Skylar was waiting up for me when I walked into the living room, and a stab of fear went through me. “Is Jordan okay?” I asked, my hand pressed to my heart.

Her smile was illuminated from the TV. “Yeah. She made some soup for dinner and we talked. She’s really embarrassed.”

I sat down. “She has nothing to be embarrassed about.”

“I know. I just wanted to thank you for what you did today. You really came through for her, and that means a lot.”

“I told her she can call me anytime. If she ever needs someone, I’ll be there.”

“She said Peter was very kind.”

I smiled at the mere mention of his name. “He’s kinda great.”

Skylar tilted her head. “Well, look at you.”

“What?”

“That smile!”

I tried to pull my lips into a flat line, a pout even, but no, I couldn’t. “Tonight’s been a good night.”

Now she raised one very surprised eyebrow. “Really?”

Realizing what she assumed, I balked. “No, not that kind of good! God, no. We just talked about stuff. Like expectations and how we both want… more.”

“Oooh.” She clapped her hands together. “Exciting!”

“It is. He’s promised to be patient with me, but I did kiss him. Is that TMI?”

Skylar laughed and waved her hand at me. “Not at all.” Then she leaned in, “So, how was it?”

“The kiss?” I swooned and fell back onto the sofa. “So good.”

She chuckled. “I think George and his man had a good night too.”

“Oh, really? Is Ajit still here?”

“No, he left a little while ago. George is in his room, but he was wearing a smile similar to yours.”

I pressed my lips together. “And Jordan’s okay?”

“Yeah, she’s okay. Thanks again. It’s good to know you’ve got her back. Know what I mean?”

I nodded. “Same goes for you and George.” I shrugged. “If you ever need someone to walk to the store with you, or whatever. Just call me. I mean, I’m not tough or anything, and seriously, if some guy grabbed me like they did Jordan today, I’d freak out too. But sometimes there’s safety in numbers, ya know?”

She nodded. “Thanks, man.”

I looked at the TV. “What are you watching?”

“Jumanji. I’ve only seen it a hundred times, and it only has ten minutes to go, but I still have to stay till the end.”

“Okay, then I’ll leave you to it. I better call it a night.”

“Night.”

I walked upstairs and got changed, locked my door, checked the window, and climbed into bed. I plugged my phone into the charger but kept it on my chest, knowing Peter would call soon. He was all I could think about. Our kiss on the sofa, how warm he felt, how strong and gentle he was, and how he let me lead. Then our kiss at the front door. He took the lead that time, tilting my face just so, and God, the memory of the combination of his soft kiss and rough stubble, of how he kissed me so sweetly, sent a flush of warmth through me.

Then I remembered how turned on he was when I kissed him on the couch.

The warmth pooled low in my belly, in my balls.

I let my hand creep over my dick to find it half-hard. I bent one knee so I could reach lower and lower still. I cupped my balls, squeezing just a little. My cock throbbed and I bit back a groan. It had been so long since anything had felt good.

And this felt so good.

Then my phone rang and scared the shit out of me. It was Peter, of course, and I laughed when I answered it. “Hello.”

“Something funny.”

“Oh, nothing.” I cleared my throat. “How was your drive home? Uneventful, I hope.”

“Yeah.”

“Thank you for driving me around so much. You know, I can Lyft or Uber it if you need. I have some money now.”

“It’s fine. I don’t mind at all. But if it would make you feel any better, you can buy me coffee next Saturday.”

“Deal. Though it seems forever away. I know our weeks are busy, but still.”

“It’ll go quickly. And I’ll call you at night. You like the sound of my voice when you’re sleepy, apparently.”

I put my free hand over my eyes. “I can’t believe I told you that.”

His deep, rumbling chuckle seeped into my chest. “Are you in your room?”

“In bed.”

“Me too.”

My heart rate spiked. God, was I supposed to respond with something suggestive? Something flirty?

“Um, well, that makes two of us.” I slapped my hand over my eyes again. Good one, Yanni. You idiot.

Peter chuckled. “It does. Are you tired?”

“I am. It’s been a crazy day, huh?”

“Yeah. A good day. Well, it ended pretty damn good.”

