I set the glass down just in time. Rowan grabs my arm, his grip loose but insistent. “Time f-for… bed.”
I turn, frowning slightly. I let him pull me along, assuming he’s heading for the couch where I’ve been sleeping. Instead, he turns down the hallway, leading me straight toward his bedroom.
I let out a low laugh. “Uh, Rowan?”
“Mhmm?” He glances back at me with a sleepy, lopsided smile as he pushes the bedroom door open.
“What are you doing?” I ask, voice quieter now.
He doesn’t answer. Instead, he continues tugging me toward the bed. I manage to slip my hand free at the last second.
I laugh again, this time a little nervous. “I really should sleep on the couch, Ro.”
Rowan doesn’t seem to hear me. He hooks his thumbs into the waistband of his sweats and pushes them down, wobbling dangerously as one foot gets caught. He peels off the sticky, alcohol-soaked t-shirt next, tossing it somewhere on the floor, then flops face-first onto the bed in nothing but his boxers.
I swallow hard, offering a tight smile. “You good?”
He rolls onto his back and pats the empty space beside him. “Let’s sleep.”
“No, Ro. That’s not a good idea,” I say, even as my eyes trace the lines of his body against the sheets.
“Please…” His voice is softer now, almost pleading. “I-I promise I won’t complain in the morning.”
I study his face. Surprisingly, it looks steadier than I expected, less sloppy, more earnest. I sigh, turn around, and quietly close the bedroom door.
“Fine,” I mutter. “Butbehave.”
I strip down to my boxers, I can’t sleep in anything more, and climb into the other side of the bed. A strange twinge of weirdness hits me as I settle against the mattress.I’m really in bed next to Rowan. That thought barely has time to settle before Rowan flings half his body over mine, tangling our legs together without hesitation. I freeze, brain short-circuiting at the sudden press of warm skin against skin.
Rowan hums, content and low, nuzzling closer. “Night, baby.”
I stare up at the ceiling, heart pounding from that word again. “Yeah… night.”
That’s all I can manage. There’s so much more I want to say, so many questions I want to ask. It’s unusual for me, I usually observe and stay quiet, but right now I’d give anything to know what’s going on inside his head, even if he’s drunk.
I manage to pull my arm free from where it’s trapped against my side and under his chest, lifting it above my head. My pulse is racing stupidly fast. This feels more intimate than when I had my mouth on his cock.
Rowan mumbles something unintelligible and reaches up, grabbing my arm and tugging it back down so it rests across his shoulders.
“Don’t run away,” he whispers.
I close my eyes, the weight of his body warm and heavy against mine, and silently pray that he doesn’t freak out tomorrow morning.
Chapter Nine
Rowan
I wake with a big yawn, my jaw cracking softly at the stretch. I lift one hand to rub the sleep from my eyes, and when I lower it again, I realize these arenotmy sheets. The fabric feels different beneath my fingers… smoother, cooler. My heart rate kicks up immediately as I open my eyes slowly.
Memories from last night flood in all at once, sharp and humiliating.Fuck. It would have been easier if I’d blacked out half of them.
I swallow hard, eyes wide, and find myself staring at Cade’s sleeping face only inches away. His dark lashes rest against his cheeks, fluttering slightly. His breathing is slow and steady. One of his arms is tucked under my head like he was cradling it, and when one of his legs twitches, I suddenly become aware that our legs are tangled together beneath the covers.
Carefully, I untangle my legs from his and sit up, slipping from his arm. I hold my breath the entire time, terrified of waking him. A quick glance down confirms I’m still wearing my boxers; a small, shaky sigh of relief escapes me… at least there’s that small mercy.
I climb out of bed as quietly as possible, surprisinglynotas hungover as I expected. Whatever greasy food Cade broughthome last night must have done wonders. I have a vague memory of enjoying something salty and comforting, though the details are fuzzy.
I tiptoe toward the bedroom door, glancing back one last time. Cade is still sleeping peacefully, looking stupidly andannoyinglygorgeous with his messy dark hair and relaxed features. I roll my eyes at myself and slip into the hallway, pulling the door shut behind me with a soft click. I head straight for the kitchen area, desperate for painkillers and a glass of cold water.
