Page 76 of All I Feel

ACE

“Of all thatyou’ve just shared, there’s only one thing that makes me happy.”

That came from Phoenix.

I was back at work, and I wasn’t the least bit surprised by my best friend’s response. Truth be told, Phoenix wasn’t alone. When everything had been coming at me, my initial reaction had been anger as well.

But all the fury I’d been feeling over what happened with Tessa evaporated right about the time I walked her inside my home last night. We ate dinner together, and after spending a little bit of time talking, I showed her to the bedroom.

My bedroom.

“You can sleep in here,” I’d said. “I’ll take the couch.”

“What?”

“This is the only bed in the house, Tessa. You can stay here tonight.”

She jerked back, her eyes darting between the bed and me. “I can’t… I can’t kick you out of your bed, Ace.”

“Well, you’re not sleeping on the couch.” I gave a dismissive wave. “I’ll be fine there. I want you here.”

And I did.

Because the thought of Tessa sleeping in my bed—however she chose to sleep in it—was a welcomed one. I liked knowing my sheets would smell like her.

But Tessa didn’t like my idea, and she had no qualms about making that clear. “You aren’t sleeping on the couch. That’s ridiculous. You can just…” She’d gestured toward the bed. “It’s big enough for both of us, don’t you think?”

Sure, Tessa and I had made things official between us. And we’d certainly done our fair share of kissing over the last couple of days. But I didn’t think she’d be ready to just have me spend the night in bed with her, even if it wasn’t more than sleeping that we’d do. “I just want you to be comfortable,” I’d explained.

“I think I’ll be plenty comfortable having you with me.” She tucked her hair behind her ear. “And I think you’d be more comfortable in your bed, too.”

Feeling like she was giving me the privilege to do something I hadn’t quite earned the right to yet, I couldn’t bring myself to speak. So, I simply gave her a nod of agreement.

“Could I… Would it be alright if I took a shower first?”

And there was another thing I was going to have to try to be unaffected by. The thought of Tessa naked in my shower.

“Of course. I’m guessing you brought everything you need in those two bags, but if not, feel free to help yourself to anything that’s in the bathroom.”

She smiled, moved toward me, and placed her palm against my chest before she kissed me. “I’ll be quick.”

“Take your time. I’ll lock up the house. Do you need anything while I’m downstairs?”

Shaking her head, still smiling, she said, “Just you.”

Fuck me. How had I not noticed Tessa was the woman for me all these years?

She’d taken off to the shower, and I got everything locked up for the night. I’d made it back to the bedroom before Tessa was finished, so I climbed into bed and waited for her. My mind was racing with dozens of thoughts; each moment that passed while I waited felt like an eternity.

Finally, Tessa stepped into the room, and I stopped breathing. My heart hammered so hard; I wouldn’t have been surprised if she could hear it from across the room. My beautiful girl either had no clue what she could do to me, or she purposely wanted to torture me. Tessa stood there wearing another one of her satin nighties. The third I had the privilege of seeing so far. How was I supposed to sleep beside her while she wore that and not want to touch and taste and ravish every inch of her flawless skin?

“God, you’re gorgeous,” I breathed.

She looked down at her body and back up before she whispered, “Thank you.”

Tessa became unstuck, slowly crossing the room. With every step she took, my heart beat a little faster. I struggled to maintain my breathing and probably would’ve been better off looking away from her, but I couldn’t. She was too beautiful. I wanted to remember every detail of this moment for the rest of my life.

With her being so quiet, I worried that perhaps she felt uneasy. “Are you okay?”