I bit my lip, trying not to smile. “It did.”

“The way you kissed me…” His voice was gruff. “You can kiss me like that any time you like.”

Oh God, he was going to talk about it? “I like how you kissed me, too, at my door.”

“You’re very welcome.”

I let my hand wander down my belly, down farther to my cock. This awakening was new and wonderful, and a little scary. I tried not to overthink it and just go with what felt good. And it did feel really good.

He talked more about going to the gym before work and what he had scheduled for work this week, and the soft melodic tune of his voice was like a lullaby.

“You’re sleepy, aren’t you?” he asked quietly.

“Mmmm.” I let go of my dick, not wanting more, just enjoying the buzz of these new sensations without pushing myself. I didn’t need to bring myself to climax. I didn’t want to either. I was feeling pretty good as it was. “I told you your voice comforts me.”

I was sure I heard a quiet groan, as though he liked my words. I could just imagine lying in bed with him, safe in his arms and listening to the lull of his voice until I fell asleep, and I wondered if he was imagining the same thing.

“I should let you go,” Peter said softly. “Have a good day at school tomorrow.”

“Mmm, ’kay. Have fun at the gym in the morning.”

“I’ll try.”

“Don’t work too hard.”

“Sweet dreams, Yanni.”

I was almost asleep already. “Hmm. You too.”

* * *

Jordan apologized five times before breakfast, and after I reassured her six times that it was more than fine, we walked to the bus stop. I went to school a little early. Christopher was happily mopping the hall. “Hello, Christopher.”

He looked up and smiled when he saw it was me. “Hello, Yanni!”

“How’s your morning been?”

“Very good.”

“Is Mr Landon here?”

Christopher nodded to the first corridor. “In his office.”

“Thanks.” I waved as I walked away, then knocked on Mr Landon’s office door.

“Come in.”

I opened the door and stuck my head around. “How’s my favorite teacher?”

He brightened, eyes and smile wide. “Hey, how’s my favorite student?”

I came in and sat opposite him at his desk. We chatted about how my classes were going, how much I was loving it, and how happy he was with my grades so far. But time got away from us and we were soon both running to class.

I spent Monday night getting a head start on my next assessment and listened to Peter talk about statistics and percentages until I almost fell asleep. He chuckled warmly down the phone when I mumbled the wrong response. “I’ll take it as a compliment that my voice calms you, and it’s not my boring day that puts you to sleep.”

I chuckled. “I’m tired.”

“I’ll speak to you tomorrow night.”

“Yes please.”

He chuckled again. “Sweet dreams.”

“You too.”

* * *

My appointment on Wednesday with Patrice was probably my most productive since I started with her. I talked about how I helped Jordan and how Peter and I discussed our expectations. I told her I was saving some money, slowly but surely, and how my grades were good. She asked questions here and there and gave me advice on transitions and transference and cognitive appraisal, and she wanted me to think about and recognize how my mental fortitude had improved. She reminded me there would be bad days like Jordan had had, but even with a stumble, she was still moving forward.

As was I.

So maybe it wasn’t this one session that was productive. Maybe it was all of them combined that led to this. I wasn’t sure.

Before our appointment was over, she asked me if I’d taken her advice about self-pleasure. I cringed and laughed at the same time. “Not really. Kind of. I’ve had some good sensations, but I haven’t pushed myself… to finish, if you know what I mean?”

“Orgasm is a heightened experience. Your mind might take you to pleasant places, or it might bring back some unpleasant memories. You don’t need to rush anything. But you’ve told Peter of your concerns, and that’s a really important step. Now, if things progress physically, he’ll be better prepared. And you can be more relaxed.”

“You make it sound like a dentist appointment.”

Patrice grinned. “Not that I judge anyone, but I’m sure if it involves dentistry, you’re either doing it wrong or we need to address that.”

I laughed. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

“I’m very proud of you, Yanni,” she said as our session drew to a close. “You’ve made great strides this week.”

“Thanks. One day at a time, right?”

She smiled until her eyes squinted. “Right. Are you having dinner with the Landons again tonight?”

“Every Wednesday.”

“Enjoy your evening.”

“See you next week.”

