid he’ll see it in my face.
Confusion swirls in me. Miles is an enigma, unlike anyone I’ve ever met, and I adore him for it. Sure, he’s soft around the edges, with a round face and pale skin that is sometimes covered in a rough five-o’clock shadow, but he’s also beautiful. His dark blond hair is always endearingly messy, and his blue glasses make his blue eyes seem even brighter.
And he has the kindest heart out of anyone I know.
“I like it too,” I say softly.
His brows shoot up. “Wait, really?”
“Mm-hmm. Not every night, but yes.”Especially if I have a warm body to cuddle up against.To me, there is no greater intimacy than to hold another person skin to skin. It’s even better than sex.
His cheeks turn crimson again, and he clears his throat. “That’s, um, that’s good to know. And are you… um… you know what. Never mind.”
I chuckle. “Am I naked now? Is that what you were going to say?”
He hides his face completely. “Don’t answer that!”
“No, I’m not.”But I kind of want to be.
Miles clears his throat and changes topics. “So, um, is Clematis with you?”
I look around, then pull my cat to my chest. She squirms a little but doesn’t run away.
“Lucky. Lily ran off. She rarely lets me cuddle her. Oh! I wanted to show you something.” He rolls over, grabbing something from the other side of his bed. It tugs the blankets down, giving me a brief peek at his bare butt.
Damn, he really is naked.
Miles slips back under the covers before turning back to me, holding a piece of paper in front of the small screen.
“Should I know what that is?”
“It’s a crochet pattern for a stuffed owl,” he explains. “I’m going to make it for my patient since she’s always up at night.”
“She’s still there?” I say, surprised. “A week is a long time for someone to stay in the hospital, isn’t it?”
His smile fades. “Yeah.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. It’s really sweet of you to make it for her, though.”
He sighs. “Thanks.” He lies back, taking the phone with him. “I think she’s lonely, so I’m hoping the stuffy will comfort her.”
