With a sign of resignation, I set Onyx on the floor. Before leaving the room, the bed rustles with movement. Freya stretches under the covers.
Standing in the doorway, I watch her wake up and spot me standing here. She smiles sleepily before reaching for me.
Slowly approaching her, I realize just how much I care about this girl. When she came into my life, I mistook her for a stubborn, messy cook with a sassy mouth and too much spirit. Now I see her for what she really is. A beautifully complex woman who often speaks with more confidence than she feels and has a heart bigger than this city.
Climbing onto the bed, I settle between her legs as I stare down at her. “How are you feeling?”
She grins, half awake. “A little sore, but good.”
“Can I get you anything?” I ask.
She shakes her head. So I rest my face on her chest and listen to her breathing for a moment.
“Hey, I was thinking…” she starts, her voice just above a whisper.
“Yeah?”
“Does that thing you like…free use…does that mean you can use anyone anytime?”
My brow furrows. “With consent.”
“Yeah, I know. I mean…what if they’re…sleeping?”
My eyes widen, and I glance over at where Archer is still snoring. I’d be lying if I said that thought didn’t instantly arouse me.
Freya laughs when she sees me looking at him. “I don’t mean right now.”
“Then what do you mean?”
“I just mean…it sounds like a great way to wake up.” She shrugs innocently.
Desire floods my bloodstream at the idea she’s presenting, but I don’t want to get ahead of myself here. She just had sex for the first time yesterday. It might not be the right time to dive into complicated dynamics like this.
“Slow down,” I whisper.
Grabbing my face, she squeezes my cheeks as she mutters, “I don’t want to slow down. I want to catch up.”
Taking her wrists in my hands, I wrestle her down to the bed with a quiet laugh. She bites her lip to keep from squealing. I put my face close to hers as I reply, “We have plenty of time to catch up. We have all the time in the world.”
“Fine,” she grits, fighting against my hold. “But for the record, I’m giving you my blanket consent now.”
I shake my head. “It doesn’t work that way, Freya.”
“Yes, it does,” she argues.
From the other side of the bed, we hear a growly voice add, “I also wouldn’t mind getting woken up that way.”
“See?” Freya says defiantly, staring into my eyes.
With a sigh, I let my face convey my playfulness, but inside I’m worried. This is all going too well, and it’s only a matter oftime before it falls apart. And when it does, I don’t know if I’ll have the heart to leave first. Which means I run the risk of being the one left behind.
Archer drifts back off and sleeps late as Freya and I sit on his sofa, each enjoying a cup of coffee.
My computer is open on my lap, and I’m scrolling through kitchen supply websites with her at my side. “I don’t know a damn thing about opening a restaurant,” I mumble with a perplexed look as I scroll through the product page.
She giggles with her lips against her mug. There’s an array of high-end cookware that I scroll through, adding things to the cart as she tells me to.
“You opened a sex club, didn’t you?” she asks. With her chin perched on her hand, she turns toward me, giving me a playful smirk.
