Page 240 of Nyx

"I'm exhausted," I confess.

"I'm pretty tired myself," he says, but he doesn't make a move toward the bed.

"Did you want to leave?" I ask, afraid of his answer.

He shakes his head.

"You want to stay."

I get a quick nod.

"But it all depends on what you want."

"You can voice your own needs and wants without it feeling like you're applying pressure to me," I assure him.

"I want to stay in here with you," he says without hesitation.

"For just tonight?"

He's still for a second before I get another head shake.

"For how long?" I ask.

"As long as you'll have me."

That feels like the most important promise anyone has ever made to me.

"I like that," I confess. "Will you be here in the morning?"

I drop my eyes, a part of me still fearful that this could be a temporary thing.

"Depends on how late you sleep. I have a meeting in the morning."

"Fair," I say. "If you wake before the sun comes up, let me sleep."

"I promise."

"But I'd want to know if you're leaving because you want to escape me."

"Never," he says, the vow holding more power than I thought it could. "Get in."

He grabs the edge of the blanket and sheets, crawling in first and not hesitating to pull me to his chest when I climb inside.

He reaches over, turning off the lamp before settling in.

A rush of breath leaves his lips, but it sounds more like a sigh of contentment rather than anything holding negative energy.

"I want all of my nights to be just like this," he whispers, his hand rubbing soft circles on my back.

"For how long?" I ask, feeling more confident than ever before that I'm going to like his answer.

"As long as you'll have me."

I press my lips to his bare chest, smiling against his skin, and drift off to sleep with nothing but happiness and good thoughts swirling through my head.

I don't mention forever, but I know that's exactly what I plan on.

Chapter 57