Page 13 of The Winning Ticket

“Well, sadly, everyone I know in Brisbane these days is in this apartment, so if you haven’t found her amongst this crowd, I’m probably not going to be much help,” I say with an apologetic smile.

Jake continues to grin. “You’re probably right.”

He looks over my shoulder and nods at someone. I turn around to see a few people leaving and get the sense that the night is starting to wind down.

“You’re crashing here tonight, right?”

I turn back to see Jake looking at me again. “Yeah, Morgan insisted. But I’m not sure where she’s expecting me to sleep because all the rooms are taken, and I’m not crashing in with Kylie and Tara – not with how drunk Kylie is.”

I look over at the couches. I guess they could be comfy, but I will still have to wait until everyone goes to bed before I can finally get some sleep.

“Well, you’re welcome to bunk in with me. I don’t snore, I promise. And the bed is freaking huge, so we can make a pillow wall down the middle if you need it?”

Share a bed with Jake Boyd? It’s exactly like the one-bed trope in one of my romance novels.

“Um…” I’m not entirely sure what to say.

Jake raises his hands. “I’m not trying to get you into bed, Bri. I promise. From the look you just gave the couch, I can tell you’re not keen on sleeping there, and the bed is big enough for five people,” he says.

I regard him closely, checking to see if perhaps he isn’t the nice guy I always believed him to be. There doesn’t seem to be any ulterior motive behind his suggestion, though, and he waits patiently for me to decide what I want to do.

“Okay. The bed did look massive. Thanks, Jake.”

And that is how I wind up sharing a bed with Jake Boyd on my first night back in Brisbane.

I wake to discover an arm around my waist and a body pressed against my back. I’ve never been one for touching while sleeping, and I freeze for a moment before remembering where I am and who the arm belongs to.

If I’d been drinking last night, I’d be worried that I’d done more than just sleep, but I know I went to bed alone. When Jake stumbled into bed later, he had indeed stayed on his side of the bed. We must have gravitated towards each other through the night because we are now together in the centre of the bed.

I feel the steady rise and fall of his chest against my back and realise he’s still asleep.

I look down at the tanned arm slung across my bare waist. I’d forgotten to bring anything to sleep in, so Jake had kindly lent me one of his shirts, and it’s ridden up through the night, now just barely covering my breasts. His legs are tangled with mine under the covers, and a quick look over my shoulder gives me a glimpse of a bare chest.

I know I should move away, but I am just so comfortable. His warmth protects me from the cold air pumping through the air conditioning, and I wriggle back a little until there’s no remaining space between our bodies.

Sleepily, I wonder why I have always avoided sleeping with someone hugging me because this is the most relaxed I’ve felt in years. My eyes start to close, and I allow myself to drift back to sleep while Jake’s hold on me tightens. I shiver slightly when his breath brushes the back of my neck, but it adds to the comforting feeling, and I drift off again, feeling safe for the first time in a long time.

7

YOU SLEPT IN THE SAME BED AS JAKE BOYD AND ALL YOU DID WAS CUDDLE?!

BRIANNA

Unknown

Hey, it’s Jake. I got your number from Chris. I just wanted to apologise for Sunday morning. Not sure how that happened!

Brianna

It’s completely fine. I know you’re a man of honour, Just Jake.

Just Jake

I have a feeling I now have a new nickname…

Brianna

Yep, you’re stuck with it now, sorry. Maybe I’ll shorten it to JJ…

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