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Blake chuckled. “Never too old.” He leaned closer and gave her another kiss on the head. He wanted to expand on it, wanted to kiss her and hold her and take her the way he’d spent too many nights fantasizing about…ever since that masturbation lesson.
Erika didn’t put up a fight—mercifully. Instead, she nestled into his arms, resting her cheek on his chest and closing her eyes.
Five minutes hadn’t passed before he recognized the deep, even breathing that told him she’d fallen asleep. Not that he was surprised after the night she’d had.
Sleep took longer for Blake. Not because he was stressed out or anxious but because he wanted to savor the feeling of Erika in his arms.
Having her here in his bed, Corky asleep at their feet…
He sighed, aware that his world had just clicked into place.
Everything in this moment was exactly how it was supposed to be.
Now he just had to find a way to keep it.
CHAPTER NINE
Erika opened her eyes slowly, blinking a few times. She knew exactly where she was, as she’d stirred a couple times during the night. She’d never woken up, exactly, but she’d felt Blake shift in the bed, the two of them doing a bit of choreography in terms of comfortable sleep positions. She had been cognizant enough to think, “I should go home,” but drowsy enough to fall back to sleep immediately.
Right now, she was the little spoon to Blake’s big one. His muscular arm was wrapped around her waist—her bare waist, as the huge T-shirt he’d loaned her last night had ridden up, bunched just under her breasts. His boxer briefs had traveled a different direction, hanging low on her ass. She was surprised they’d stayed on at all, given how loose they were on her.
Blake was breathing heavily behind her, sleeping deeply.
She was glad because it gave her time to figure out her next move.
Last night had been one fuck-up after another, starting with her failed date with Doug, her panic attack in the midst of the storm, and losing Corky. God, she really hated crying in front of people, especially over something as stupid as a phobia. Erika prided herself on being able to control her fear of thunder and lightning. Until last night, no one had ever discovered her secret terror.
The one thing that hadn’t felt like a mistake, even though it really should, was sleeping with Blake. Probably because nothing happened between them that was truly out of the norm.
Except the part where she fell apart. She was usually able to hold her shit together better.
Blake, however, had done what he always did. Took care of her. Comforted her. Listened to her. Found a way to make her laugh.
Those were normal, familiar things. The only part that was different was the fact they were in stages of undress and lying in his bed rather than fully clothed and sitting in his living room or hanging out in her kitchen.
He hadn’t tried to kiss her…not really. Hadn’t made what was happening between them sexual. His actions had been friendly and painfully platonic.
Although…
Erika shifted the tiniest bit, pressing her ass backward until?—
Yep. Blake had a hard-on.
Not that she should read anything into that. A lot of guys woke up with erections. It probably didn’t help that she was cuddled against him. Blake was no stranger to sleepovers, so he was probably blissfully lost in some dream state, mistaking her for one of his puck bunnies.
That idea was a sobering one.
Glancing at the clock on the nightstand, she was surprised to discover it was a little past nine a.m. She never slept late. An early riser, she’d usually finished her five-mile run, showered, and eaten her yogurt by this time of day.
Erika glanced over her shoulder, smiling as she took in Blake’s rumpled hair, his five-o’clock shadow, the crease on his cheek left from a wrinkle in the pillowcase. He was a gorgeous man. She’d have to be dead not to notice that, but ordinarily she was able to look past—or maybe ignore was a better word—that fact to focus on their friendship.
Right now, all her girlie bits were awake and drooling over the hot guy spooning her.
Erika looked away and closed her eyes.
Stop.
Nothing had changed between them last night. Blake had offered her an ear and a shoulder; shown her the same friendship he’d been offering for the better part of three years.
