I turn onto my back looking at Bastian to see his eyes closed but a small smile on his lips. My brows furrow together. “Can you hear my thoughts?”

His smile widens, but his eyes remain closed. “No, that’s what makes it all the more impressive that your thoughts are so loud.”

I let out a small sigh of relief for the reprieve that he can’t read my mind. I would rather be swallowed up by the ground if that were the case.

He lifts the arm closest to me above his head. “Come here.”

“Excuse me?” I cough out, eyes wide.

He waves the raised hand towards him. “You need to stop overthinking this and get comfortable. Come. Here.” I don’t move. Don’t breathe. Don’t say a thing. I stare at him with rounded eyes. He lets out a sigh. “I won’t be getting any sleep if you keep doing this, so you’d be doing us both a favor.”

I hesitate before I obey his command. I scoot closer to him, my chest almost touching his side. His arm comes down around my shoulders and tugs me so I’m flush against his body. The second our skin connects, a pleasurable scorch sears at every point we connect and all the tension melts from my body. I sink more fully into him which only seems to further spur him on into pulling me in closer, as close as he can possibly get me.

He sighs in relief. “Much better.”

I can’t help but think the same. All previous thoughts in my head have fled with the warmth of his body and his citrus and pine scent that further relaxes me. So much so that I find myself suddenly fighting against heavy lids.