Page 38 of Fragile

“Yeah, I did. You?”

“Best sleep I’ve had in a while,” he says, turning his head to look at me. His gaze is steady, and I feel a blush creeping up my neck. God, he’s pretty in the morning.

“We should probably get up,” I say, more to myself than to him.

“We should.” He hesitates before grabbing me again, deftly turning me, dragging my back to his front. “But I want to stay here for a little longer.”

My nerve endings are shot. I feel raw, exposed, desperately begging my brain not to word vomit that I’m in love with him.

I’m in bed with Miles. I’m in bed with Miles. Miles kissed me. Yeah, no matter how many times I say it in my head, it still feelslike I’ve entered the multiverse. Any moment now, there’s going to be another version of me prancing into the room, demanding I leave because I’m in the wrong world.

Any minute now…

“You’re tense.”

Of course I’m tense.“I’m…not sure what to do.”

“Just relax. Let me hold you.” He buries his face into the back of my neck again, and I’m back to melting. Melting into his arms, feeling like I never want to leave this space. Until my stomach gives out the biggest protest for not having breakfast already.

Miles chuckles behind me. “Hungry?”

Turning in his arms, our eyes immediately lock, and I take in every inch of him. Sleepy Miles isn’t one I see often, and he might be my favorite yet. The caramel in his eyes is brighter in the soft light, his lips poutier than usual, and his hair on top of his head sticks up in all directions. I lick my lips as he stares right back at me, unabashedly taking me in the same way I’m doing to him. “Starving.”

The corner of his mouth twitches just as he flops on to his back, covering his face with a groan. “You can’t say it like that and expect me to be a gentleman.”

“Since when are you a gentleman, Miles Cooper?” I prop myself up on my elbow, looking down at him, my hair dusting over my shoulders.

Poking his cute face out from under his arm, his eyes sparkle with mischief. “Since today.”

“I see.”

“Or maybe since last night, if I think about it.” His arm drops, revealing the rest of his face.

“Hmm.” I lean a little closer, enjoying the way his gaze dances with anticipation. My pulse kicks up as I consider teasing him a little.

Before he can react, I press a quick kiss to his cheek, his warm skin against mine. He turns to catch my lips, but I pull back just in time, leaving him hanging.

“Hey!” he protests, laughter erupting from his chest that quickly turns into a pout.

I grin, the energy crackling between us. “You’ll have to be quicker than that.”

His face lights up at the challenge and, in a second, the moment shifts into something else entirely. My insides tingle as I shift off the bed, backing away. The playful look on his face quickly morphs into something much hotter. Much darker. I have to clamp my mouth closed to stop a whimper from escaping.

Our eyes still locked, once my feet hit the floor, I squeak and turn around, hauling ass to the bathroom when two strong arms wrap around my waist, lifting me with ease, spinning us around until I’m catapulted onto the bed with a soft thud.

I swipe my hair from my face, open my eyes, and take in the muscled, bare-chested, insanely hot football player hovering above me with the darkest eyes devouring every inch of me. I’m not ashamed as I do the same to him. My eyes snag on each and every piece of ink on show, the rose and vines that start at his strong throat, to the compass near his left pec, all the way down to the trail of dark hair between his muscled V-shape hips. The masterpiece of him is overwhelming.

I’m unable to help the smile that breaks through at the thought of him being here withme. “You caught me.” I giggle as he leans closer, the subtle scent of him as intoxicating as the look on his face.

“I caught you,” he repeats gruffly. “Now gimme those lips.”

He closes the distance between us, capturing my mouth with his, softer than I thought he would, and I weave my fingers into his hair, holding him there. Lowering his body to mine, I revelin the sensation of him being pressed against me, kissing me, wanting me. Every sweep of our tongues takes me higher, and I know he feels it too when he deepens the kiss, pressing into me harder, like we’re both on the edge of something dangerous, something I can’t pull away from, even if I wanted to.

Then, my stomach rumbles again, louder and more obnoxious this time, breaking the moment.

He lifts slightly, smiling down at me, sated and so insanely sexy. “Come, let’s get breakfast. Bus is leaving in an hour.”

We dress quickly, me in the bathroom and him in the hotel room. I don’t trust myself not to throw myself at him if I see more of his naked body.

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