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Chapter Twenty
Cal
“Sleepy?” Holden’s voice gently awakened me from a pleasant couch snooze. We were, for all intents and purposes, cuddling. Holden’s arm was along the back of the couch, my head was perilously close to his shoulder, and our feet were cozied on the same ottoman. And warm, fuzzy energy had enveloped us since the sweet kisses at the Stapleton house. It blanketed us, made us sit that much closer, made our voices more tender, made our looks longer, and our casual touches more lingering. “We can watch the episode again tomorrow. You missed some epic backstabbing drama.”
“You’re too good to me.” I yawned and gave into the impulse to let my head drop the rest of the way onto Holden’s shoulder.
“Nah.” Chuckling, he gently pushed me off. “To bed with you.”
Boom. Boom. My heartbeat sounded like cannon fire in my ears and my palms sweat. I could head to bed, same as always, nothing changed even though everything had, or I could take a deep breath and leap into the icy unknown.
“And to bed with you.”
“Yeah, yeah, I’m going.” Holden yawned even wider than I had. Clearly, my leap had landed far off target because he didn’t even look in my direction as he transferred back to his chair. “I have to lock up first and—”
“I meant with you.” Making a frustrated noise, I itched behind my ear. This wasn’t supposed to be difficult. “You said earlier? About a neon billboard advertising your sleep aid services?”
“Oh.” Holden’s eyes went wide and pleased. “Absolutely. You wanting the tuck-in service or…”
Studying me carefully, he trailed off, leaving me plenty of room to ask for what I truly wanted.
“It was nice that night you accidentally fell asleep in my bed. I slept all night. Most of it using you as a pillow, which…” Now it was my turn to trail off because I needed a better word than nice.
“Was wonderful.” Holden had enough enthusiasm for both of us. “Yes, we can do that. My mattress is bigger and more supportive, so could we sleep in my room?”
“Yeah.” That was an easy request, so I waited by the hallway for him to lock up and show me to his room. He quickly flipped off the lights and checked the deadbolt.
As he approached me, he waved toward my room’s door. “You can get whatever you were planning to sleep in.”
“I don’t own pajamas.” I gave him a very pointed look as I grabbed my pillow and a toothbrush, enjoying his flushed face.
“Or nothing. Nothing works too.” His voice was a little on the bright side, but surprisingly, things weren’t that awkward as we made our way into his room. Felt…natural almost. I’d never been inside the space, which had pale blue-green walls, warm wood accents, and soft lighting, but the peaceful, ocean-like vibe served to relax any lingering nerves over my request. The split king bed was heaped with white linens, which made it look like something out of a hotel photo shoot despite the adjustable functionality.
“Are the underwater photos yours?” I stepped closer to look at the row of pictures over the bed and the dresser, which featured schools of fish, coral reefs, sunny spots, and hidden caves. Familiar pleasure-diving sites, and it added to how comfortable I felt in the space.
“Some. Few are ones Marley took in Hawaii, and I purchased the big one of the Maldives because none of mine were as frame-worthy.” Still in his chair, he twisted the hem of his dress shirt. “Are you wanting me to stay clothed again?”
I outright chortled at that. Apparently, I wasn’t the only one battling nerves. “No, Holden. If I’m sleeping naked, you are too.”
“Oh. Okay.” Holden sounded tipsy like he’d had a few beers with dinner, but the dude was as sober as me. After the long day at the Stapleton house and talking to the police, neither of us had been in the mood for much dinner beyond a few leftovers.
However, like me, he settled down as we got ready for bed, brushing our teeth at the double sinks in the attached bathroom and stripping our clothes off on either side of the big bed. The mood was cozy and familiar, pressure-free, but even without expectations, there was a certain sexiness in sharing a pre-bed routine.
Not to mention, my body thrilled at the chance to see more of Holden, his wide, fuzzy chest with dark nipples and a surprising crop of freckles over his sturdy shoulders. After I pulled my own underwear off, Holden shucked his boxer briefs quickly, but not before I caught a glimpse of that thick cock my mouth had enjoyed so much. His legs were thinner than his build might suggest, with various surgical scars, but he slipped under the puffy comforter before I could appreciate him further.
