Walking around the couch, I see her asleep, curled up in a ball. A soft snore leaves her mouth as I brush her hair from her face, and her eyes flutter open.
“She’s asleep?” she asks.
“She is. Come to bed.”
“I’m fine here.”
“Don’t make me pick you up. I don’t want to hurt you.” I offer my hand, and she takes it, slowly pulling herself up. When she’s standing in front of me, I stay where I am, our bodies so close, not even a matchstick could fit between us right now.
“You can’t go from not wanting me, to all of a sudden wanting me, August. You left me. Remember?” Pain is laced in those words.
“I never stopped wanting you. You are the only thing in this world I have ever wanted. Ever.”
Rylee’s lashes flutter closed, then she looks back up at me. “I had a life planned without you in it.”
“You can still plan,” I tell her, not moving to give her space. “Just add me to the equation.”
“If only life were that simple.”
I finally step back, giving her space, and reach for her hand. “Let’s go to bed.”
She nods, and we walk up the stairs until I get to my room. She hesitates at the door, and I look back at her. “It’s just sleeping. I would never do anything that you didn’t want done.”
“I’m too sore for anything anyway.” Rylee walks past me and goes straight for the bed, still fully dressed. I remove my shirt and put it in the basket, then kick off my jeans. When I turn around, her eyes are glued to my body.
“It’s entirely unfair,” she murmurs quietly, but I hear her.
I walk over, reach down, and tap the waistband of her shorts. “You want these removed?”
“Yes.”
I gently pull and slide them over her ass and down her legs. She lets me, and the only sound is our breathing as I pull them off.
“Do you have a spare shirt?” she asks as she pulls the one she’s wearing over her head.
I walk into my closet and come back, handing her one of my shirts. She pulls it on and lies back down.
“Do you think you can cuddle me, August?” She’s lying on her side, facing away from me.
“Yes.” Without hesitation, I climb into the bed and carefully wrap my arms around her from behind.
“Do you wonder what we could have been?” she asks.
Her smell envelops me, and all I can do is think of her. She transforms every thought in my head and claims it as hers.
“What we can be,” I correct her. “Sleep.”
Rylee pulls my arm tighter around her waist, and I listen to her breathing even out as she falls asleep.
With her warm and safe in my arms, I’m not far behind her.
“I can feel you staring at me.” I open one eye to confirm she is indeed staring at me.
“You look so cute when you’re sleeping. Do you know you snore?” The smile that touches her lips makes me open both eyes.
“Do you know you drool?”
Her mouth goes wide, and her eyes enlarge in horror. “I do not.”
I look at my arm, and her eyes follow. “I have proof.”
“Whatever.”
We both go quiet. She smiles shyly at me, and my heart beats hard in my chest.
“Come to Sully and Larry’s wedding with me.”
“When is it?”
“Next Friday night. Be my date?”
“Date?” she questions.
“Yes, my date.”
“Have you ever dated, August Trouble?”
I rub my eyes and flip onto my back, then admit, “No.”
“Well, I’m excited.” She reaches out and touches my bare chest, and I cover her hand with my own.
“You should probably kiss me now. To seal the deal and all, you know?” I grin and turn to face her to tell her no, that she’s sore and the last thing I want to do is hurt her. But she’s already there, close enough that when I face her, her lips touch mine ever so softly, tasting me before our mouths open and tongues meet.
I grip her head and hold her in place. One of her hands stays on my stomach while her other one slides down my abs until it arrives at the waistband of my boxers before it slips under to my rock-hard cock.
I break the connection immediately between our lips and shake my head. “Not when you’re sore.”
She groans but doesn’t remove her hand. Instead, she grips me in her fist. My cock twitches, and a seductive smile plays on her lips.
“You should probably kiss me again.”
“Woman,” I moan and do as she asks, taking her face in my hands and kissing her back. I’m careful that I don’t hurt her in any way as I taste something I have missed for a very long time.
Way too long, to be exact.
Chapter 28
Rylee
August comes over every day for the next week. I requested to go home after two days of staying at his house. I only get a slight pain when I move wrong or touch the area. Other than that, I’m good.