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But… why? His father wanted him to go to law school, and he was rich as fuck.

The easiest way to find out was to ask. I got that. I considered giving him a chance to explain. Maybe while also apologizing for jumping right in with assumptions like an asshole.

But then I reminded myself we’d already done plenty of pillow talk for two guys who were just using each other for easy orgasms.

I forced myself to practice slower breathing techniques, the ones I’d learned in fight prep to get into the right headspace before a match. Somehow, I was able to fall asleep because the next thing I knew, I woke up to a sharp elbow lodged against my ribs and the long, overly warm length of Bett’s body against mine.

In my bed.

With me.

My heart climbed into my upper chest and lodged near my throat as I gently shifted into a more comfortable position, turning us both so I could spoon up behind him and hold him against my front. He’d slipped on his usual basketball shorts before getting into bed with me, and the athletic fabric over his muscular ass slipped temptingly across my dick as I shifted his position.

Fuck, he was warm. Strong. Sweet and sleepy-smelling in a way that made me question fucking everything.

I couldn’t remember the last time I’d slept with someone—actually slept the full night with them pressed close and held tight—but this was… nice. Better than nice.

I pulled a slow breath in through my nose and closed my eyes, trying to imagine what had led him to sneak into my bed. How long after I’d fallen asleep had he done it?

My shoulders dropped with a strange kind of relief at having him in my bed, in my arms.

Bett’s legs moved back to tangle with mine, and the fingers of the hand I held knitted themselves between my own against his chest.

“Don’t be mad,” he murmured, still mostly asleep.

Fuck. Why was he so fucking sweet like this and a complete asshole every other time?

“Go to sleep, McNeely,” I grumbled into the back of his neck, trying to ignore my hardening cock.

He let out a little huff of annoyance, and I couldn’t hold back a smirk.

“Fine. Go to sleep, baby,” I said.

“Mm,” he hummed happily.

It was the last noise either of us made until morning…

When Arden woke us both up with a loud knock on the door.

19

BETT

Waking up in the arms of a man larger and stronger than me was a mindfuck on its own.

Being woken up in those arms by my ex-girlfriend banging on the door nearly made me freak out.

“Don’t answer it!” I slurred, shooting out of bed and immediately nailing my hip against the corner of Vaughn’s bedside table before stumbling against my own bed. “Ow, fuck!”

Vaughn’s sleepy, easy chuckle tried its hardest to burrow under my skin, but I was too keyed up to let it happen. “I have no interest in seeing your girlfriend. Or letting her in here while you’re half-dressed. Put some clothes on.”

I shot him a glare but did what he said. If I was going to come face-to-face with Arden right now, I needed armor.

After quickly shucking off my sleep shorts, ignoring Vaughn’s low wolf whistle, and pulling on clean clothes, I spotted the time on my phone and squawked. “Shit! It’s after nine! I’m gonna be late to class.”

Arden’s voice cut through my panic. “Bett, I need to talk to you. Please open the door.”

“Coming! Give me a minute,” I called.