Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 100628 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 503(@200wpm)___ 403(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100628 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 503(@200wpm)___ 403(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
Nova had stayed at my place plenty of times since I’d moved in and it was no big deal for me to leave her passed out on the couch, except it was different now, no matter how I tried to ignore that fact. When I’d finally decided to let her sleep instead of being a selfish prick, I slowly slid away from her and eased her onto the couch cushions.
I didn’t even make it one step from the couch before her hand was on my thigh.
“Where are you going?” she asked sleepily.
“I was gonna let you sleep,” I replied quietly, smoothing her hair out of her face.
“No, stay,” she murmured, closing her eyes.
“Just go back to sleep.” I rubbed my thumb along her cheek. Fuck, what was I doing? “I’m goin’ into bed.”
“I’m awake,” she argued, her eyes popping back open. “Don’t leave yet.”
I watched her as she pushed herself up to sitting and I knew that no matter what she said, we weren’t going to get naked.
“I’m not into fuckin’ corpses,” I joked. “Go back to sleep, No.”
“I’m awake now,” she insisted. “Stay.”
My stomach twisted for some reason I couldn’t explain. She’d never, not in all the time I’d known her, asked me more than once to stay with her. If I had to leave, or was going to sleep, or whatever, she might make a comment about it but she was never adamant. Not like she was now. For some reason, it was important to her that I didn’t leave her and it was seriously out of character and made panic start to bubble in my gut.
“I’m not sleepin’ on the couch,” I said finally, reaching down to scoop her up.
“Who said we’re going to sleep?” she asked, kissing my neck as I carried her into my room.
“I do,” I replied, laying her in the bed. I stripped out of my clothes and by the time I’d thrown them in the hamper, she was completely out again.
I ignored the warning bells ringing in my head as I climbed in next to her. I could get used to sleeping with Nova and that wasn’t a good thing. We were friends. That was it. And we scratched an itch when we felt like it.
Before we’d had sex, sleeping together wasn’t a huge deal, we’d done it plenty of times when we were camping—but now it felt like we were crossing a line that I wasn’t sure I wanted to cross.
But, damn, it was nice.
I told myself that Nova obviously needed a friend for some reason and that was why I wrapped my arm around her waist and pulled her back against my chest. It was just a friendly cuddle, just like any other night when we’d curled up on the couch to watch movies. I’d almost convinced myself by the time I fell asleep.
Chapter 10
Nova
I startled awake to Rumi’s alarm blaring through the room.
“Fuck,” he hissed, carefully scooting away from me.
“I’m awake,” I muttered wryly, making him curse again. “You do realize no one could sleep through that alarm?”
“Sorry,” Rumi muttered as he stumbled toward his dresser. He smacked the top and the noise stopped. “I had to put it over here ’cause I kept hittin’ snooze and then I’d be late to work.”
“No worries,” I replied, stretching. My arm was still a little tender and it was a jolting reminder of the day before. I ignored it. “I have to go home and get ready for work anyway.”
“What time do you start today?” he asked as he started pulling on clothes.
“Not until nine,” I murmured, watching him.
“Don’t look at me like that,” he said with a laugh. “I’ve got just enough time to brush my teeth and stop for coffee or I’m late.”
“You could skip the coffee,” I replied hopefully.
He laughed again. “I get back in bed and it’s gonna be a lot longer than stoppin’ for coffee before I get out again.”
“Fine,” I muttered. “Sorry I fell asleep last night.”
“No problem,” he said with a shrug, stuffing his wallet into his pocket. “You were tired.”
“I was.”
“Even after all that sleepin’ you did yesterday before work.” He kept his tone even.
“I know,” I said, meeting his eyes. “Hopefully I’m not getting sick or something.”
“You’d tell me if somethin’ was goin’ on, right?” he asked carefully.
“Like what?”
“Anythin’.”
“Of course I would.” The lie rolled off my tongue easily. “Hey thanks for letting me crash in bed with you. I don’t even remember you bringing me in here.”
“You were pretty out of it.” He paused by the door. “I’ll text you later?”
“Yeah.” I nodded. “Hey, do you care if I stay in bed for a little bit? I don’t have to be up yet.”
“Sure.” He patted the doorframe. “Lock up when you go.”
“Nah, I thought I’d leave the front door open with a sign that says Burglars Stop Here.”