Page 77 of Rosie and the Beast Next Door

But like Lizzy, I had no intention of leaving this spot anytime soon.

My eyelids grew heavier, and to the sound of Lizzy’s purring and Dylan’s steady breathing, I fell asleep.

Chapter 30

Dylan

I listened to Rosie’sdeep breathing while I lay wide awake beside her. Falling asleep with someone was very intimate. It meant trust and letting down your guard and a willingness to be close to that person. All things I felt in spades as Rosie shifted and tucked her body in even closer to mine. The skin on her arm was soft where she slung it over my stomach.

I caught my breath and held it.

Yet, sleeping was the farthest thing from my mind. Not only because I didn’t want to miss one moment of this, but also because I was a total and complete bonehead for getting myself into this mess.

And mess it was.

Because I was falling for Rosie Forrester.

No, I’dfallenfor Rosie Forrester.

While helping her get another man to fall in love with her.

Classic Dylan move, I could almost hear Shiloh saying to me.

With Rosie and I so close together, it was almost too warm under these covers, especially as the storm eased. I could getused to this, though. A cozy, stormy night. Rosie in my arms. The chatter of birds as Winterhaven began to wake up.

Rosie mumbled something in her sleep, and her fingers grazed my side, stealing all rational thought. Man, she was gorgeous. And she smelled like paint and coconut and absolute bliss. Her silky auburn hair rubbed against my shoulder as she tucked her face deeper into my neck. Her nose was cold again.

It had taken hours for her feet and hands to feel warm enough against me that I could finally relax my back muscles and sink into a near-sleep state. Until Rosie had thrown her leg over mine, and any hope of being able to sleep had fled in that instant—along with coherent thoughts and short-term ability to breathe.

The only thing keeping me somewhat grounded was Lizzy, who was not moving one single inch from her warm nest between us. I squinted in the dim lighting to find her almond eyes watching me closely, her head tilted to the side like she could read my mind.

She stretched her long body, pushing Rosie and me another breath apart, like a proper alien chaperone. I’d never admit it to Rosie, but Lizzy was growing on me.

Rosie’s fingers tightened on my stomach and then flew off me in a burst of movement. Her leg unwound from my leg, and her head sprang away from chest like two repelling magnets. Lizzy mewled in protest as Rosie put a couple of inches of space between us, and I missed the closeness instantly.

I stretched out my arm, numb from keeping it under her head most of the night. “Good morning,” I said, my voice scratchy and low from disuse.

Rosie pulled the blankets up to her neck, and I could see a million thoughts whirring behind her eyes. It was one of the things that most fascinated me about her—she wore most of her emotions on her face. I never had to wonder what Rosie wasthinking, and right now, it was clear she was figuring out how to play it cool.

“We slept together,” she said as casually as one might comment on the weather.

“Only literally,” I said, though I’d done no actual sleeping.

“Of course literally. What else would I—” Her cheeks turned pink, and I half expected her to hop out of bed and start flitting around. But she didn’t. She had rolled onto her back and was staring up at the ceiling. She gathered more of the blanket around her, pulling it from me as she did. “Thank you. For sharing your bed. And your body warmth.”

“Anytime.”

She looked at me from out of the corner of her eye. “You don’t have a shirt on.”

“Nope.”

“Hm.”

I didn’t know a hm could sound so high-pitched.

“Are you feeling okay? You were drenched last night.”

She pointedly kept her eyes on my face. “I’m okay. Just stressed.”

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