Page 13 of Relief Pitcher

“So you decided to watch it in the middle of the night, in the dark, during a storm, somewhere you’ve never been before?”

I ran my hand through my hair. “Not my finest decision. What are you doing up?”

He gathered his hair and twisted it into a spiral like a nervous habit. “I rarely sleep through the night. At least not over the last few years.”

Something about his voice made me sad, and I wanted to ask about it, but I didn’t want to force him into a potentially awkward conversation in the middle of the night.

“Forgot to refill my water bottle before bed, so I got up to get some. Sorry if I woke you.”

“I was already awake. Unfamiliar environment.” If I’d been crashing with one of the guys before we moved in together in Dahlia Springs and their sofa bed broke, I would’ve climbed into their bed as a punishment for having such a shitty couch. But Cooper had been exceedingly generous, and I didn’t want to kick a gift horse in the nuts.

He flicked on the lamp on the side table and stared at the sofa bed, frowning. “Is the bed angled weird?”

I rubbed the back of my neck. “Yeah, I think there’s something broken.”

His eyes went wide. “Shit, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you sleep on a broken bed. I used to have a guestroom, but after… There’s no bed in there now. Full of stuff.” His voice was rough.

“No worries. I can snooze in the recliner.” I wouldn’t because the thing had seen better days at least a decade ago, but I didn’t want to add to his stress. His shoulders nearly reached his ears.

“That thing is barely comfortable for sitting, definitely not for sleeping.” Cooper scratched the back of his neck and glanced everywhere but at me. “I’ve got a king-sized bed, and you’re welcome to half. You can bring these blankets with you.”

I opened my mouth to turn him down, but there was something in the way he asked, the way he held tension in his body and stared at the shitty couch that made me change my mind. He didn’t seem like the kind of guy to make offers he didn’t mean, and a teensy-weensy part of me didn’t totallyhatethe idea of sharing a bed with a warm body.

I shut my mouth and smiled. “I like big beds and I cannot lie.”

Cooper laughed, and the tension leaked out of the room.

I followed Cooper, and he paused awkwardly at the foot of the bed. It was too dark for me to make out any details, but it felt cozy. At least enough for a few hours of sleep.

“Which side do you want me on?”

“The left.” His voice cracked slightly.

I kept my voice quiet, almost a whisper. “Alrighty.”

Cooper moved stiffly to get back in bed as I untucked the blankets on the side I was taking, then laid down the blankets from the couch. Something was nagging me about sharing the bed with him, but I didn’t know what it was. He’d been extremely generous to me, so I wanted to minimize my disruption, at least on this.

Honestly, I needed the distance as much as he likely did. I never shared beds with men unless traveling with my best friends and we bunked together. I sure as hell hadn’t shared with anyone I’d slept with. I didn’t stick around long enough after orgasms.

It unnerved me to lie only a couple of feet from him. We rolled onto our sides with our backs facing each other, and I hugged the edge of the bed. I had a feeling there was something more going on with Cooper, and for once, I decided not to make a joke.

“Thanks, Cooper,” I said quietly.

“You’re welcome. Night.”

His bed was soft as a cloud. Instead of thinking about trying to make my next dick appointment, I fell asleep to thoughts of Cooper laughing at my Hallmark commentary and the slow, rhythmic breaths of the man next to me.

CHAPTER8

TYLER

Team Tap That Group Text

Ty: If I got murdered, what would you guys say about me on a true-crime show?

Ty: Do you think Bigfoot’s real?

Ty: If the Bigfoot lurking outside gets me, I love you guys. Name a beer after me but in a flattering way. No beer trolling.

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