Page 95 of Fallen Flame

My heartbeat slowly settled from a sprint to something that resembled normal as I rested against Oliver, my cheek pressed to his warm chest. His arms were wrapped securely around me, holding me close without saying a word.

Outside my bedroom window, the last light of the day painted soft orange streaks across the wall.

Oliver’s fingers lazily traced circles up and down my back, never in a hurry, never asking for anything more than simply being close.

I smiled against his skin.

“What?” he asked quietly.

“You always know when I’m smiling.”

“I can feel it.”

I laughed softly. “I guess that makes sense.”

He pressed a kiss to the top of my head. I liked those almost as much as the passionate ones. Maybe more.

After another minute, I shifted enough to roll onto my side.

Oliver followed, pulling the blanket up over us before I tucked myself against him. My head found its favorite place beneath his chin, one of his arms curling around my shoulders while the other rested across my waist.

It was becoming dangerously easy to fit together like this.

I listened to the steady rhythm of his breathing and he rubbed his thumb absentmindedly across my side. My fingers played over one of the tattoos on his chest.

“I’ve been thinking about something.” His voice was low enough that I almost missed it.

“What?”

“The Dairy Bar.”

“The ice cream?”

He chuckled. “No.”

“Oh.”

I tilted my head back to look at him.

“The meeting.”

Realization settled over me. “Oh.” I knew exactly what he meant. I studied him for a second before speaking. “You got uncomfortable.”

His eyes drifted toward the ceiling. “When?”

“When everyone said you were just like Pipe.”

He didn’t answer.

He didn’t have to.

“I noticed,” I said gently.

He let out a slow breath. “I know.”

I waited.

Oliver wasn’t someone you rushed. Eventually, he spoke. “Most days...” He shrugged one shoulder. “I don’t think about it. But sometimes...” His jaw tightened. “...sometimes somebody says something like that.”