“That doesn’t sound like much fun for you.”
His eyes sparkle with amusement as he lies down beside me and pulls the blanket over us. “You have no idea how wrong you are.”
I want to ask him what he means, but the fierceness in his expression keeps my lips zipped.
I roll onto my side, and he does the same, so we’re facing each other. We aren’t quite touching, but close enough that his body heat and scent engulf me.
Music and shouting fill up the quietness between us, along with my shallow breathing.
“Are you nervous?” he asks unexpectedly. “I can lie on the floor.”
I want to nod, but I shake my head. There’s no way I’m making him lie on the floor.
“You’re fine. It’s just the noise. You’d think, after almost a decade and a half of listening to this crap, it’d get easier, but it never does.”
He contemplates something then slowly scoots toward me and lowers his forehead against mine, resting his hand on my hip. “Close your eyes. I’ll make sure you stay safe.”
I suck in a trembling breath but don’t move back, obeying him and shutting my eyes. My heartbeat soars to hummingbird speed, my adrenaline spiraling. I’m so wired I don’t know how I’ll ever fall asleep. Yet, moments later, my heart quiets, and I sink into wonderful dreams filled with stuff I’d never dare do in reality.
Chapter Six
Beck
I set an alarm in case I doze off before I lie back down on Willow’s bed. Her lips are parted, and her eyelashes flutter every once in a while, as if she’s about to wake up. I’m wondering what she’s dreaming about, if her dreams are good or bad, when her leg suddenly hitches over my hip, and her palm rests against my bare chest.
I freeze as her fingers drift down, and my stomach muscles constrict. When her hand reaches the bottom of my waist, my heart jackhammers.
I bite down on my lip to restrain a moan, envisioning her hands traveling lower, touching me the way I’ve dreamt about since that goddamn fucking first kiss. I wonder if she’d let me touch her, too. Then I remember she’s asleep and isn’t aware of what she’s doing.
Even though it about kills me, I move my hand to stop her, and her fingers abruptly stiffen.
“Beck,” she whispers, her eyelids lifting.
Our gazes collide, and then her gaze darts down. I expect her to yank back, but instead, she stares at her fingers splayed across my abdomen, her chest heaving with each gasping breath.
The breathy noises send desire pulsating throughout my body. I don’t know what overcomes me, whether all this pent-up sexual tension makes me lose my damn mind, but I delve my fingers into her hip and grind against her.
She groans, tipping her head back as her eyes squeeze shut.
I damn near fucking explode.
I’m about to repeat the movement when she jerks back as if I bit her, which I kind of want to.
“I’m s-so sorry,” she sputters, her eyes huge. “I don’t know why I did that … I was just having this dream … and then I …” She trails off, and I know without seeing her face that her cheeks are flushed.
I don’t want her to be sorry. At all. I want her to put her leg back over my hip so we can continue. But she looks so horrified. I’m afraid this moment will end up being another list fiasco if I don’t smooth over the situation.
“You’re fine.” My voice comes out more strained than I want. If I had my way, her clothes would be off by now, and my tongue would be inside her mouth and my fingers sliding up her thighs. “Let’s just forget it happened. I’m sure you were probably half-asleep, anyway.”
She unsteadily swallows, holding her hands against her, as if fearing she might touch me again. “You should be mad at me for … for violating you in my sleep like that. And for almost breaking our rule.”
I mentally roll my eyes. She can violate me anytime she wants. Telling her that is a whole other story.
“We’re good. And you didn’t break the rule. Our lips didn’t touch once. Now go back to sleep so you can rest those pretty eyes.”
She worriedly nods. “Thank you. And again, I’m so sorry.”
She closes her eyes but doesn’t fall asleep right away, her body tense. After about fifteen minutes, her soft breathing fills the silence.
Me, I remain wired, hard as a fucking rock. I seriously want to reach down and touch myself so I can calm the fuck down. Doing that with her sleeping beside me doesn’t feel right, though, so I force my hands to stay put.
About a half an hour later, I finally cool down. Another hour ticks by, and the house grows quiet. I wonder if the fading noises mean people are leaving. I hope so since I have to leave soon, and the idea of leaving Willow with anyone in the house makes me feel sick.