“I doubt that’ll happen,” I replied quickly. “And I already woke up on your chest. I was fine.”
I’d wanted more, and now that it was in front of me, Ineededit.
“Are you—” I interrupted him with a flat look. “Then I’ll stay.”
“Great.” I nearly fell off the couch in my excitement to get to my bedroom. “Let me hide all my dildos and you can come in.”
Theo went red in the face. “Piper!”
“I’m kidding! I always hide them! I just don’t want you to see my underwear.”
“You’re making dildo jokes and you draw the line at underwear?”
I laughed and went into my room. “I never said I made sense.”
I did wind up putting my underwear up, but I also grabbed an extra pillow I’d stuffed in my closet so Theo could use it. Then I was back out in the living room.
“Okay. Bedtime!”
“Are you sleeping in a skirt?”
Fuck.“Never mind.”
I slammed the door and I heard him laugh.
The second time went far better. I managed to find something that would fit Theo, and we both lay in my bed.
“Do you still want me tohold you?”
“Yes,” I said. “Please.”
“Lift your head,” he said softly. He wound one of his arms under my neck and the other one wrapped around me in a tight embrace. One of his hands landed on my head, and his fingers ran through the strands, scraping on my scalp. “Tell me if it’s too much.”
For a second, I was on the edge. If it were anyone else, it would have been. But I grabbed his hand, feeling the calluses I knew all too well, reminding myself who was close to me.
My heart calmed down and I relaxed in his embrace.
“I’m okay,” I whispered. “I can actually do this.”
I wanted to stay happy, and deep down, I was. But having the thing I’d always dreamed of made emotion clog my throat. Ineverthought this would happen to me. Being in someone’s arms and feeling safe was a pipe dream. And now it was here, and I was the calmest I’d ever been.
A sniffle escaped me, even though I tried to hide it.
“Piper?” Theo asked, his chest tensing.
I didn’t even realize someone couldfeelthat.
“It’s just so nice.” My voice was thick. “Thank you for being here.”
“Any time, Piper.” His hand resumed its movements.
I could have stayed like that forever, and my eyes grew heavy. Feeling safe made me sleepy.
It didn’t take long before I drifted off in his arms.
30
THEO
