Page 36 of Saving The Shortstop

She turns her face slightly into my chest, snuggling it softly before yawning.

“That last dose was for nighttime, wasn’t it?” she whispers, no doubt feeling the effects of the NyQuil coming on. I wanted her to get some sleep, and I figured the best bet was if she had that.

“Yeah,” I murmur, my chin now touching her hair. “Figured you could use some rest, Short.”

She feels so good against me, and I hate that even though I’m doing this to comfort her, it’s comforting me more.

“Okay,” she mutters, sighing. “But D?”

My heart beats a little faster, and I hope she doesn’t feel it against her cheek.

“Yeah?”

“I don’t snore,” she says, and I can almost hear the smirk in her voice, making me chuckle.

“If you say so.” I relax back the slightest bit, making it so I’m laying down more now. “Now, sleep.”

She’s silent for long enough that I think she may have actually listened. But finally, her raspy voice tells me otherwise.

“Are you going to be here when I wake up?” she asks softly.

Everything inside me is screaming to shut this down. To say a joke or tell her no. I’m playing with fire, and even though I’ve been burned too many times in my life to care … Haven hasn’t. And I don’t want to be the one to scorch her.

I swallow roughly. “Do you want me to be?”

Her head bobs slightly, nodding against my chest. “Yeah,” she whispers, so faintly that if she didn’t confirm it with a nod, I would second guess what she said. She wants me here, and I know that’s not good. Yet here I am, stuck like my body is cemented.

“Then I’ll be here,” I answer. “Now … sleep.”

As she relaxes into me and her breathing deepens, I wonder what the fuck I’ll do in the morning when we wake up together, not knowing what even to say.

I told her I’d stay though, so I guess that’s a bridge I’ll cross when the sun comes up. Until then, I’m just going to hold her and pretend like I don’t know this is a really bad idea.

FIFTEEN

HAVEN

I can’t decide if I thought it was all just a dream, or if I figured he’d take off after I fell asleep even though he told me he’d stay. Whichever it was, I’m shocked when I wake up with Dallas’s arms wrapped around me, holding me tightly to his chest. My throat is still sore, and the first thing I want to do is cough. But the body aches seem to be gone, and now, I just feel run down.

It’s a shock enough that he’s here—in my bed. But when I feel something hard pressing against my ass cheek, my eyes must widen to the size of saucers. I’ve seen him in wet swimming trunks enough to know he’s a big guy, and the time I saw him showering … it was even more clear that he was blessed. But physically feeling his dick against my body really puts it into perspective. And sick or not, it creates a deep ache within me.

An ache that begins and ends right between my thighs.

Obviously, it’s just his morning wood and not because I’m close to him, but I’ve crushed on this man for so long that of course feeling him being rock hard against me is going to make me a little wild. Sick or not, I’m still a bitch with needs.

Within a minute or two, he’s stirring awake. Right away, he must know how hard he is, because he scootches himself back from me, releasing his hold on my body.

For the first time since we’ve known each other, I find myself not wanting to further embarrass him. So instead of letting him know I’ve been awake, I act like I’m just waking up. As if I never felt his peen against my ass and that I’m not imagining having said peen inside me.

Yawning, I roll onto my back, looking up at the ceiling and rubbing my face. Eventually, I dare to glance his way.

“You stayed,” I say, flashing him a teensy smile.

“Told you I would,” he utters, rather gruffly, but I hear the smile in his voice.

“Well, thank you. I’m sure that wasn’t much fun because I probably coughed all night.”

“It was the snoring that kept me up, Short,” he drawls, his lip tipping up.