Page 72 of Undone

I nodded. “Yeah… that sounds… good,” I said, slipping off the counter and taking his hand as we walked over to the couch. Dorian grabbed the remote, pressing play.

It was the kind of noise that let us just be. We sat close, his arm naturally draping over the back of the couch. I nestled into him, my head resting on his shoulder, feeling the rise and fall of his breathing.

We didn’t say much—there wasn’t a need to. There was something comforting about the silence between us, his body next to mine. My eyelids grew heavier with each passing minute. His hand found its way into my hair, gently threading through the strands, and the steady, soothing motion made it harder to stay awake.

“I like this,” he mumbled, looking down at me with a soft smile.

“Hm?” I hummed.

“Being here with you,” he whispered, his voice barely audible. He pressed a kiss to the top of my head.

“Me too.”

I maybe liked it too much, because being with Dorian was natural. I didn’t have to constantly analyze if what I was doing was wrong, or if he was upset and not speaking about it. I didn’t have to stress about my day. For some reason, being around him made the noise go quiet in my head. I was able to let go and be present.

The only other person who ever made me feel like that was Dotty.

And maybe that was their twin superpower. Maybe they had this ability for everyone.

But I wanted it just to be for me.

TWENTY-SIX

Dorian - August

I FEEL LIKE I’M DROWNING - TWO FEET

A small whinepulled me from the haze of sleep, slowly dragging me back to reality. I groaned, reluctant to leave the dream I’d been in—Noah was curled up around me, her legs tangled with mine, her exhales brushing against me. I blinked, trying to shake off the fog, and realized Noah was still nestled in my arms.

My heart pounded a bit harder as I tugged her closer, savoring the sensation of her against me. For a moment, I just stayed there, listening to the sounds of her breaths. I took her in—her curls spread across my chest, the soft curve of her slightly parted lips, and all I could think about was kissing her again.

Another whine came, louder this time, snapping me out of the moment. I looked over to see Walker eyeing me. His claws tapped against the floor as he pranced around.

“Alright, alright,” I said. “Let’s get you outside,” I whispered, hoping to not wake Noah.

She stirred slightly as I moved her from me, careful not to wake her as I stood. The TV droned on, the show we hadn’t paid attention to still playing. I definitely didn’t plan to fall asleep with her on the couch, but I was not mad at that outcome.

Stretching, I headed to the back door, my muscles stiff from a night spent on the couch. The door slid open with a small whoosh, and Walker shot outside.

I rubbed the back of my neck, glancing at Noah sprawled out on the couch, completely at ease. My chest squeezed, and the corners of my mouth curved up.

Fuck, I like this girl.

Nope. No, I don’t. I don’t.

This is casual.

In the kitchen, I filled the coffeepot with water and switched it on. The drip of brewing coffee filled the space as I leaned against the counter. I went to the door, letting Walker back in as he jogged in happily. Soon, my thoughts began to spiral. Pressing my palms into the cool surface of the counter, I replayed last night over and over.

Every damn detail was etched into my head, refusing to leave. The way she moved. The sounds she made. The way her narrowed eyes burned with desire as she looked at me. And how fucking perfect she was.

Nope.

Casual, I reminded myself again.

Casual.

Before I could reel myself back, smooth arms wrapped around my waist. I hadn’t even heard her wake. Her head rested against my back, her hands slipping under my shirt, her palms were like fire against my skin as she gave a gentle squeeze.

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