“She stays here,” Xander’s voice interrupts from the doorway, startling us and causing Josh and me to twitch.
Xander walks over and gently slides his arms under her, lifting her effortlessly. “Your room or the guest room?” he asks Josh.
“Mine, thanks,” he replies, his tone a little strained.
I watch as Xander carries her away with Josh following closely. She stirs slightly, one of her arms coming up to hold onto Xander’s neck, and I can’t help but think that she belongs in his arms.
ELEVEN
This morning,I woke up on a naked chest, being held tightly and feeling warm and safe. I remember falling asleep on Clay after he caught me binging. Somehow, he managed to turn an embarrassing and uncomfortable situation into a not-so-bad one. But as I take a deep breath and sigh, a cinnamon scent fills my nose, and I freeze. I’m not laying on Clay. It’s Joshua.
Fuck.
I need to get my feelings in check quickly. I can’t keep pining for all of them. Joshua is my boyfriend—my perfect, kind, and wonderful boyfriend. I need to shove Xander and Clay out of my head, pronto.
I pepper Joshua’s chest with kisses, my eyes still closed, making him chuckle. “Good morning. How are you feeling?” he asks, his hand coming up to run over my hair.
“Better. My head doesn’t hurt as much, and my stomach feels better,” I mumble, keeping my lips on his skin.
He strokes my back. “That’s good. We have to go back to work today, but I can stay if you don’t want to be alone?” he offers.
“No, it’s okay. I’m fine. I have some stuff to do anyway. Like going to the bar to beg for my job.” I grimace.
Oh, this is going to be so much fun.
I can practically hear Donny shouting at me already.
“Clay handled that,” Josh simply states.
“What does that even mean?” I ask, lifting my head from his chest to look up at him.
I then realize we’re in his room, not the one I chose at Sophia’s.
Oops.
“It means you don’t have to worry about your job. You can return after New Year’s and still get paid as usual,” he says with a yawn.
“Wait, what? How?—”
“He’s an idiot but also an evil genius.” Joshua shrugs.
I let out a soft laugh.That sounds just like Clay.
“So, rest. Watch TV, read a book, take a bath. Whatever helps you recover…” he pulls me up his body, and his hand slips inside my leggings to squeeze my ass, “… because I really need you to be healthy again,” he whispers in my ear.
A tingle spreads between my thighs, and my hand glides to his neck, lightly scratching the back of his head with my nails.
“I told you, I’m fine,” I whisper back, teasingly shifting my knee between his thighs, making him groan.
“And I told you I’m going to fuck you when you’re fully recovered.” His promise sends shivers down my spine. He pecks my nose, then removes his hand from my leggings, giving my ass a playful slap. “Let’s get up. I’m going to make you breakfast.”
After Josh goes to work,I leave to buy Chiara’s laptop, a few essentials for us so we don’t have to rely too heavily onSophia’s generosity, and everything I need to make bracelets for everyone.
I work on the bracelets in my room at Sophia’s until late in the evening, sitting cross-legged against the headboard.
Chiara is already wearing the pink one I made for her. They are two-toned and thin, so they’re not too conspicuous. I hope the others like them. Even if they don’t wear them, it’s fine. I simply want to show my gratitude.
Chiara lays on her stomach at the foot of the bed, engrossed in her new laptop and listening to music. We only had our own rooms before my parents died, but not for the last few years, so I think she’s a bit codependent, but I don’t mind.
