Page 94 of Love Bites Extra Hard

I would’ve liked to know the truth from the beginning, but I really wouldn’t have given him a chance if I did. Everything would’ve been more complicated. And more emotionally charged.

Because I hadn’t known, I’d had the chance to get to know him normally. To become his friend. With benefits, but the benefits didn’t particularly matter in our situation.

His secrecy had given us time.

And I didn’t regret that.

I didn’t resent him for it, either. Not genuinely

Maybe I was even glad about it.

I wasn’t ready to admit that, of course. But it did still seem true.

Eventually, I swam back up to the surface. Talon had his arms draped over the ledge of the spring, and his eyes were so close to shut, I could tell he was about to fall asleep.

He still hadn’t caught up on all the rest he’d missed when he was sitting outside my room every night. That wasn’t my fault. But I was still the only one who could make sure he got enough sleep.

I climbed onto his lap, and his arms immediately went around me. He pulled me close, but his grip was relaxed.

When I peeked over his shoulder, I realized that everyone else was gone. We were alone.

“What time is it?” I murmured.

“Dunno.” Talon’s voice was thick with sleep. He was fighting to stay awake, but clearly pretty close to losing.

It couldn’t have been later than six or seven at night, but when you’d missed as much sleep as he had, that didn’t matter.

I pressed my lips to his cheek. “Let’s go to bed.”

His chest rumbled, and he pulled me closer. I hugged him back until he finally climbed out of the spring, carrying me with him.

I didn’t offer to walk as he grabbed our clothes and headed out.

His chest was still rumbling. He was happy to have me in his arms, and to know he was taking me back to his bed. Our bed.

It would take time to get used to sharing such an intimate part of my life with him, but the small amount of experience we had with it told me I’d enjoy it.

After a quick detour to grab food—the dining hall was packed, so it seemed safe to assume that was where everyone had disappeared to—we made it back to our room.

I only bothered pulling on a pair of clean panties, some warm socks, and one of my new sweatshirts before sitting down on the couch with Talon. He’d found a clean pair of boxer briefs before leaving me in the closet, and when I found him, he’d already started on the food.

The way his hooded gaze took me in told me he approved.

“You’re so fucking sexy, Ave,” he rumbled, and my lips curved upward.

“You’re not so bad yourself.”

“Not so bad, huh?” He lifted a bite to his mouth.

“Nope.” I sat down next to him, picking up my own plate and grabbing my fork.

We fell into a comfortable silence while we ate.

Talon was struggling to keep his eyes open before he’d even cleared his plate, for the first time I’d ever seen.

“Come on, Tal. “ I slipped his arm over my shoulder and helped ease him to his feet. He mumbled something incoherent, and I bit my lip to stop myself from smiling.

We shuffled across the apartment until I helped him get comfortable on the bed. Just before I stepped away, his arms went around my waist, and he pulled me right into bed with him.

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