And dinner with the Landons was as it always was: lovely and a lot of fun.

Sarah joined us this time, and the four of us ate and laughed, and when Mrs Landon drove me home, I got the feeling she wanted to speak to me alone. We hadn’t gotten to the end of their street before I was proven right.

“You look happy, Yanni,” she started. “I take it the house was a great match.”

“Yes. I love it. The others are pretty cool, and we all understand where we’re at. But school is good too. I just love it. Even the homework!” She snorted at that. “I know, it’s crazy, right?”

“I’m glad you’re loving it,” she said. “I just wanted to ask you, without an audience, if everything was okay?”

“Everything’s kinda great right now. I don’t want to jinx myself, but yeah, I’m happy.”

“And Peter?”

“Peter’s awesome.”

She looked from the road, to me, then back to the traffic. “I can tell by the smile.”

I laughed. “We’ve been spending a lot of time together, and we’ve talked about… certain things… but he knows I’m not ready, and he knows why. He’s being very patient with me.”

“Oh, love,” Mrs Landon said with a smiley frown. “I’m so happy for you! And I’m glad he understands. He sounds wonderful.”

“He really is. I worried that it might be happening too fast. I mean, it’s been what, four or five months since I left… my ex? So I know it’s all happening fast, and I need time to be, well, me. I get that.”

“I moved in with Alan the day I left my ex,” she said simply. “I had nowhere else to go, and he had the room, so it made sense.” Her gaze shot to mine. “Things didn’t progress between us for a while. That certainly didn’t happen the day I moved in with him. But what happens when you meet the right person at the wrong time?”

“You wait?”

She gave a hard nod. “You wait. And if he’s not prepared to wait, then he’s not the right one.”

“He said he has no problem waiting. He even said it’s not about… the physical stuff.” I cringed at that. “God, this is just as embarrassing to talk to you about as it is Patrice.”

Mrs Landon laughed. “Oh, don’t be embarrassed. I’m glad you’re talking about it.” She released a happy sigh. “All that aside, if Peter knows your history and he’s prepared to take things at your pace, then don’t worry about the timing. There’s no right or wrong. There’s no gauge. You just do what feels right.”

I found myself thinking about that later that night. When I got home, I’d spent time watching some stupid reality TV show with Jordan, Skylar, and George before calling it a night.

I got ready for bed, watered the orchid Peter gave me, and was admiring the pretty flower when the color reminded me of the silk gown Mrs Landon had given me. I’d forgotten all about it…

I took it out of the drawer, feeling the cool fabric slide under my fingertips. I sat down on my bed with it, just as Peter called.

“Hey,” I said as I answered.

“Hey, yourself. How was your day?”

God, the sound of his voice made something warm ache in my chest. It felt a lot like longing. “I had a great day, but I didn’t realize I missed you until you spoke just now.”

“Oh. Well, thanks. I thought about you today.”

“You did?”

“I quite often do. I wonder what you’re doing in class. If you’re happy. I always picture you happy. Your smile is something special.”

I sighed happily. “How was your day?”

“It was good. I just said I thought of you, so it had to be good, right?” There was a smile in his voice.

“I just watered the orchid you gave me. It’s very pretty.” I stroked the folded gown. “Such a lovely color.”

“Are you in bed?”

“Almost. Gimme one sec.” I threw the phone down and pulled back my covers, slipping in between the sheets. I picked up the phone and the gown and lay down with both. “Now I am.”

He laughed. “Me too. It’s been a long week. And it’s only Wednesday.”

“I’m looking forward to Friday. Are you sure it’s not a hassle for you to pick me up and drop me back at work in the morning?”

“No hassle at all. I’m looking forward to seeing you.”

“Me too.” I picked up the silk gown and held it, rubbing the fabric between my fingers. Then a thought occurred to me. “I could… well, I could stay at your place on Friday night. I can sleep in the spare room, can’t I?”

“Of course you can. I’d really like that. I can make you breakfast!”

The happiness in his voice squashed any doubts I had about my staying there being way too soon for me. I wanted to take my life back, and Patrice said I was making strides. I trusted Peter. I could do this. “It would be easier than you dropping me home then picking me up again, right?” I knew I was trying to justify my asking.

