Gliding it back into the box, and gently placing it on the floor, I throw myself into Royce. His arms hook around my back, looping me against him.
“Thank you,” I whisper into the crook of his shoulder, my arms locked around his neck.
His grip tightens. “Can’t have you breaking your tradition now, can we?”
His voice sounds lighter as I push back, but he is still holding me. My trembling hands slide down and rest against his chest.
“I love it.” Tears tease my lashes.
“Good, I’m glad.” His smile deepens. “And if you didn’t, I wouldn’t have been too gutted. I grabbed it in their Christmas clearance sale.” He laughs, his head tipping back as I watch his throat bob.
“Dick.” I giggle, tracing small circles on his heavy tee.
Slowly and almost reluctantly, he lets me go and we’re back standing in the room.
“Just an FYI,” he says before he sinks his teeth into his bottom lip, “if we ever, somehow, manage to fuck this up and cross the forbidden line…” He trails off and the blood burns as it courses through my veins. “I want you wearing one of your little skirts and those fucking boots.” His voice turns into a growl.
My skin flushes. “Noted.” I twist my lips as he moves towards the mini bar. “Whilst we’re on the conversation of clothes.”
He looks at me, confusion painted over his face. “We were talking about fucking.”
I roll my eyes, ignoring the way my heart jumps inside my chest. “I need something to sleep in,” I say, nibbling on the bottom of my lip as I stare at him.
“Ah.” He lifts his chin and strides towards me.
I don’t know if it was just me, but he seemed to walk in slow motion, his fingers grabbing the hem of his tee as he drags it over his head in a torturing manner. It’s been years since I havebeen with anyone and here I am, drooling over a man ten years younger than me whilst he undresses himself. His toned arms flex, muscles on show. I linger on the abs that look as if they’ve been painted by an expert.
He doesn’t look real. I know he is, though. I can see him.
Toe to toe, he curls his neck as he looks down at me and drops the white tee into my grabby hands. “Sleep in that.” He winks before making his way back to the mini bar.
I find myself standing a while longer whilst I watch him, the muscles rippling through his back as he moves. A stupid smile presses against my lips as I turn and head for the bathroom. Lifting his tee and bringing it my nose, I inhale his scent. He smells like oil and leather mixed with cotton.
When I walk out of the bathroom, he is already lying on the bed in just his boxer shorts, and my eyes dive before I even have a chance to stop them.
“Didn’t fancy wearing shorts?” I say with sarcasm, shaking my head as I walk cautiously around the other side of the bed.
“You’ve seen it before, what’s the point?” He smirks as I pull back the duvet cover. “Fuck, you look good wearing my tee.”
“You have a dirty mouth.”
“You haven’t seen dirty.”
I snort a laugh, more so because I have no idea what to respond.
Snuggling down, he rolls on his side, elbow propping his head up. Again, my eyes dive and I squeeze them shut.
“You’re distracting.”
“That’s the point.”
I ignore the dull pulse between my legs. “What time do we have to be up in the morning?” I roll on my side, facing the wall. He is such a bastard.
“Four a.m.” The bed shifts as he closes the gap between us, his arm landing over my body.
“Royce,” I whisper, flicking my eyes at the time, my breaths shallow.
“Athena.” His breath dances across the base of my neck causing goosebumps to sprinkle over my skin. He nuzzles himself into my neck, inhaling heavily. “I just want to cuddle.” His voice is slow, heavy almost.
