Page 66 of Catching Feelings

Part of me worries he may be serious. He goes down another rabbit hole about tattoos and isn’t surprised that I don’t have any. Another indication I’m not his type. Simple. Plain. Boring.

Not that Miles is riddled with tattoos, but I’ve seen the ink on his right shoulder and the angel wings tattooed on his forearm. I assume it’s for his mother but haven’t asked.

We circle back to my building and he holds the doors open for me as we make our way back up to my apartment.

“You must be tired after your game.”

He pulls me into him, linking his hands and resting them on my lower back. “Is that an invitation to take anapin your bed?”

Yes!

No, not a nap.I want him in my bed. I want to feel his giant hands on my body. I don’t want him to leave, but I’m too shy to ask him to stay.

“If that’s what you’d like to do.”

Miles tilts his head and looks into my left eye, then my right. His gaze drops to my mouth and he licks his lips.

“What wouldyoulike me to do?”

Oh, God. Heat rushes to my cheeks and I rock from foot to foot. “I, uh, don’t like to tell people what to do. I want you to do, um, whatever you would like to do.”

Stupidstupidstupid.I mentally smack my forehead.

“Rowan.” Miles tips my chin so our gazes are locked. “I want to be with you. Stay with you. Sleep with you. And by sleep, I don’t meansleep.Unless you really want to sleep. Christ, I’d be happy with spooning you all night if that’s all you want. I don’t want to rush you, but I want you to know that I want it all. Want all of you. Don’t doubt that. Ever.”

He pushes my hair back and tucks it behind my ears, then cups my face.

“I’ve wanted you for so fucking long, but I get if you’re not caught up to where I am in this relationship. Take all the time you need but know I’m not going anywhere.”

Miles brushes a gentle kiss across my lips, then releases me and heads to my door. He’s leaving?

“Wait. You said you weren’t going anywhere,” I call out.

He turns, his hand still on the doorknob. “I’ve had the best night with you, Rowan, but I don’t want you to wake up with doubts. I care about you too much. We can take this slow. It’s okay.” The corner of his lip lifts in a genuine smile.

If he were angry or disappointed, I wouldn’t mind him walking away. But that’s not Miles. He is a good guy. He could be the right guy for me. In the past few weeks, months, really, he’s shown me another side of him. A side he doesn’t often share with others.

Most think he’s a carefree goof with not a serious bone in his body. And while that’s ninety percent true, the ten percent he’s shown me has my heart beating for him.

“I want you to stay,” I whisper.

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