“I’ll tell you what, I’ll pick you up from work on Friday night. If you want to go home, I’ll drop you home. If you want to come to my place, we can do that. No pressure.”

I really liked how he gave me options. He let me control my comfort levels. And strangely enough, it only made me want to try harder for him. “Sounds good.”

“How was your dinner tonight with the Landons?”

“Lovely. Sarah was there tonight. All we did was laugh. I’m very lucky to have them. They’ve become like a surrogate family in a lot of ways.”

“That’s really great.”

“Well, apart from the awkward sex talk.”

“The what?”

I dropped the silk gown so it fell on my chest. “Oh, I wasn’t… I didn’t mean to say that. See what being tired and talking to you does? It relaxes me so much my brain doesn’t work. Was that TMI?”

Peter chuckled. “No, definitely not TMI. You can talk to me about the awkward sex stuff if you want.”

“Well, it’d probably be just as horrifying talking to you about it as it would be with Mrs Landon or Patrice, given you’re part of the conversa―” I slapped my free hand across my eyes. “You know what, let’s forget I said anything.”

Peter let out a surprised laugh, a deep rumble in my ear that resonated in my chest. I moved my hand from my face down to my heart but instead of feeling my cotton shirt, I felt silk.

And I liked it.

“I’m part of the awkward sex conversation with Patrice, am I?” There was humor in his voice. Thank God.

“Yes.” There was no point in lying about it. I rubbed the silk gown, feeling it slide over my chest, between my shirt and my hand. “I talk about you often. About what I want to be comfortable with and where I want to be emotionally… physically.”

I heard him swallow, and when he spoke, his voice was rough and smooth at the same time. “And that involves me? Emotionally and physically?”

I lifted my shirt and put the silk directly on my chest. It was cool and warm, smooth like oil but tangible. My breath hitched. “Yes.”

“Jesus, Yanni, are you touching yourself?”

I chuckled, embarrassed but not. This was such a bizarre conversation to be having, and how could I begin to describe the silk? “Kind of.”

Another brief pause. “Kind of?”

“I’m taking it slow, this whole self-service thing Patrice suggested.” God, did I just say that out loud?

“She suggested what?”

Now I had to fess up. “That I… take care of myself, if you know what I mean, before I get too far with you. So I can see how my body reacts and where my mind goes. I didn’t want to be with you in that way and freak out on you. If you know what I mean.”

“I get it. Like I said, I’ll be as patient as you need.”

I smiled despite my embarrassment. “Thank you.” I moved my hand in circles over my chest, over my nipple, and bam! A shot of electricity jolted through me, and I groaned.

“Okay, Jesus, Yanni, I’m gonna leave you to finish doing whatever it is you’re doing.” He barked out a strained laugh. “You’re killing me here, and as much as I want to join you over the phone, I don’t think you’re ready for that.”

“Sorry.” I wanted to ask him if he was touching himself, but I knew that wouldn’t be fair. He was right. I wasn’t ready to hear him pant and groan in my ear. I knew one day soon I would be, but not tonight. “Promise you’ll call me tomorrow night.”

His reply was husky, and it made my dick pulse. “Promise.”

“Sweet dreams, Peter,” I murmured.

A groaned laugh was his response before I disconnected the call. I dropped my phone to the bed and used that hand to reach down and grip my dick. I was hard. Rock hard. I was too far gone to let it subside on its own, so I stroked myself and rubbed the silk over my chest with my other hand.

But my mind went to Peter. And I imagined him on his bed, jerking his own cock with me on his mind, my name on his lips. I pictured him as he came, tweaked my nipple with the silk, and the pleasure in my balls exploded. My orgasm rocketed through me so fast, so pure, and I came in spurts on my belly.

I slumped back onto the mattress, boneless and spent. I lay there for a while in a daze and waited for memories and shame to creep in.

They never did.

* * *

By the time I finished work on Friday, I was exhausted. I was also ridiculously excited about seeing Peter. It was a little after ten when we closed the coffee shop, and his car was waiting right out front. I waved goodbye to my coworkers and slid into the passenger seat. I shoved my backpack down at my feet, closed my door, and finally looked at Peter.

