Page 53 of Instigator
“Shut up.”
I snap my mouth closed. “Shutting up.”
She takes the clothes I offered, disappearing into my attached bathroom. I take the chance to kick off my shoes and socks, then change my outside joggers for inside-only sleep pants and a fresh T-shirt. It’s more than I’d usually wear to bed, but it feels wrong to sleep naked with a beautiful woman in the house.
I’m turning down the covers on my bed when the bathroom door snicks open. I glance over my shoulder and freeze.
Ceci is wearing my clothes.
I repeat. Ceci is wearing my clothes. And fuck, does she look good.
My shirt hangs off her slim frame, the outline of her nipples visible through the thin fabric. She’s rolled the waistband of the sweats up several times, though the legs still drag on the carpet. And her bare feet, with her little pink toes…
A dull awareness settles deep in my gut, pulse thrumming.
“I’ll show you to the guest room.” My voice comes out husky and hoarse.
“Don’t make this weird,” she mimics me. She strides across the room to my bed, turning down the covers on the opposite side.
And then she slides onto the mattress and pulls the covers up over her chest. She reaches over and sets her glasses on the side table.
Oh.
She wants to stay here? I start to back out of the room, running into the door and stubbing my toe.
“I’ll go—”
Her hair spills over the white linen pillow. “Hey, Aidan?”
“Hmm?”
“Will you hold me?”
All the air rushes from my lungs.
“You want that?”
She nods. “I’d really like that.”
Closing the door, then locking it, I join her in the bed, pulling the covers over us. She immediately squirms closer, putting her back to me and drawing my arm around her waist. Ceci lets out a happy sigh, sinking into the mattress.
“That’s nice,” she slurs.
“Yeah?”
“Yeah. I could get used to this.” She hugs my arm around her, using me as her personal teddy bear.
Me too.
She lets out a loud yawn. “Good night.”
Unable to help myself, I press a kiss to her shoulder. “Sweet dreams.”
twenty-three
. . .
Ceci
