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“Morning, sleepyhead,” Conner says, walking into the room with the best smelling coffee ever. “Thought you might like a little caffeinated assistance.”
Bits and pieces from yesterday fall into place as I sit up, grinning at him like a fool, taking the cup and inhaling its aroma for long seconds before I finally take my first sip. “Oh. That’s so good.”
“I’ll pass your thanks onto the machine,” he says with a laugh, taking a seat in the chair next to the couch, propping his head on one hand, staring at me with appreciative eyes.
A yawn grips hold, and I place my cup down before giving a long, full-body stretch. My muscles are tight with the satisfying ache of a workout. I glance down at myself and frown, plucking at the foreign t-shirt.
“I hope you don’t mind,” Conner says, his expression tinged with anxiety. “You were fast asleep, and your dress was all rucked up. It looked uncomfortable.”
It’s weird to think of him changing me. I’ve always been a deep sleeper, but this is a ridiculous level, even for me.
A few sensations from last night float close enough to grasp. His skin against mine. The joy of abdicating my responsibility, the gentleness of his voice, whispering words that fed down into my soul.
“That’s okay,” I reassure him.
If I got all that from a clothing change, I’m excited to think of what else might be in store.
When he glances away, I pull up the neckline and give a little sniff, searing the smell into my memory. It’s probably just his laundry powder but in my imagination, the scent is one hundred percent him.
The only thing that disappoints me is that I didn’t wake with his sleeping form next to mine. If that had happened, I’d be somewhere north of ecstatic. The old morning-after regret is nowhere in sight. Instead, I feel suffused with energy and excitement. Ready for anything the day has in store.
“Sorry for falling asleep on you,” I say, unsure precisely what happened but accepting that’s the gist of it.
“No worries.” He smiles and his expression sends a flutter winging straight into my heart. “Guess that’s a warning for telling people about my marriage. Sends them straight to sleep.”
“Oh.” I bury my grimace in the coffee cup. “I didn’t mean to be rude. I’m sure it was fascinating.”
There are a few tantalising fragments drifting in my head. The crime boss of an uncle. Being sent overseas to school because people wanted to kill him. I have no experience of his specific situation, but I know well enough what it’s like to exist inside a family unit where you don’t feel you belong.
“That’s okay. It’s probably my fault for topping up your wine.” His eyes travel over my face, scanning with such intensity that I pretend the coffee cup is the most fascinating thing in the room. “The clothing store should be open soon. Do you want to go straight there or hang around here for a while?”
Shit. The dress.
James.
Terror swamps me and I jerk upright, moving to the edge of the sofa to hide the tremor shaking me to my bones. I taste his cum in my mouth again and my stomach does a slow roll forward, leaving me fighting back nausea.
My mind had shoved it so far out of the way, it feels like a distant memory, but it was just yesterday.
I think again of telling Conner what happened, what James did to me. Unleashing him on Marnie’s boyfriend like an explosive device… then dealing with the fallout.
What if he thinks you invited it? Thinks you’re just like his ex-wife?
“Did I say something wrong?”
“No. Sorry.” I rub my cheek, my inner peace shattered so hard I don’t know how to glue it back together. “We should go straight away, then you have the rest of the day free to do whatever you had planned.”
“Mm. That television’s not going to watch itself.”
I doubt that’s his genuine schedule for the day, but he makes me laugh.
“Do you want breakfast? There’s bacon and eggs.” I shake my head. “Toast?”
“Didn’t you mention boxes of cereal?”
“That I can definitely do.”
We eat at the table, chatting about nonsense and my good humour gradually sneaks back in to light the forthcoming day. After I return the dress, James won’t hold any grudge against me. I have a night out to look forward to, a chance to reconnect with Marnie. Much as we still go to classes together and hang at mealtimes, with her shadow hanging around all the time, we haven’t had a proper chat for ages.
