I closed the door behind me. “If I let you stay, then there are rules. First, you will not—I repeat—will not be changing in the middle of the night. If I wake up with you naked in my bed, there will be hell to pay. Whatever it is that’s going on with us, we’re not at that part yet.”
He tilted his head to the side and made a little coughing sound.
Was he laughing at me? “You should be thanking the Baby Jesus that I even let you in.” Which wasn’t entirely true. He’d gotten past me fair and square. “Second thing, I’m going to sleep. You keep me awake and you’re out.” I wasn’t sure I could follow up on that threat, but it was the best I could do right then.
He jumped up on the bed, circled around once, and then plopped down—nearly taking up the whole thing.
I shoved at him. “Scoot over.” I crawled under the sheets. It was dangerous, just giving in like that. If I had more energy to think about the implications, I would have kicked his hairy tush out of my bed. But I didn’t.
Wolfy-Dastien moved so that he surrounded me. His warm wolf breath hit the back of my neck. He whimpered and touched his nose gently to the bandage.
“Cut it out.” I shoved at him again, but he didn’t move much.
Having him there should have weirded me out, but it didn’t. His breath moved in and out, lulling me. I didn’t have time to freak. One second I was thinking about how warm and relaxed I was, and the next I was in Dreamville.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
When I woke, it was to the sound of birds chirping outside my window. Bright light glowed at the edges of my curtains. I’d slept through the rest of night like a rock. I stretched as I reveled in my refreshed state of mind.
And then I remembered I wasn’t alone.
I shot out of bed, but he wasn’t there. I walked over to the bathroom.
Empty.
He was gone. I should’ve been glad. It shouldn’t have ruined my good mood. But it did. It kind of hurt.
Why was I in a good mood in the first place? It’s not like I really wanted him to stay with me. Did I?
That damned boy was bad for my brain.
I got ready as fast as I could, and peeked into Meredith’s room. She wasn’t there either. I checked the time. She’d be in the cafeteria still. I grabbed a pair of black lace gloves that stopped at my wrists and ran out the door.
When I got to the cafeteria, a boy was waiting at the door. He held out a tray for me.
“I don’t need any help,” I said. I cringed at my own words.
He looked at me like I’d just kicked his puppy. “You need extra protein after the attack. Just wanted to make sure you knew.”
I was officially a terrible person. “Thank you,” I said as I took the tray. “I didn’t know. I really appreciate it.”
He nodded, and walked off.
Hopefully some food would help with my mood. I piled my plate high with scrambled eggs, bacon, ham, and pancakes, and went toward our table.
Dastien’s laugh carried over the voices in the room, warming me. He was sitting at my table. With my new friends. He pushed out the chair between him and Shannon without standing up. That was a slick move. I couldn’t ever tell what was going on with him. He ignored me half the time, and the other half alternated between bossing me around and being so perfectly sweet.
It was beyond confusing.
Still, I couldn’t just give him what he wanted all the time. That whole claiming me thing still bugged the crap out of me. I plunked my tray down next to Chris on the opposite side of the table. The conversation stopped.
“You smell…confused…annoyed…I don’t know but I don’t like it,” Dastien said.
“That’s really creepy. And makes me feel like I need to take another shower.” I crumpled in my chair. “Normal people say, ‘You look upset.’ Just FYI.”
His smile faded. “I’ll leave.”
Shit. Now I’d kicked two puppies. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that to sound…I just…I’m going to shut up now.” I’d never had a boyfriend. Dastien was my first kiss. My first everything. Him sleeping in my bed meant something, even if he was a furball. It hurt that he’d left before I even woke up.