“Oh, okay. I can bring everything to your place, if you want,” I say, my heart sinking. I’d hoped to spend more time with her. Or at least know where we stand.
Her nose crinkles. “I left in a hurry, and I didn’t throw anything out before I left. I’m kind of scared to know what my house smells like.”
“You can, uh, stay here. If you want.”
Brynlee locks eyes with me. “One condition.”
“Anythin’.”
“We just sleep. I’m so tired, Rhett, and I just want to finally rest.”
“Can I counter your condition?”
“You can, but I may not accept.”
I smile. “We can just sleep, but being this close to you and not kissin’ you is killin’ me. Can I kiss you?”
She gives me a small nod, and I need no other incentive. I cup her face as my lips touch hers, and weeks of pent-up need to feel her simply near me comes out all at once.
Her arms wrap around my waist as she presses herself against me, and she returns the kiss. She needs this as much as I do, and I never want to stop. I want to kiss her forever, but I know she needs sleep. And if I’m honest, I do, too.
When we finally pull apart, we both pant. “Well, that was unexpected,” Brynlee says.
“I didn’t mean to bite your lip,” I say, my hands still on her cheeks. “I’ve wanted to kiss you for a long time.”
“Me, too,” she admits.
Releasing her face, I take her hand and walk to the bedroom. “Do you want somethin’ to sleep in?”
“You kept Alice?”
I look to where she’s locked eyes, and I chuckle. “Alice?”
“That’s what I named the bear you won me.”
“Of course I kept her,” I say and run my hand over her hair. “She’s kept me company every night.”
Blinking, she avoids looking at me. “A shirt would be great.”
I pull one out of the dresser drawer for her and set it on the bed. “I’m goin’ to turn off the lights and lock up. Just open the door when you’re dressed.”
I leave and put everything away neatly before locking the door and turning off the lights. It doesn’t take long, and the door is open when I get back. Brynlee lies in my bed holding the bear, and I take a moment to memorize this.
“This is a first for us,” I say when she catches me watching her.
“What? Just sleeping in the same bed without sex?”
Pulling my sweater over my head, I toss it in the hamper before slipping off my jeans. “No, sleepin’ in my bed. We’ve never stayed here before.”
“It’s comfy.”
“Yours is more comfortable,” I say and climb in wearing only my boxers and T-shirt.
I reach out and turn out the lights, realizing she’s right. We’ve never just slept in the same bed before. Not without making love first. The frequency we had sex should have said something to me before. Someone who didn’t love me wouldn’t have wanted me like she did.
“Rhett?” Brynlee’s voice whispers into the darkness.
“Yeah?”