He was brutally handsome. The inside of his car smelled of him, and it was heavenly to be surrounded by his scent. Any stress or worries from my week simply melted away. “Hey.”

“Hi.” He leaned over the center console toward me for a greeting kiss, but instead of kissing his cheek, I aimed for his mouth instead. It was warm and all too brief. Not that he seemed to mind, if his smile was anything to go by. “Okay, so am I taking you to my place or yours?”

There was no way I was going home alone tonight. “Yours.”

He grinned. “Have you eaten?”

“Yeah. We sell these vegetable tarts at work that are amazing. Roasted peppers, marinated artichokes, eggplant. I swear, working in an Italian coffeehouse has its perks.”

“Sounds like it.”

“Have you eaten? Did you want to get something on the way?”

“I’m good. I made dinner and cooked enough for you because I wasn’t sure if you would have eaten or not.”

I reached out and put my hand on his arm. “Aww, thank you. I wish I had known.”

“It’s fine. Nothing to worry about.” He turned his palm upwards in a hold-my-hand kind of way. I gladly threaded our fingers and was rewarded with an eye-crinkling smile.

He really was the very opposite to my ex. There were times when I would have been punished for not eating offered food or if I ate too much or not enough. Yet Peter truly couldn’t have cared less. I loved that he thought about me.

“What did you have?” I asked.

“Stroganoff.”

“Mmm, maybe I could have a little bit,” I reasoned.

Peter chuckled and the sound warmed my heart. We talked about our days for the rest of the drive to his house. It was a good way to keep my mind from overthinking, and maybe that was his intention. But when I walked into his house, the realization truly dawned on me.

I was alone with him. I was spending the night at his house. I was at his mercy.

The sound of the front door locking made me jump. Something Peter did not miss. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah.” I swallowed hard and kept my backpack in front of me. “I’m fine.”

But he knew I was lying. He saw straight through me. A frown pulled at his lips; concern marred his eyes. “You can leave whenever you want. If you want to go home―”

“No.” I shook my head. I could do this.

“Okay, so tell me what to do. Do I give you some space right now? Or do I give you a hug?” He shrugged. “I don’t want to get it wrong.”

I didn’t know how to answer. “Um, what do you want to do?”

“I want to hold you and tell you it will be okay, but I don’t want to scare you off.”

All I could do was nod, and in two long strides, Peter pulled me into his arms. He was a pillar of warmth and strength and everything my soul craved. He was safety and comfort, holding me close and rubbing my back. I let my backpack fall to our feet so I could put my arms around his waist, and I melted into him.

“You’re safe here,” he whispered and planted a kiss on the top of my head.

I nodded against his chest. “I know. I just had a little freakout, but I’m good now.”

He tried to pull away, but I kept my arms tightened around him. “I said I’m good now, not done with the hug.”

He folded his arms around me again and his chuckle reverberated through his chest to my ear. “Feels good, huh?”

He had no idea how good he felt. A hug from him filled every void in me. “Very.”

Eventually, reluctantly, I pulled away and he let me go. “You good now?” he asked.

I nodded. “Yes, thank you.”

“Did you want some more dinner? Or just a drink?”

“I’m fine for the moment, thank you.”

He relaxed a bit now, too, and looked me up and down. “I have to say, I like your work uniform.”

I looked down at myself. I was wearing what I always wore to work: black dress pants, black vest, long-sleeved white shirt rolled to my elbows, and a black tie. It was my uniform. “They supply it, so I have to wear it. It’s kinda fun, though, to get dressed up.”

Peter gently straightened my tie. “It’s sexy as hell.”

“Oh.” A blush crept up my neck and stole across my cheeks.

He put his fingers under my chin and lifted my face. “I’ve missed you this week.”

“Me too. I didn’t realize how much until I got into your car.” I looked into his eyes and my knees went weak. “If you’d like to kiss me right now, that would be more than okay with me.”

He laughed. “You are a surprise at every turn.” He ran his thumb over my cheek. “One minute you look like a scared rabbit, then you’re a fox the next.”

“I don’t mean to be.”

