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“Yes, thank you.” She gave him a smile, looking up at him through her dark lashes. His heart skipped a beat, and he had to distract himself by lying down.
“Okay,” she said, putting away her phone, “time to cut myself off from cat videos to get some sleep. Hopefully, it works and I don’t go back to scrolling within five minutes.”
“Can’t stay away?”
“Sometimes, but other times, it’s just that my brain won’t shut up. A run usually helps.”
“You run?”
“Yep.” She pulled up the covers. “John trained me for a while. It really helps with keeping me focused. I try to get one in once I catch myself doomscrolling social media.”
“Sounds like a good habit. I usually read.”
“What do you like to read?”
“I love a good mystery. Sometimes I read science fiction.”
“That’s amazing. I have a few books, but I can’t always focus on reading.”
“It’s one of my favorite things to do. It really helped when Lucinda . . . you know, left.”
“I understand,” she replied. “And if you ever need some quiet time to read while we’re here, that would be fine too.”
Daniel smiled. “I might take you up on that. For now, I think I’m tired enough.”
“Same.” She turned off the light, plunging them into darkness. He felt relaxed until her leg brushed his under the covers. She jumped away from him. “Sorry,” she mumbled.
“It’s a small bed,” Daniel said. “It’s bound to happen.”
“Right. I’ll still try to keep to my own space. Good night.”
“Night,” he murmured.
He stayed awake for far longer than he wanted to in the dark, reveling in the heat of Amelia’s body and her peony scent. He stayed awake long after her breathing evened out.
Eventually, the warmth dragged him under. And as he fell asleep, he could have sworn he felt her leg touch his again.
But this time, it stayed there.
***
The next morning, he woke up with the sun streaming through their window.
His pajama top was still loosely on her, though one shoulder was exposed, and it was conveniently the one pressed against him.
Thoughts broke out against his will. What would it feel like if he moved his arm and wrapped it around her? What would it be like if she was curled into him, her head on his chest while she slept? It seemed so natural, just like the way holding her hand had felt on the beach.
But they weren’t really dating, and he had no right to touch her in a way she didn’t ask for. So he gently moved away, taking only a moment to stretch before going to the bathroom. His mind kept circling back to Amelia, and every time it did, his skin tingled from where he’d touched her.
He hopped into the shower, hoping it would take his mind off of her. It drowned out the memory of her shoulder pressing against his, and when he got out, he felt more put together. He reached for his usual hair cream but paused as she once again invaded his mind.
They’re very stylish, but I’d hate for you not to sleep because of them.
Technically, slicking his hair back wasn’t uncomfortable, but it was annoying to maintain and wash. Without it, however, his hair was messy, and his natural curls would be all over the place.
He considered going without it, but he wondered what Amelia would say. And then what her family would say.
The last thing he wanted to do was deviate from the person Amelia knew him as. After all, she’d asked the normal version of him to do this fake-dating thing.
