He nodded toward the bed.“You need sleep.”
“I know.”
“You plan on falling asleep with your shoes on?”
“...Maybe.”
“Babe.”
“I at least need to change, okay?”
“There you go.”
I pushed myself upright with considerably more effort than dignity.
Then I rolled off the bed and immediately, my foot caught on the pile of dirty clothes I had dropped there yesterday.
“Oh—” The room tilted, and before I could hit the floor, strong hands caught me, one around my waist and the other around my arm.
My breath caught, and his body stopped mine before I could stumble another inch.
For one suspended second, neither of us moved.
My palms rested against his chest, solid and warm, while his fingers flexed lightly against my waist, just holding me.
Close enough that I could feel the heat coming off him.Close enough that I caught the clean scent of soap mixed with leather.
I slowly lifted my eyes and his were already on mine.Neither of us said anything.
The room suddenly felt very quiet, and my heartbeat sounded embarrassingly loud.
His gaze dropped for the briefest second to my mouth and then back to my eyes.A rush of anticipation rolled through me.I didn’t even realize I’d leaned forward until I noticed how little space remained between us.
Just another inch, maybe two.
I wanted to know what it felt like if he kissed me.The thought arrived so suddenly it stole my breath.
His thumb shifted slightly against my side.
Everything inside me wanted those last inches to disappear.
Instead, he took one slow breath.“You should get some sleep.”The words were quiet and gentle, but they broke whatever had settled between us.
He eased me back onto my own feet, and the warmth disappeared.
“So should you,” I managed.
He nodded once.“I’ll see you in the morning.”
Was it just me?Had I imagined all of that?Maybe he hadn’t felt anything.Maybe I’d built the whole moment into something it wasn’t because I was exhausted.
I stepped back.“So...”
“So.”He turned toward the door.
“Wait,” I called.
He looked back.
