Page 17 of Stay with Me

Stubborn. I should’ve known once I gave her a location she’d find the damn thing. It’s one of the things I love about her. She’s determined and focused.

* * *

Reminisce

He’s knocked out. I don’t want to wake him up. His nose is still red, and his cheeks are flushed, but he looks better than when I first got here. Smells a hell of a lot better too.

He looks so peaceful in his sleep. I place the tray on the nightstand and chew on my lip. I don’t know if I should get dressed in my clothes and leave or stick around for a bit to make sure that he eats and downs the hot toddy.

“Stay,” he murmurs, his eyes still closed.

“What?”

“Stay with me,” he says slowly opening his eyes.

I want to say no. I know I should say no. Yet I find myself in his shower before placing on another of his shirts. I then climb into bed beside him.

With those blue eyes watching me, I settle at his side as he sips at the soup I made. He places the bowl down and smiles at me. One of those smiles that scrambles my head every time.

I may have just fucked up.

CHAPTER 7

Old Friends

Knight

I haven’t laughed this much in I don’t know how long. Her laugh is infectious. I want to hear more of it and laugh along with her.

Her cheeks glow when she laughs. It’s endearing and enticing. The best part about it is that she doesn’t even know it. Rem is just Rem. She never puts on like she’s something that she’s not. Another thing I love about her.

“We have to go back to that place sometime,” I say as I look up into her eyes. She’s sitting with her back to my headboard as I lie flat against the mattress with pillows stacked under my head.

Her smile falters a little. “As friends?”

“As old friends.”

“Okay, I think I’d like that.”

I clench my fists. I want to be more than friends, but I won’t push. Not now.

“When was the last time you went to Aspen?”

“Oh my God,” she says and covers her face. Yeah, I’ve hemmed that pussy up in a whole lot of unusual places. “I think I met you in my young and dumb years.”

“I think you met me at just the right time for adventure. Who wouldn’t want to fuck on top a ski slope? That shit was fantastic.”

“Knight,” she says in warning.

“Rem. We’re adults. Two consenting adults who have a deep past. I’ve loved every moment I’ve gotten with you. We’ve been adventurous together. Nothing wrong with that.”

“Nothing wrong with it, but I don’t think we should talk about it.”

“Why not?”

“For one, it will lead to things I don’t think we should get involved in. Second, I don’t know how many others have gotten to be adventurous with you.” She shrugs. “Therefore, I want to keep those moments in those moments.”

I lift until we’re face to face and search her eyes. I love that her chest heaves and her lips part. She’s never as unaffected as she tries to be.

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