Page 68 of Your Side of the Offense

"Do you need me to leave you alone?" He stares at me, still holding my face, with nothing but pure intention and concern.

"How can you when you need sleep too. Come on." I step back from him and pull my sweater off.

"Can I lend you something sleep friendly?" He looks at my jeans.

I smile. "Yeah, please."

Moving to his closet, he fishes out a pair of his sleep pants and a white shirt. I take it and he leaves the room for me to change.

He finds me in bed waiting for him after I shout to him I'm ready. He changes too and switches off the light. It was dim anyway. Putting my phone on silent, I turn it down. I don't need any interruptions tonight and Arch needs uninterrupted sleep too.

Archer comes behind me and he holds me this time. My body fits into his like it was made for it.

"Goodnight, Peach," he says in my ear and a shiver takes over my body. My body remembering everything about us.

"Goodnight, Deltona."

It doesn't take long for me to go under.

I wake up in the middle of the night and hear his light snore. Smiling, I turn to him. He instinctively lies on his back, and I nestle myself in his chest. The back of my head knows I shouldn't be doing this, that this is possibly more dangerous than I want to admit, but also, I am not really doing anything. There isn't anything sexual between me and Arch. Just a friend helping another friend.

I just watch him sleeping.

Stretching my hand to take his phone from next to mine and I open the camera. I can't take the picture with my phone, but I still want this one. Maybe he will smile at his own cuteness when he wakes up. He stirs a little at the flash, then turns to his side pulling me closer, his face dipping to my neck. I close my eyes and after some time, I go back to sleep.

In the morning, I wake up feeling happy. Then freeze remembering where I am and what I feel between my legs.

Well, fuck.

"I was afraid of waking you." Archer’s guilt-filled voice fills the room and I move away. Only turning when I am a safe distance from him. His face is filled with worry, and I look away from him.

"Um, I have to go." I get out of bed. Why this felt like a great plan last night I don't know, but it seems dumb now that the sun is up.

07:21.

Well, just fuck me then.

I hear him moving around the room and he places my clothes next to me before he exits the room. I change quickly and take my phone as I get up. I find him at the door and it’s a little awkward.

"Uh, want me to walk you?"

"No," God no. "But thanks."

I know he's just as flustered as I am.

"Okay, l-let me know if you get there safely," he says as I basically sprint to the stairs.

Luckily, the house is quiet. The rest still sleeping. I don't know why I'm tip-toeing.

"Good morning, Sunshine." Jaden laughs.

I jump. Fuck. Just when I thought I had escaped. I turn to find Jaden and Harvey approaching from the laundry. Damn it. Why are they always in there?

"Morning to you too." I pause. "It isn't what it looks like."

They both laugh.

"Interesting…" Harvey says, climbing the stairs. Not giving me room to respond.

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