Page 79 of Her Football Star Ex

It took a while for my heartbeat to return to its regular speed as I watched Emerson’s breathing deepen and become rhythmic. And as the minutes ticked by, I just studied the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen and thanked whatever forces were at work tonight for giving me a gift I didn’t deserve. And even though it took a while longer, eventually my eyes grew heavy and I found sleep.

31

Emerson

I wrinkledmy nose as sunlight woke me the next morning, and in the split second between being asleep and being awake, I realized I wasn’t alone in my bed.

There was a heavy arm wrapped around my torso, and my back was enveloped by a warm and very familiar form.

I popped my eyes open as I realized what that meant.

Vincent had slept over.

In my bed.

I looked down at myself. I still wore the same tank and yoga pants I’d put on last night and I vaguely remembered him carrying me up the stairs.

And…

I pinched my eyes shut as I remembered asking him to stay with me.

I probably sounded like an idiot.

Well, at least I hadn’t asked him for more than that.

But maybe he hadn’t minded? Sincehewas the one currently spooningmein the middle of the bed.

Maybe it was possible he hadn’t just done it because I sounded pathetically lonely.

He sighed deeply next to my ear and I knew he would be waking up soon. He always breathed like that just before he awoke, like he was just coming out of a deep sleep state or something.

Should I try to slip away before he realized we’d probably been cuddling most of the night? Because it had to be a subconscious thing, right? He wouldn’t have just cuddled up to me like this if he was awake.

He drew in another long breath and his arm tightened around my torso as he pressed himself closer to my back. And I couldn’t keep a smile from slipping onto my face, because it was just the same as waking up next to him had always been. We might have spent over a year apart, but the way we slept in the same bed hadn’t changed.

I felt him move his face closer, like he was going to sniff my hair or kiss my neck, but then suddenly, his body went tense.

He just realized where he is and what he’s doing.

An instant later, he let go of me, pushing himself away and rolling to the other side of the bed.

I chuckled and rolled around to face him. “Just in case you were hoping I was still asleep through all of that…I wasn’t.”

An embarrassed expression crossed his face for a second, but then his lips stretched into a wide smile. “Old habits die hard, I guess.”

I nodded, my hair rubbing against my pillow. “It would seem so.” Then I took in the T-shirt he was wearing. “Though it would seem not all things are the same. You did sleep with your shirt on. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen that before.”

He shrugged. “I figured it might be awkward if I slept in my usual sleepwear.”

“I probably wouldn’t have minded too much.” I raised my eyebrows and bit my lip at the memory of how he used to sleep in his boxer briefs and nothing else.

And yeah, I had most definitely never complained about it.

His cheeks flushed and he covered his eyes with his arm and groaned. “You know it’s dangerous for you to say things right now, don’t you?”

“Why?” I asked, innocently.

He rolled over onto my side and gave me a good once-over. “Because it makes me want to pounce.” And the fiery look in his eyes told me he wasn’t exaggerating.

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