“Enough for you to stay my semi-secret girlfriend and maybe join us this Wednesday at Kenney’s?”

“Yes to the first one and maybe to the second. I’m more worried about getting you out of here at some point.”

“We’ll wait until we hear snoring,” I suggest. “Maybe we’ll have to entertain ourselves with some T.V. and talking.”

She gives me that genuine smile, the one that makes me feel like pure sunshine. She turns on the T.V., and I grab my shirt to drag it over her. I pull on my pants, and we settle into bed. My phone vibrates, and I see a text from my brother.

Opening it, so Sky can see, I look at the message.

He’s asking if I went home with an adoring fan.

“Are you an adoring fan, bumble bee?”

“No.” She kisses my bruised eyebrow. “I’m a critic.”

“Of course, you are.”

I type back that I’m with my girlfriend and will be home eventually.

He sends a gif of a guy humping his bed, and I roll my eyes before exiting and putting my phone down. Sky checks her own phone, sends a message, and puts it by mine. “Bonnie.”

“Of course.” I pull her back to my chest. “Too bad you’re all mine tonight.”

“You should feed Dracula again,” she murmurs.

I turn and see the spider a whole lot closer than expected. I jump, and Sky laughs against my neck. “He’s in a cage, he can’t get you.”

“Do they bite?”

“He hasn’t bitten me.” But she considers it. “Anything with teeth can bite.”

I tap my chest where the painful bite she left is still stinging. “I’m well aware.”

“You bit me, too,” she grumbles.

“And spanked you,” I remind, tapping her hip. “I think you should keep my shirt.”

“I think you should keep it in your pants,” she bites back. “My family knows I’mdatingsomeone. They don’t need to think about it any harder. Me, wearing your shirt, putting it in the laundry could raise questions.”

“Not to be a dick, but would they notice? You wear oversized shirts all the time.” I lift her shirt and peek at her ass.

She swats at me. “Behave.”

“I like my view, what can I say?”

We sit there in silence for a while, and she cuddles closer as we watch T.V. “I’ll keep it … until Wednesday.”

I kiss her again and again, and then a third time because I have no control around her. Sky talks to me about what she’s been up to, not at all talking about her mom again. But she yawns, dragging me into one, and I look at the time. It’s nearly two in the morning. She rubs her face against my neck.

“You’re comfortable.”

“So are you.” But I drag the blanket over her shoulder.

I don’t want to leave, even with my arm almost numb around her and her hair sticking to my beard, I want to hold onto her. I press my lips to her head. “Want me to try and sneak out?”

“In a little bit,” she says through another yawn.

I wrap a second arm around her and let my eyes close. Just a little bit of time. Just a nap. That’s all. A good, much-needed nap after excellent sex and a hard fight. I snuggle closer, press my face tighter against her and get as comfortable as possible.