“You don’t actually have to stay with me,” I said quietly without turning around to look at him. “I will be fine on my own.”
Gentle but warm hands landed on my shoulders. He pulled me back into his solid chest. His hands slid down my arms until they met with my hands. He leaned against my back as he tangled our fingers together. He rubbed his cheek against the top of my head as he snuggled into me from behind.
“Ariel, Ariel,” he murmured. “Do you want to be alone? If you want me to go just say so and I will go. I won’t like it and Quint will probably try to kick my ass but if it’s what you want then I will go.”
I shook my head. If he left me I would probably cry and I definitely wouldn’t be able to go back to sleep. I only said it because I didn’t want him to feel like he had to stay because his Uncle told him to do so.
“I want you to stay with me,” I told him honestly. “But I don’t want you to be here because Quinton ordered you to be here. He’s so bossy and he’s always trying to control everything. I don’t want him to control who I spend my time with and I certainly do not want him to think he can get away with telling me who I’m going to sleep with in my bed at night. That’s ridiculous and I’m not going to let him get away with that.”
His body started shaking, shaking mine with it as he laughed softly.
“You want to tell him he’s too bossy and that you’re not going to let him order you around.” He laughed harder. “I’d pay good money to see that. I’m sure we all would. You let me know before hand and we’ll all gather around to watch you tell him off and put him in his place.”
I was pretty sure I didn’t want an audience for that would-be conversation. A conversation I would likely never have because I wasn’t quite brave enough to tell Quinton off and I had no idea what his place was so I could put him there.
“I’m tired,” I said. And I was. So very, very tired. Since the dream had started up I hadn’t gotten a whole lot of sleep. I needed to sleep.
Tyson squeezed my hands before letting go and stepping away from me. I immediately missed his heat.
“Then get into bed,” he ordered. “Do you want me to get your computer and set up Friday Night Lights for us? Or have you been watching it without me?”
He sounded disgruntled at the end and warmth spread through my entire being. I loved that he sounded like he didn’t want me to watch it on my own. As much as I had wanted to continue watching the show so I could find out what happened, I didn’t want to watch it without Tyson. It didn’t seem right to me to watch it without him. It was our thing we did together.
As much as I wanted to cuddle up with Tyson on my bed while we watched our show I didn’t think I would make it through a whole episode without falling asleep.
“Sure,” I said. “If you want to watch it then go ahead and get it ready. But I’m not going to watch it. I’m going to sleep. I’m so tired.”
“Is that what you’re sleeping in?” He asked me quietly.
I didn’t even bother to look down at the tank top and short-shorts I had started out the night in in what felt like forever and a day ago. It would feel nice to put on fresh clothing but then I would need to take a shower first and I would likely fall asleep standing up if I did that.
“It’s fine,” I muttered as I moved towards the bed. It was a sloppy mess from sleeping in it. I usually took better care of my things and always made a point to make my bed when I got out of it. I guess it didn’t really matter when it wouldn’t be my bed for much longer.
Without bothering to straighten out the mess that was my sheets and blanket, I crawled into my bed.
“I’m going to use the bathroom,” Tyson said. “I’ll be right back. Get yourself comfortable.”
I laid my head down on my pillow and dragged my comforter over my head. I hoped he would turn the lights off when he came back from the bathroom.
I had uncovered my head and was starting to drift off when I heard him moving around the otherwise silent room. The bed moved, the blanket shifted and then his body curved around me, his front to my back. One of his arms slid underneath my pillow, below my head. His lips kissed the top of my head. He leaned into me, pushing my side and part of my belly into the bed as he pushed his knee in-between my legs. His front melded into my back as his free hand slid up my side. His hand stopped just shy of my breast and his fingers curled into my ribs.
“Umm…” I mumbled, unsure of how to feel about this position he’d put us in.
His hand slid back down my side until he met with the hem of my tank top. Skin against skin, his hand smoothed its way up my stomach. He didn’t stop going until he moved between my bare breasts and passed them. He stopped just below my neck where he splayed his fingers wide and pushed on my chest, pulling me back against his body as tight as I could get.
“Tell me something,” he whispered in my ear.
I couldn’t think straight with him wrapped all around me so tightly.
“What?” I croaked out. I cleared my throat and tried again. “What do you want me to tell you?”
“Tell me about these,” he said as he ran his fingers across my scars.
I sucked in a sharp breath, suddenly wide awake and clear headed. Twice in one damn night.
“Where did they come from?”
I shook my head.