Page 82 of Coming Up Roses
Once he’s fed, I lead him to the bedroom, pulling back his blankets for him as he climbs in. I tug the duvet up around his shoulders as he settles in, then take a step back.
“Do you need anything else before I go?”
“For you not to go,” Flynn says, voice already sleepy. “Please, stay.”
“People will think that’s strange.”
He lets out a frustrated little noise and it’s kind of adorable. “We’ll just tell them we were hanging out to make me feel better and you fell asleep here. It’s the truth.”
I sigh as Flynn peels open his eyes and stares up at me. It’s become really, really hard to say no to that face. “Fine.”
“T-shirts are in the second drawer if you want one to sleep in,” Flynn says, voice slightly muffled by the pillow he’s burrowing into. “Or I wouldn’t complain if you didn’t wear anything at all.”
“Go to sleep, sweetheart,” I say. I grab a t-shirt from the drawer, tug the dress I put back on after our shower over my head and slip into the shirt. It’s incredibly soft and smells deliciously like Flynn.
Crossing the room, I slide into Flynn’s bed behind him, wrapping my arm around his waist and tugging him back into me.
He snuggles in and within minutes is asleep, his breath soft and even.
I try not to be jealous as I lie in the dark holding him. Sleep eludes me and if I was alone, I’d be tossing and turning constantly. But here, I lie still and hold Flynn to me, his warm body an anchor.
Eventually I give up and slip from the bed, padding silently to the kitchen for a drink before sneaking back into bed.
“Where’d you go?” Flynn murmurs. “I woke up and you were gone.”
“Just to get a drink. I’m not going anywhere. Go back to sleep.”
He relaxes back into the mattress, but as I settle beside him, his arms snake out and wrap around me, tugging me into him.
I go willingly.
“You smell like my soap,” he whispers against my hair.
“That’s because I used it.”
He snorts a tiny laugh. “Obviously.” He pauses, then draws a long breath. “I didn’t mean to force you to stay. You can go if you’d rather not be here.”
“Hey.” I roll towards Flynn, cupping his cheeks with my hands. “There’s nowhere else I want to be.” I stroke my thumb along his cheekbone. “I mean, I wouldn’t mind getting some actual sleep, but I’m not sure that’s happening tonight.”
“You can’t sleep?”
“Nope. But it’s okay. Lying here with you is still better than being at home alone.”
“I might be able to help with the sleeping. Or at least relaxing … maybe.” Flynn’s hand skates down my spine and tingles shoot through me.
“You’re supposed to be sleeping,” I murmur against his lips, only now realising how close we’re getting.
“I can’t sleep while you’re not.”
“The last couple of hours beg to differ.”
“Hush, Rosie,” Flynn says against my mouth, before pressing a soft, slow kiss to my lips.
His hand lands on my hip, rubbing a smooth circle before sliding under the hem of the t-shirt to trace the outline of my spine.
“I’m supposed to be looking after you tonight,” I whisper.
“You are. Mutually beneficial arrangement, remember? It’llhelp you sleep, and you can still take care of me.” He pauses and pulls back. It’s just light enough in the room that I can make out the gleam of his eyes and the furrow in his brow. “If you want to. I don’t think I can do allthattonight, as hot as it is.”
