Page 49 of Love You Like This

The next is grabbing a blanket and letting her sleep on my couch where she is. I hate that idea, too. She might wake up stiff and sore, which could impede her ability to do her pole dancing classes. I know she’s excited to be back at the studio with all her friends while we’re home.

The last option is my favorite. I could carry her to bed and relieve my favorite memories. Pushing to my feet, I move in the direction of my guest room to pull the sheets back. As soon as I get in there though, I realize that the bed is stripped. I completely forgot to switch the sheets from the washer to the dryer yesterday.

Fuck.

She’ll be pissed when she wakes up in my bed, but it’s better than waking up sore. I change directions and go into my room. After closing all the blinds, I pull the duvet down and fix the pillows.

When I come back out to get her, she hasn’t moved a muscle. I bend down and slowly slide my arms beneath her. As I straighten and lift her to my chest, she melts against me, her head nestling into the space between my shoulder and neck like a puzzle piece falling into place.

Having her in my arms like this steals my breath. It feels like coming home. There’s only one other thing that comes close to feeling this natural and even that is tied to her in all my best memories.

Everything always comes back to her.

A contented sigh comes from her as I carry her into my room, her fingers tightening into my shirt. She doesn’t let me go when I lay her down in the bed. I gently peel her hands from my hoodie and can’t help but have the goofiest grin on my face.

“Stay,” she mumbles quietly as she rolls onto her side.

I straighten and pull the covers over her. Does she actually want me to sleep beside her? Or was it just a subconscious thing? What if it’s a subconscious thing that she actually does want me to sleep beside her? I’m not desperate enough to think she’d ever admit it out loud.

I run a hand a through my hair as I think about what I’m doing and the possible consequences. The thought of waking up beside her after years is so damn tempting. I won’t touch her or anything, especially not without her consent.

Fuck it.

I pull my hoodie off and push my sweatpants down until I’m just in my boxers. I sleep hot, and it’s not like she’s never seen me like this. Once all the lights are out, I crawl into bed beside her and pull out my phone to open the notes app.

Stone and I have been going back and forth writing lyrics for a few last songs for the upcoming album. We laid a few tracks down that Stone wrote on our tour break which are amazing. There are at least three hit singles possible from what he’s done.

But tonight, looking over at Jade, I feel all the words I can’t say to her filling my mind. Lyrics, notes, and riffs play through my mind on an endless loop. I purge all my thoughts and ideas out while listening to nothing but Jade’s quiet breaths until I pass out exhausted, phone still in hand.

“Xander, what the fuck?”

Two tiny fists beat on my chest as I blink the sleep out of my eyes. “Ow, fuck.” I curl inward and grab Jade’s hands to still their assault on my body.

Her hair is askew as she stares down at me like a raging bull. “Why am I in your bed? With you? And where the fuck are your clothes?”

“Calm down.” I press the heels of my palms to my eyes as I fight through the blurry fog of the best night’s sleep I’ve had in years. I reach over to the nightstand and hit the button to open the blinds as I sit up, resting my back against the headboard.

“Fuck,” she covers her eyes as bright sun enters the room while the blackout blinds move up the windows.

I rub the spot on my chest where she was beating me. “That was a hell of a wake up.”

“Yeah, imagine how I felt waking up on top of you.”

My eyes dart to her. “You were on top of me?”

She pales. “Metaphorically.”

I narrow my eyes. Metaphorically my ass. But she’s pissed enough that I’m not going to push her.

“You fell asleep on the couch, so I decided it was best not to wake you.”

“And you decided sleeping together was the better option? I know you have a guest room in this place. Or you could have just left me on the couch, it was comfortable enough to fall asleep on.”

“You were in a weird position; I didn’t want you to wake up cramped or something.”

“And the guest room wasn’t an option? Why?” Her voice is sharp as a knife's edge.

“I forgot to move the sheets from the washer to the dryer.” I rub my eyes again. “You’re the one who wanted me to stay.”