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His body vibrated as he chuckled. “Then I guess I won’t complain.”

I grinned as my breathing finally returned to normal. “Good.” I planted another kiss on the peony tattoo on his left shoulder then reluctantly rolled backward, off the bed. “Be right back, baby.”

After disposing of the condom in the bathroom trash, I wet a rag I found in a linen closet with warm water then went back into the bedroom. Henry had rolled to his other side and was watching me as I crossed the room. His eyes followed me over his shoulder as I wiped between his cheeks then watched me as I moved around him to clean off his dick. Once I was done, I wiped my own dick down then turned to look at the mess on his bed. I winced. “Ugh, sorry. We should’ve put down a towel or something.”

He waved me off, sitting up. “It’s no problem.” He stood up then, pulled me to my feet, then reached for the comforter and stripped it off the bed. As he did, he nodded toward a door I hadn’t noticed before that sat near the armchair he’d used as a dresser earlier. I thought maybe his actual closet extended the entire length of his room behind the head of his bed. “Would you mind grabbing a quilt from in there? It’ll be enough to keep us warm until I can wash this tomorrow.”

I nodded, crossing the room completely nude but with absolutely no shame. I liked the domesticity of this moment with Henry. And as we slipped the quilt on the bed, brushed our teeth side-by-side in his ridiculously plush bathroom, took turns at the toilet, and slipped into bed, I found that, for possibly the first time in my life, I wasn’t eager to leave. I wanted to stay the night. I wanted to stay the weekend.

I wanted to stay for the rest of my life.

Whoa. Too soon. But I wanted Henry with a ferocity I’d never felt before, and I was sick of denying it.

My confession to him earlier was completely correct—I’d need time to come to terms with the struggles I had with relationships. A few good fucks didn’t change a lifetime of never being chosen, of never feeling worthy of love. But for Henry, I was willing to try.

I just hoped that would be enough.

Chapter twenty

Henry

My heart started racing as soon as I woke up, diffuse light from the rainy morning allowing me to see every imperfection in the ceiling. I stared hard at the drywall, unwilling to find Tris missing from my bed for a second time. I couldn’t endure that heartbreak again.

A tear welled in the corner of my eye, and I didn’t dare move and allow reality to sneak in, so it fell down my temple and into my hairline.

Then I felt movement in the bed beside me, and my breath caught. Did Tristan actually stay?

“Morning, Daddy” came from my side, and in this moment, those were the most beautiful words in the English language. Tris’s gravelly morning voice had my dick perking up, and I rolled to my side slowly, not quite believing he was still here.

But then my eyes landed on a sight I’d never forget as long as I lived: Tristan Applegate, adorably sleep-rumpled with eyes half closed, gazing at me in my bed. “Morning, my Angel Baby.”

He grinned at the endearment, and I was so glad I’d taken the leap and tried it out. It fit him perfectly.

I reached up to tuck a stray curl that had fallen into his eyes behind his ear. “Did you sleep well?”

Tristan purred like a cat, stretching his arms over his head with a satisfied groan. “Perfectly. Who knew sleeping next to someone you care about after dicking them down would make for a good night’s sleep?”

I chuckled, careful not to blow morning breath in his face. “Yeah, who knew?”

Tristan giggled back, and I was falling in love with the sound. I hadn’t heard him do it before last night, and I suspected it meant he was letting his guard down with me.

I sure hoped it did.

When he spoke again, his voice was clearer. “So what should we do today, Daddy? Besides showers and rimming, anyway. And probably breakfast . . .”

He trailed off when he noticed me staring at him, mouth slightly open. I had to force myself to ask the question I needed the answer to. “You’re . . . you’re staying?”

Tris’s cheeks actually reddened, just a bit, and I nearly swooned at how adorable he looked as he playfully pulled the sheet over his mouth. He nodded before letting it fall away. “I’d love to stay all weekend, if you’ll have me.”

I froze, simply staring at this gorgeous man in my bed. The man who’d said he wanted to try a relationship with me just last night, the man who’d topped me in my own bed, the man who offered to fulfill my every sexual desire . . . that man was telling me he wanted to stay. For three more days.

How was this my life?

I must’ve waited too long to answer, because Tristan started fidgeting, looking away. “It’s okay if you want to be alone. I can head out whenever.”

The obvious hurt on his face was too much to bear. I reached out for him abruptly, clutching his bicep in a move that couldn’t be mistaken for anything other than desperation. “No! Please stay, Tris. I would love it if you’d stay.” I smiled. “I think you just broke my brain for a minute.”

He snickered. “Oh, good! I was scared there for a second.”