He nodded. “Okay. That’s fine. What is your absolute favorite place you’ve ever been? I like to picture places in my head and picture people there. It’s weird, I know, but I think you’ve been calling yourself that, so I guess I’ll fit right in.”
My favorite place? I took a moment to answer him. “I guess my favorite place I’ve ever been was the sushi restaurant tonight. I haven’t been a lot of places. So…yeah, that.”
He groaned. “And Tanner got to bring you. Lucky bastard. I’m going to take you someplace cool too.”
I shook my head. “This could be a favorite place too.”
“Then I’ll picture you here.”
We didn’t talk after that, just lay in the dark, our hands running through each other’s hair like we’d done this a million times. It was just so strangely natural, and I was less and less concerned with the oddity of the whole thing. His hand suddenly stopped, and I looked over at him. His eyes were closed. I lifted my eyebrows. Caesar had just fallen asleep.
It was sweet, really. The guy who never slept had knocked out right next to me like it was the most natural thing in the world. Maybe it was because my own eyes drifted closed, so without giving it another thought, I fell asleep next to him.
He jostled me awake sometime later. I lifted my eyelids. Caesar was still asleep, just pulling me against his body so that I was pressed entirely against his chest. It startled me, but not enough to object to the motion. Actually, being close to him was even warmer, like getting to sleep in a really close hug.
Caesar exhaled audibly and grumbled. “Where were you for so long? I missed you.”
That must have been some dream he was having. I closed my eyes again.
My alarm blaring woke both of us the next morning. I blinked, struggling to come back to consciousness as Caesar reached over me to stop the noise on my phone.
His voice was low, scratchy. “Is it nine? Really? I slept all fucking night.”
So had I. It took a second for me to rouse enough to realize how we were lying together. I was still pressed against his chest, but I clung to his shirt like it was a lifeline. He had swung one leg over me, and my head was officially on his arm.
He was also hard. For the first time in my life, I wasn’t terrified of that thought. Mom’s guys got erect all the time around me, and I hated seeing it, like something bad was about to happen. Here, warm in bed with Caesar, it was an entirely different feeling. My nipples hardened, and I ignored that occurrence. He smelled clean and male. I closed my eyes and just held on to him.
“Five minutes.” I whispered. “And I can let go if this is strange.”
“Don’t.” He kissed my neck, breathing me in as he did. “I love this. I don’t know how we ended up like this, but it’s my best wake up ever.”
I smiled against his chest. “You pulled me to you in the middle of the night.”
“Should I apologize?”
I shook my head. “Best sleep ever.”
“Maci…” His voice trailed off, so I lifted my head to make eye contact with him, which did mean I had to shift a bit and let go.
“Caesar?” He’d said my name, so I responded with the same.
“You’re so fucking beautiful. You know that, right? So beautiful.”
I shook my head. “I’m not. You’re the beautiful one. Have you looked at yourself?”
He leaned in and kissed me square on the lips. I sighed against him. Yes, I’d wanted that. Needed it, even. “Trust me, you’re the beautiful one, Maci. Those eyes have slayed me for years. Thank you for finally talking to us.”
I leaned up on my elbow. “How many years?” Just then, a noise sounded in the hall. I sat up, grabbing the blanket and pulling it to my neck. “Your dad?”
“Not at this hour. I bet it’s Ace. Boy couldn’t wait an hour.” Caesar tugged me back down just as Ace came in carrying a coffee holder.
“Morning, you two. That looks so comfy. Thought you might all like some of this after the not-sleeping that went on all night. But…I’m thinking maybe you did sleep, which is even better.”
Caesar put out his hand, and Ace placed a cup in it. “Thank you. Yes, all night. Give me a second to get up, then we’ll let Maci have a few minutes alone to get ready. Good morning, Ace. I’m almost sluggish.”
He dislodged himself from me, more gracefully than I would have done, and in a quick move, headed to the bathroom.
I smiled at Ace and took his offering of coffee. “Good morning.”