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ANDREW
Ididn’t really expect to fall asleep. Sure, the Xanax I’d taken had me nicely relaxed, despite the pain, but I didn’t think I’d be able to fall asleep with Max next to me in bed. But her rubbing my scalp definitely lured me into dreamland. When I wake up, it’s to find her asleep next to me.
She’s curled on her side facing me, one hand tucked under her chin, the other holding her phone like she fell asleep while reading something.
The instant I see her lying beside me, I know. My entire being fills with calm certainty. This—right here—is how I want to wake up every morning for the rest of my life.
Of course, I knew that from the moment I saw her. Feeling it again now, it’s like a punch to my solar plexus. A confirmation that every gut instinct I have is right.
I reach out and brush a lock of her nearly black hair off her cheek and tuck it behind her ear. I brush a thumb over her cheek as her eyes blink slowly awake.
There’s a moment, before she remembers that she thinks she doesn’t like me, where she looks sleepy and warm. Vulnerable. It’s all I can do not to pull her toward me and kiss her. But I don’t want to scare her off.
Still, I do want her to know where this is going.
“Sweet thing, you didn’t strike me as the kind of girl who stays over on the first date.” I wink at her.
She blinks again, some of the sleepiness leaving her gaze. “Wait. What?” More blinking as she raises herself up on her elbow. “This isn’t a date.”
“Sure it is. We’ve spent most of the day together. We’ve both had our pants off at one point or another. And the date’s not over yet.”
“This is not a date.” Her eyes narrow grumpily.
She is adorable.
“You’re adorable,” I repeat the thought out loud. There’s no point in keeping my opinions to myself, since I’m not playing games.
“You’re full of shit.”
“I’m really not,” I tell her with a grin.
Her frown deepens and she seems to realize for the first time that she’s laying in the bed with me. She scrambles to her feet and props her hands on her hips. “Let’s get you up and get some food in you. Then I can give you more painkillers.”
She helps me to my feet and I’m man enough to hide my groan of pain. It’s a little embarrassing how much such a simple injury aches. She must see me wince, because she stays by my side as I walk to the bathroom.
At the bathroom door, she steps aside.
“You’re not going to follow me in and help?” I tease.
She rolls her eyes. “I think you’ve got this.”
When I finish in the bathroom and step out, I find her on the phone. I try to give her privacy, but it’s a struggle, because she keeps her cards close to her chest. I’m not a hundred percent sure she doesn’t have a guy somewhere, despite all the asking around I’ve done. No one has mentioned a boyfriend, and she didn’t mention that as a reason she turned me down any of thetimes I’ve asked her out, but some women don’t. All I have to go on is my gut instinct this woman is meant for me and therefore isn’t with anyone else. Thankfully she’s not on the phone long.
When she hangs up she turns to me and says, “Good news. Shayla has a long lunch break and she’s going to come over now. She’ll be here in a few minutes.”
That is good news, and bad. Yeah, I want this injury to be taken care of, not just for the preservation of my career, my ass, and my dignity. But also because there are things that I want to do with Max that require me to have better range of motion than I currently have.
On the other side, right now, I have Max in my apartment, all alone. And I have the good sense to know that she’s going to try and leave the second she doesn’t feel responsible for me. I just need to come up with reasons why she should stay.
Six
MAXINE
Shayla arrives a few minutes later just as she said she would. Thank God.
I need to get out of here. As. Soon. As. Possible.
The fact that I was comfortable enough around Andrew to fall asleep in his bed, does not bode well for my levels of resistance. Plus, I have already seen this man’s ass more often than is beneficial for my heart rate.
