Page 103 of The Best of Us

Chapter31

Constantine

I openedthe hall closet and located a folded-up blanket my mother insisted I keep there despite my protests, as if she’d known I’d need it one day.

Returning to the game room, I hung back in the doorway, taking in the sight of my son passed out, lightly snoring in the leather recliner. He was still clutching the controller, his leg hanging over one side.

I couldn’t get over the fact he was here or that we’d playedCODall evening to the point my eyes had started burning. I’d refused to stop playing until he was done, which apparently meant until he fell asleep mid-zombie-killing spree.

I finally got my ass moving, setting aside the blanket to handle the controller and shift his leg back onto the reclined chair. I covered him, shut off the light, and went downstairs to check on Juliette.

She was asleep on her side, her hands in prayer position beneath her cheek. I couldn’t believe she was here and in that bed of all beds, or that I’d told her about the hardest time in my life. At this point, there were so many things I couldn’t wrap my head around, I could no longer keep count.

I fixed her covers back over her, noting she seemed to favor the right side of the bed. I didn’t want to wake her up and have her find me staring at her like a psychopath, so I exfil’ed out of there for some rack time myself.

Once in my bedroom with the door shut, I stripped down to my briefs. I climbed into bed and tested out the left side to gauge how it felt. I normally slept dead center, and maybe I was getting ahead of myself, but I had every intention of sleeping next to Juliette one day. Why not work on adjusting to sleeping on the left side?

I fell asleep fast, and I wasn’t sure how long I’d been out, but I was startled awake when my bedroom door opened. Unsure how an intruder had bypassed my security, I was seconds away from going for my Glock in the nightstand drawer when I realized it was Juliette.

I also became keenly aware of two things: I was back at the center of the bed, and my dick was hard.

“Hi.” She barefooted her way over to my bed where the sheets were crumpled at the bottom. She’d get a good glimpse of my morning wood because my briefs left nothing to the imagination. “Oh. Good morning to you, too.” A blush worked up into her cheeks.

And there she was. My ray of fucking sunshine. The only better way to wake up would be for her to be in bed next to me.

“Morning.” I sat up and grabbed the comforter to conceal my erection.

Unlike me, the only thing bare was her feet. She was already dressed in skinny jeans and had a white shirt partially tucked into them. Her hair was wavy and loose, stopping short of her breasts.

God, you’re beautiful.

“Sorry to disturb you. It’s ten, so we got worried, wondering if you were okay. Something told me you don’t normally sleep this late.”

“Ten?” I blinked in surprise. Because no, no the hell I didn’t sleep in that late. Alessandro, sure. Not me.

“I guess you needed it.” She licked her lips, and at this rate, my dick would never go down. Not with her standing so close with those innocent eyes pointed at my chest.

She was doubtfully thinking about my scars—no, this was a different kind of stare. Not sympathy, but one of passion.

“Colin was hoping we could go out to eat for breakfast.” She checked the silver watch on her wrist, which reminded me that I needed to return the locket to Colin for her birthday next weekend. “Well, brunch.” A hint of a drawl slipped through, reminding me of how she’d spoken last night.

“I see your accent is still hanging around,” I teased.

“Mm. Maybe I feel comfortable enough around you to let it out.”

“Good, the only way I want you to be.” Now, back to her question. I took a moment to contemplate the potential risks of going out in public. If I talked to Hudson and Izzy first and confirmed we were in the clear with threats, maybe we could manage a day out as a family. I was rather desperate for that, myself. “I think we may be able to do that.”

“Really?” She sat on the bed and reached for my hand. “Thank you.”

My dick jumped at her proximity. My heart did as well. “I’ll meet you two in a minute.”

“Okay.” She remained sitting, continuing to hold my hand, lighting up my room with her presence. I didn’t need to open the blinds for sunlight when I had her.

“I should probably get dressed without you in here. My patience . . .” was all I needed to say. I wanted her to know the rest of my backstory before we went all in. I didn’t want walls, or my skeletons, between us.

But with her sitting on my bed smelling so damn good, I was close to sayingfuck itand asking for a taste of what I felt deep in my bones was going to come. Us being together. Our happiness.

Juliette licked her front teeth, which would be keeping my cock hard. “I’ll let you get ready.”

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