Page 61 of The Twisted Beats

Her skin is soft and I love having her at my side. I’ve never felt like this about a girl before. A warm tingling sensation floats through me as she scoots closer to me.

I breathe her in. “You smell different.”

“That’s because I changed perfumes.”

“I like it. It’s nice and powdery, but not like a baby would smell. It’s more flowery than that.”

“That’s because it has lilies infused with it. That’s why I bought it. It reminded me of you.”

I smile as I gaze down at her. “When did you get it?”

“They gave us a midday break today, so I had time to go shopping.”

Bubbles of comfort travel through my blood.

“You should wear it all the time.” I hold her tighter and kiss her forehead.

“I plan on it.” She kisses my chest and yawns. “I’m tired and need to get some shut-eye.”

“Good night, Lily.”

“Night, Callum. Sleep well.”

We’re pulled into a slumber a few minutes later. It’s one of the most restful sleeps I’ve had in a long time.

I wake up with Livianna tucked in a ball and me curled around her. This surprises me because if I have a girl sleep in my bed all night, I usually wake up on the other side, not even touching her feet.

I hold Livianna tighter. She doesn’t move. I peek at the clock and see it’s near 10:00 a.m.

I kiss her near her ear and whisper, “Lily, what time do you have to be at work?”

She stirs a little. “I need to leave here around eight.”

“You’re late.”

She rises in a panic and looks at the clock. “Shit. It’s almost ten. My alarm didn’t go off.”

“What can I do to help?”

“Find my phone.” Her frantic gaze spins around the room.

I get out of bed and spot it on the top of her dresser. “It’s right here.”

I grab it and hand it to her.

She messes with the screen. “Crap. My ride called like five times while they waited out front for me. They texted me too and said they rang the doorbell a few times. The studio even called. What should I do?”

“Call in sick.”

She gazes up at me. “I’ve never done that.”

“No better time than the present.”

“What do I say?”

I think for a moment. “Tell them you’ve been sick all night and fell asleep on the bathroom floor. That explains why you wouldn’t hear your alarm or them trying to reach you.”

“But won’t they know I’m lying?”