Page 55 of Fourth Wall

“It’s probably locked,” I attempted to convince myself as my hand hovered over it.

“Just a little comfort.” I needed to sleep if I was going to see Tyler tomorrow, too.

Fuck it. He wanted this as badly as I did. I didn’t know why I was even fighting it. We were just two friends, fake dating for the sake of keeping my family together…or were we?

I finally turned the handle very slowly before opening the door and looking over at him in his dark room. He had this thick comforter on and the most comfortable jersey sheets you could imagine. I felt like I was sleeping in a sweatshirt when I was in his bed. It was weird seeing his large body splayed out in his bed. The bed was so big when it was just me, but I felt like there was only a sliver of space on the very end with him in it.

He was turned away from the door and didn’t move when he heard me, so I figured he was sleeping. I walked into the room to where his bed was and slipped under the comforter just like I had this entire week. The bed creaked as if it acknowledged my presence, and I silently cursed under my breath.

I lay there with my back on the pillow, arms straight to my sides, staring at the ceiling. Aside from the gigantic ogre next to me who smelled like a summertime bonfire among the pines, I was still quite uncomfortable.

I tried to lean onto my side, but there was hardly any room for me on the stupid bed, so I lay there staring at the damn ceiling and tried to count sheep while forcing myself to go to sleep.

I was on fifty when I felt Christian adjusting, and instinctually, I held my breath.

“You look so uncomfortable,” the low growl came from next to me, and it scared me shitless.

“What the fuck? You could have said something,” I said, turning to my side so I could face him.

He laughed. The genuine happy laughter. “This was more fun. What were you doing anyway?”

My cheeks flushed. “Counting sheep.”

Through the warm glow of the light from the bathroom, I could see his smile spread cheek to cheek. “Counting sheep?”

“Ugh. If you must know, I’m in your bed because I cannot sleep. I got used to sleeping in here, and it’s…cold in my room.”

“I told you we can change it.”

“It’s not that,” I quietly whispered.

He inched closer to me, and I could see his tattooed skin. His biceps were so large, although they remained dutifully at his side. I could very well just reach out to trace the colorful swirls along him, but I kept my hands at my side too. We shared a few quiet breaths.

“I don’t want to talk tonight.” It was the last thing I wanted to do. “But I need you to know we are only friends, Christian. You are doing me a favor, like a really huge favor, but this has an end date to it. Six months.” His eyes went down to the oversized T-shirt I had thrown on after the shower, not bothering with bottoms because my intention was to spend the night in my own room.

“Just friends,” he whispered, inching closer to me. The tip of his nose touched mine now. That was how close we were to each other.

“Six months, Christian.” I repeated for him, but I was also trying to convince myself.

“Mm-hmm.” His eyes dropped down my shirt to where it had gapped open, and he had a direct shot all the way down my cleavage.

I could see the muscles in Christian’s arms twitching.

“Firecracker.” His low and deep tone was almost a grumble. “If you stay in this bed, I don’t know how much longer I’ll be able to contain my appetite.”

“Wha-What do you mean?” I could barely get out, my breath hitching with every inhale.

“I mean that if you don’t leave this bed right now, I won't be able to control what my body wants to do with yours. I want to taste every corner and crevice of your fucking curves. I want to lick you up and have you coming with my name on your lips.”

I had no self-control when it came to the mouth on this man. I loved the way he knew exactly what to say. I loved this carnal and animalistic side. If I was being truthful, I was just as desperate for him.

“But.” He moved his lower body closer to mine, and I could feel his length against my stomach. He wasn’t just hard. He was throbbing…for me. “We are just friends. It has to be this way.” A hot breath hit my cheeks as if he huffed at me. We were both lying on our sides, but he leaned in to tuck a strand of hair that had fallen out of the French braid I had quickly done. The moment his hands touched my skin, I could feel the electricity between us.

“Just friends…with benefits?” A slight upturn in his tone made it sound like a question, but it was a mixture between that and a statement.

“Don’t fucking ever leave me again like you did.” I dropped my hand down and grazed his hard throbbing cock underneatha very thin veil of cotton. He moaned so erotically the moment I laid my hands on him.

“Swear to me,” I demanded, knowing this was only the start of what we needed to talk about, but tonight, we needed to reconnect physically. There was a demand between us that we needed to uncover.

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