Page 77 of Once Upon a Fake Date

For the first time all semester, I felt like I was sleeping on a cloud. The bed was cozy and warm, and I hugged my pillow even tighter.

Except. Wait. I opened my eyes, holding my breath like that could postpone the inevitable realization. My pillow didn’t normally wear a t-shirt. And it definitely didn’t have those muscles.

How did I get here?

The last thing I remembered was the bar I’d gone to with my sisters. Where I’d—shit. I’d been doing shots all night, and at some point, I’d pulled out my phone, texting Parker.

It was all coming back to me now. How he’d shown up, sweeping me off my feet and bringing me back to his room. The way he’d carried me into his room, before he undressed me so carefully, averting his eyes as I slipped off my bra and he dropped his sweatshirt over my head.

The sweatshirt I was still wearing, even though it had ridden up my thighs, leaving my panties exposed.

It was red, like his favorite color growing up. I wanted to steal it out of his closet next time he was gone for an away game, to remember this moment. How close I felt to him in it. Parker was curled around me, holding me tight against his body as he slept.

I took in the sight of him, letting my eyes linger on his face. God, he was handsome. I wanted to reach out and trace the sharp lines of his jawbone, brush my fingers over those soft lips.

It had been stupid to go out drinking last night, but after the week I’d had, all I’d wanted to do was forget. Forget about Duke and how he’d ruined the perfect time we were having. Forget about how scared I’d felt, pinned against the house.

Forget about Parker, and how, after basically offering him my body, he’d rejected me.

But last night… he’d said we’d talk, didn’t he? I wasn’t sure I was ready to hear his explanation.

“Audrey Rose,” he murmured as I continued to stare at him. His eyes were still shut, like he was still asleep, but he tightened his hold around my back, bringing me in closer to him.

And pressing his generous morning wood against my stomach.Oh,boy.

“Hm?”

“I can practically feel you staring at me even with my eyes shut,” he said, little more than a mumble. “Go back to sleep.”

It was still dark outside, so all I could do was comply. Besides, he was so warm that my eyes were already drifting shut again, sleep taking me quickly.

All I could think as I fell asleep in his arms, is thatthis wasn’t a dream.

“Hey, sleeping beauty,”a deep voice whispered against my ear. “I’m going to run and grab breakfast.”

“Mmm?” I blinked open my eyes, finding him standing over me, wearing a Castleton University crewneck and a pair of sweatpants.

Damn. He looked good in those.

He pressed his lips to my forehead, and I practically melted into the pillow.

“Want me to come with you?” I mumbled, not actually wanting to get out of his bed. Because it was too warm. Too comfortable. And here, I didn’t have to think about the mortification of last night.

He chuckled. “No. I just didn’t want you to wake up alone.”

“Oh.” I smiled, yawning and stretching my arms out. “Get me something?”

“Of course.” Parker brushed a piece of hair behind my ear.

Curling my arms around his pillow, I buried my nose in it, inhaling his scent. God, this was absolutely surreal. I was in his bed, and we’d been cuddled up all night. Parker had held me in his arms as we slept.

Nothing had happened, and he’d been the perfect gentleman last night. He could have just taken me back to the sorority house, but he’d brought me back here.

What did it mean? My head swirled with possibilities. The other night, he’d stopped us before anything could happen, despite the ache between my thighs and how I had so desperately wanted to straddle him once again.

But he was right. We shouldn’t complicate this with sex.Right? Or maybe…

Twenty minutes later, I hadn’t gotten back to sleep. In fact, I was wide awake when Parker came back in the door, carrying a bag that smelled suspiciously like cinnamon rolls and two coffees in a coffee carrier.

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