Page 21 of Anchored Love
Everly
PSYCHOLOGICALLY, HUMANS ARE NOT CAPABLE OF BEING JUST FRIENDS WITH MEMBERS OF THE OPPOSITE SEX. THIS SHOULD BE FUN…
After dinnerand exploring the different amenities offered by the ship, Mason and I returned to our cabin. Once we were back in the privacy of our room, it hit me once again that we’d be sharing a bed—for the week. I didn’t believe I had fully thought this whole bring Mason Jones along for the ride through.
Sure, hanging out with him was one thing, but sleeping next to him night after night would be pure torture, and not to mention awkward. What if I snored or talked in my sleep, or worse—tried to spoon him or something.
I escaped to the privacy for the bathroom to change only to realize I didn’t have any pajamas. All I had were clean undies. I folded the dress I’d borrowed from Jess to return to her tomorrow. Thankfully there were robes provided for us, but I couldn’t sleep in a bathrobe. I washed my face and brushed my teeth, slipping the fluffy white robe on, and then padded into the stateroom.
Mason had made himself comfortable, his large frame taking up most of the bed. Kicked back with his hands behind his head, he laid there in nothing but his boxer briefs. Mercy. The sight did things to my libido. Pulse ringing in my ears, my blood hummed as I took him in. Hair tousled, he smiled devilishly like he could read my mind or something.
“Hi.” His lips stretched wider, showing off his perfectly angular cheekbones that should be illegal for any man to have. It might sounded silly, but Mason Jones was the most beautiful man, and for the next week he belonged to me. Even if it was pretend. A girl could fantasize it was something more even if it wasn’t.
I swallowed hard, feeling my breath catch in my throat. Mason’s body was made to be admired and appreciated. Muscular but not overly beefy, he had the perfect proportion of lean but muscled and toned appearance. My fingers ached to trace the hard planes of his muscles and explore the deep V plunging into his boxers.
“Hi,” I parroted him. “Um, question.”
“Shoot.”
“Do you have a t-shirt I can borrow to sleep in? I forgot to nab something from Jess, but knowing her she sleeps naked.”
Mason chuckled. “Yeah. Sure.” He shifted and stood. “I’m sure I have something.” He maneuvered past me, his hard body pressing into my side as he went. Sweet lord. The man was fine. The back of him was just as sexy. Heat licked up the back of my neck and fanned down my sides, spreading like wildfire through my veins. I would combust before the night was through.
Mason dug through his bag and handed me a black fitted tee. “Thank you.”
“Don’t mention it.” His gaze met mine as he rubbed his chin. “Though.” His tongue darted out to lick his lips. “If you want to sleep in the nude, I won’t complain.”
“Ha. Ha.”
“I’m going to get ready for bed.” He capped a palm over his fist and turned away, strutting to the bathroom.
This arrangement was a dangerous idea full of trouble. The bathroom door closed, and I discarded the robe for his tee. The soft cotton swallowed me, but it smelled of his Dior cologne, and it hit me. This was the tee he wore on the plane. I wasn’t about to complain. Turning down the covers, I got into bed then flipped the lights off.
Light glowed from underneath the bathroom door. I paused for a minute and smiled before stealing the remote control from his claimed side of the bed. I stole his spot and snuggled down in the white covers, wondering if Mason would slide under the sheets too. Sure, he’d stayed over at my house plenty of times growing up, but this was different, and we weren’t kids any longer. Now we were two attractive, successful adults with no restrictions. There wasn’t anything to hold us back. No work. No older brother close by. Well, okay, Drake was on the same ship, but he was off in his own cabin with Kelsey. I was sure we were the last thing on his mind. He was getting married this week, after all. It was the reason any of us were there.
The bathroom door opened, and the light spilled into the room surrounding Mason, glowing around him as though he was an angel in disguise, hiding behind that rugged and sexy smirk painted on his face.
“What?” I persisted.
“You are aware of the fact you stole my side of the bed.” He folded his thick arms over his chest after switching off the bathroom light. A vein pulsed in his neck, visible from the TV flickering as I navigated through the channel selection.
“I don’t see your name on it. Move your meat, lose your seat.”
“Alright. Tonight I’ll give you the left side, but tomorrow we switch. That is … unless you prefer I sleep on the floor.”
I balked. “No. We’re adults. We can sleep next to each other, unless you think it’d be weird. I mean, there’s the sofa, I guess, but it doesn’t look very big or all that comfortable. I guess I could take the couch tonight and you have it tomorrow. But you’re my guest, and I’d feel awful making you sleep on the floor or anywhere other than a bed. Does the idea of us sharing the bed make you uncomfortable? We really didn’t discuss how all this would work beforehand. I’m kind of winging this whole scenario.” Rambling. My damn mouth was getting away from me, spewing stupid shit. Lord save me.
“So you don’t treat your fake boyfriends to lavish family vacations every year?” He winked, coming to stand at the end of the bed.
“Okay, smartass.”
“Why don’t we not worry about anything and let things happen as they come, yeah?”
That was a perfect idea. No expectations. Just being together. “I think I can do that.”
“Good. And just think, this isn’t the first time we’ve ever slept in the same space.” The bed dipped with his weight as he slid under the covers. His thigh pressed against mine, his warmth pouring into me, and there was nowhere for me to go.
If I rolled his way, I’d be on him; the other way, and I’d fall to the floor. Memories flickered as he continued. “We camped out in the treehouse a few times and slept in the basement.” The minty scent of his toothpaste washed over me along with the intoxicating scent of his cologne. It was all so manly. When toothpaste became manly I didn’t know, but it was. I had a feeling anything when mixed with Mason became manly and sexy.
