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Niall helped me stand and step out of the tub onto the mat and held out a towel. Never once did his eyes drop or trail along my body. He had every opportunity to peek or to touch me. I likely would have melted, but he didn’t.
He took care of me. That was all.
And it was exactly what I needed. I felt safe. Secure. Loved.
When he set new pajamas on the counter for me, I didn’t have to ask for his help. He moved so naturally, as if helping me dress was a daily occurrence. It made the whole process, which could have been an embarrassing nightmare of a situation, feel completely natural.
“Sit down.” He pulled out the stool in the middle of the vanity and proceeded to brush out my hair.
I stared at him in the mirror, feeling like I stepped into an alternate universe. He didn’t meet my eyes until he was done. He set the brush down on the counter, then studied my face.
“Better?”
I nodded. I didn’t have the words. I wanted to tell him how much this meant to me. That this simple act felt more intimate than anything I’d ever done in my life. That without a single kiss or graze, I felt loved and adored.
How did I say that? How could I convey what this, he, meant to me?
I felt love. I felt attraction, but it was beyond just thinking he was hot. It was deeper. Soul-level.
He wasn’t ready. He stayed true to his word. He wasn’t going to rush us, but for the first time in my life, I wanted him to.
“You should get some sleep.” He held out his hand and helped me stand.
I wanted to protest. I wanted to stay up talking and catching up, but with one step, I knew that wasn’t an option. I was exhausted. Despite being asleep for over a week, I felt completely drained.
He unlocked and opened the door before stopping.
“Bloody hell.”
I peered past him and smiled. Theo, Sai, and Kaden were asleep in my bed, one clear spot left for me between Theo and Kaden.
“You can sleep in my room or their room if you want,” Niall offered.
Before the curse, I would have accepted his offer, but now the need to be close to them burned in my gut. It had been too long.
“It’s okay.” I went to the foot of the bed and started to climb in.
Niall waited until I was situated in my narrow spot. Then he backed up toward the door.
“Don’t,” I called quietly. “Will you please stay?”
Even if we were sleeping, I needed all of them nearby—even Niall.Maybe especially him.
He eyed the already crowded bed and closed his eyes. He made a gesture with his hands, and the bed expanded another four feet past Kaden, more than enough room for him.
He met my gaze with a raised brow, and I just smiled and nodded.
“Go to sleep,” he whispered, then slipped in and turned to face the wall.
I rested my head on the pillows until the rhythmic sound of their breathing lulled me into a dreamless sleep.
I woke entangled in limbs.My eyes snapped open. This was strange.
My head was on someone’s chest. When I tried to move or even shift my weight, several hands tightened.
I was back in my new room on my new bed, but I was far from alone. What time was it? Didn’t we have classes to get to?
I tried to move again, and this time, the body holding me from behind rolled. I was left with only one set of hands. Kaden. The room was too dark to see him, but I could smell the moss and crisp air that gave him away.
