“Because I’m not allowed to.”
Her scowl deepened, and she slowly dropped down to sit on the edge of the bed with a whole lot of space between us I didn’t want there anymore. If she looked this good on my bed, I could only imagine how amazing she’d lookinit.
“Who won’t allow you to talk to me?”
“Oh, you know. Andy. Me. The universe.”
“Andy… doesn’t like me?”
“He fucking loves you.”
She sighed softly. “You’re not making any sense, and this is getting confusing.” She looked towards the door as though seeking her escape, and the thought of her leaving made mystomach drop. I didn’t want her to leave. Not tonight. Not tomorrow. Not until I figured out a way to get her out of my system once and for all without it causing a shit storm everyone would suffer from.
Reaching out, so my arm was fully outstretched, I pressed my hand onto her wrist and looked up at her, waiting for her to turn my way.
She did slowly, and I didn’t miss the rush of blood to her cheeks. It made my dick stir beneath the single bedsheet that kept her from seeing me fully naked.
“I should go,” she said quietly.
“I know. But don’t.”
“You want a babysitter?”
“No. Just you,” I confessed, letting her think whatever the hell she wanted to about it. Fuck, even I didn’t know what that meant, only that it was true. I did want her. I wanted her so fucking badly, but I wasn’t sure if it was because she pressed all my buttons, because she was off limits, or because I was drunk as hell right now. “So, stay a while.”
I expected her to argue, to ask more questions and demand more answers, but then Phoebe did the one thing I didn’t expect her to. She slowly pulled her arm away from me and removed her heels before she swung her legs onto the bed, fluffed a pillow behind her back, and sat up against it; her ankles crossed and her hands falling delicately into her lap.
“Like this?” she asked.
“I mean, if I’m naked, maybe you should be, too.”
“I don’t get naked for terrible drunks.”
“I’m not terrible.”
“But you are drunk.”
“Technicality.” I let my eyes drift closed, inhaling slowly, and holding the heavenly scent of her in my chest before releasing it all like the beautiful burden it was. She smelled of summer.Citrus, lotion, everything sweet and holy, topped off with fucking sprinkles and sunbeams.
“Henry?”
I opened my eyes at her angel voice.
“You’re an arsehole.” She smiled, looking down at me.
I smiled back lazily. “I know.”
“Go to sleep.”
“Will you stay?”
Her face faltered for only a fraction of a second before she quietly said, “Until it’s time for me to go.”
I had no idea what that meant, but I took what the fuck I could get given the state I was in, hoping that when I opened my eyes again, she’d still be there.
Maybe asleep.
Maybe on top of me.
