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He bit his lip, wariness filling his gaze, but followed me to the room. I clicked on the light to reveal a single bed, dresser, and small desk.
“Sometimes it doubles as an office, but I don’t work from home all that often.”
He stared at the bed, and I wondered when his last time lying on a mattress had been.
“Are you sure?” His voice was full of awe, and it broke my heart.
“Yes, I’m very sure.” I looked down to see my dog sniffing around the room. “And don’t be surprised if Oscar tries to sleep with you. Unless you want to shut and lock the door behind you. Whatever feels comfortable.”
He crouched down to pet Oscar. “I’m cool with leaving it ajar.”
Maybe it felt safer knowing Oscar could move freely from room to room.
“Oscar will be thrilled. He’s obviously enamored with you.”
“Well, the feeling is mutual.”
When our eyes met for an elongated moment, I felt hot all over.
I cleared my throat. “Well, um, I’m gonna retire to my room. I’ve got some laundry to put away before I hit the hay.”
“Okay. I’m pretty tired, so…good night.”
“Night.” I turned to the hallway. “If you need anything, I’m right next door.”
11
LACHLAN
I turned onto my side and felt softness and heat all around me. Something was undoubtedly different, and when I flicked my eyes open, it dawned on me that I wasn’t in my tent on the unyielding sidewalk. I was in a bed—a soft bed with clean sheets—in Foster’s apartment.
And Oscar was sleeping at my feet. I grinned, listening to his soft snores, before my amusement turned to guardedness. I shifted to my back and listened to the sounds in the apartment that paled in comparison to the noises on the street.
It was early, and I could hear Foster rummaging around in the kitchen. Hopefully he didn’t have trouble sleeping with a stranger in his guest room. I was surprised I’d even dozed off after lying there thinking about everything, including him being in the next room. I imagined him sleeping in his underwear or maybe nude… Great, now my morning wood was painful. I needed to cut it out. There was no room for those sorts of thoughts, and especially not right now.
As if I’d summoned him, there was a knock on my door and the familiar jingle of a dog leash, which made Oscar stir.
“Come in,” I said, adjusting the blanket over my groin. I was grateful he hadn’t just barged right in despite the door being cracked open.
“Sorry if I woke you. Just need to grab Oscar for our morning walk and coffee run.” He smirked as he took in the scene. “Told you he’d probably sleep with you.”
“He sure throws off some heat. I could use him on colder mornings.”
“He’d probably enjoy that,” he teased. “I’ll be back soon, and then I’m off to work.”
“No, I…” I sat up, and I noticed how his gaze took in my bare chest, then quickly looked away. “I should take off.”
He frowned. “Please, feel free to sleep in.”
“Maybe I will,” I replied, though it didn’t feel right.
He smiled, seeming relieved, then lifted the leash. “We’ll be back soon.”
Oscar’s tail started wagging as he jumped down and followed Foster out of the room. I listened as he grabbed his keys, and then they were out the door.
But as soon as he left, it felt wrong to be there. Was he truly trusting me alone in his place? It was a kind gesture, but I knew I’d never be able to fall back asleep.
Instead, I rolled out of bed, went to the bathroom to take a leak, then moved toward his living room, taking in everything with new eyes, since last night had felt like a dream. My gaze swung to the window, where the sun was shining. You would’ve never guessed there had been a raging storm last night. Except from that vantage point, I could see that the streets were still damp, and some puddles remained. If the warm temp held up, they would evaporate by evening.
My clothes were dry and folded on the chair, so I tugged his sweatpants down and slipped back into my pants. They made me feel more like myself because they were comfortably worn. But his hoodie felt the same, so I slid my arms back through the material for the moment. It had nothing to do with how it smelled like him.
I felt this itch under my skin to get out of there before I got too used to all the creature comforts his apartment provided. This was not my reality. Out there was—seven stories below and in the elements.
I made the bed and folded the borrowed clothes, which was when I remembered the book. At first glance it was still ruined. I crouched down to inspect it closer. Some of the pages were stuck together and warped.
