Page 133 of Stealing Sunshine

“I can’t feel my legs, but yes. I’m better than okay. That was everything I thought it would be.”

She hums, rolling onto her side. “You’ve imagined this?”

“Of course I have.”

“Was that before or after you spied on me?”

She’s too good at hiding her emotions, and while usually I can see right through whichever act she’s decided to put on, I stumble this time.

“I didn’t mean to spy. Really. It was late, and I didn’t even know you were awake. Then, I saw you in bed, and I just—I stayed. I’m sorry.”

The bed shifts and creaks as she pushes up and around until she’s lying with her head beside mine. I turn onto my side, and she follows.

Her hand moves up between us and cups my cheek. I lean into her touch, rolling into her body as my eyes drift shut.

“I’m teasing you. I don’t care if you watched me, on accident or otherwise.”

“Really?” I ask, suddenly too tired to keep my eyes open.

She strokes a knuckle along my jaw and drapes an arm over my waist. “Really. Now, rest.”

“You’ll rest too?”

“I’ll rest too, baby.”

It’s all I need to hear before letting stealing a few minutes of sleep.

39

BRYCE

The smellof bacon wakes me before my alarm does. I stretch my arm out at my side and feel cold sheets instead of the warm body I remember falling asleep beside.

After Daisy woke from her nap with my tongue tracing the shape of her breast, it was late by the time we managed to tire ourselves out again. But I wasn’t so far gone that I imagined sprawling across Daisy’s chest and falling asleep.

She was here, and now she’s gone. Even if she’s only in the kitchen, I wanted her here when I opened my eyes. Maybe to give me some sort of validation after what we did last night and the steps we took, or who fucking knows. I just wanted her to be the first thing I saw.

The whole “sex is a good way to relax” saying is bullshit. Sex with Daisy makes me clingy and desperate, not relaxed.

I groan and throw my arm over my eyes. Maybe if I go back to sleep, I can have a redo.

“I heard you groaning, so you can’t pretend to be asleep just so you don’t have to go to work this morning.”

Baring my eyes, I push up on my elbow and glare at her. It’s hard to keep it up once I spot the plate of food in her hands and the bright grin on her sleepy features.

“Stop glaring at me, Frosty. I left to make breakfast.”

“I wanted you in bed when I woke up,” I grunt.

She teases me with a pout and hovers the plate of food over my lap. “You could have told me that last night.”

“Neither of us were doing much talking then.”

Snatching a piece of crisp bacon, I rip off a chunk and begin chewing. There’s more than enough food on this plate to feed three people, let alone the two of us.

“That’s fair. I’ll keep in mind that you’re needy in the morning.”

I swallow the bacon and curve a hand over her nape before bringing her in for a kiss. Her lashes flutter shut as she kisses me back and pushes my messy hair over my shoulder, running her fingers through it.

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