“I know you don’t. That’s the surprising part.”

“You still haven’t kissed me.”

He held my face in both hands now, gently angled my face up to his, closed his eyes, and brought his lips to mine. Soft, open, warm, and wet, it was perfect. It was the first time we’d kissed standing up, and his few inches advantage was more evident now. So was his size. His broad shoulders towered over me, his huge hands cradled my face, holding me there, yet I felt completely safe.

Adored. I felt adored.

I opened my mouth for him and tilted my head, giving him all the access he wanted. My whole body hummed when his tongue touched mine, and he made a strangled groaning sound that buckled my knees. I melted into him again and he held me up, kissing me with a tenderness and passion I’d never known.

He was hard against me, in all the right places. God, he made my body sing. I couldn’t ever remember feeling this good.

Peter eventually slowed the kiss and ended by resting his forehead on mine. We were both breathless and smiling. “Wow,” I whispered.

He looked dazed. “Wow, indeed.”

I wanted to grab him and make him kiss me like that all night long, but I knew if I did, it would escalate to more. So I took a small step back and breathed in deep. I knew I was grinning but couldn’t make myself stop. My dick was aching, and without thinking, I palmed myself.

Peter’s nostrils flared, and he closed his eyes slowly before taking a step back. “How about I fix you a little dinner?”

I nodded, thinking the space would do us good. “Yeah, okay, thanks. Actually, I need to wash out my shirt so I can wear it again tomorrow, if that’s okay?”

“Yes, of course. If you go change, I can wash your whole uniform and put it in the dryer, if you like.”

“That’d be great.” I picked up my backpack as Peter was dishing up a plate of stroganoff to reheat, and I took myself to the bathroom. I changed out of my uniform and into my pajamas and freshened up a bit. I needed to take a moment to catch my breath and to get rid of the stupid smile. I barely recognized the guy in the mirror. The light in his eyes and his grin was something I hadn’t seen in years.

I needed to get a grip on myself. I needed to set some boundaries so I could stay comfortable. It was clear what my body wanted, but my head needed to catch up. So, folding up my uniform, I made my way back out to the kitchen.

Peter looked me up and down again, this time smiling at my pajamas. They were just old sweatpants and a faded T-shirt, both hand-me-downs from Mr Landon. I suddenly felt very self-conscious. “I wasn’t sure what pajamas to wear…”

“You look great. Very relaxed and comfortable, which is how I want you to be, so it’s perfect.”

Ignoring his compliment, I held up my clothes. “Um.”

We threw my uniform into the washer and were back just in time for the microwave to beep at us. I ended up sitting on the sofa with Peter, my legs curled up underneath me, and my bowl of stroganoff on my lap. Neenish sat in Peter’s lap, and we watched the end of The Godfather. Which led to a discussion on Al Pacino, which became a critique of his best work, and we’d have probably talked until morning if the washer hadn’t beeped at us to signal its work was done.

It was late and I was tired, so when Peter suggested we call it a night, I agreed. He put my clothes into the dryer and turned the lights off and showed me to the spare room. I put my backpack next to the bed and gave him a smile.

“Will you be all right?”

I nodded, not feeling as brave as I tried to be. “Sure.”

“Okay. Well, I’m just across the hall if you need anything.”

I walked over to him, and leaning up on my toes, I kissed him. “Thank you.”

“Goodnight,” he said softly, closing the door behind him.

I looked around the room. It was decorated in blacks and browns, and the bedding and furniture probably cost a small fortune. It was warm and cozy, and rationally, I knew I was safe. But something was off. The light was still on, of course, and I quickly double-checked the window was locked and everything was peaceful. I climbed into bed with my backpack and settled in but stared at the ceiling for what felt like hours.

I couldn’t sleep, and the longer I lay there, the worse my insecurities became. Panic crept in like a mist, and even as tiredness became exhaustion, there was no way I was sleeping. Not here.

I had two choices: I could wake Peter and ask him to drive me home, or I could wake Peter and… what? Ask him to talk to me until I fell asleep? I almost laughed because surely he’d think I was crazy…

My heart was hammering and I was beginning to really freak out. Before it became a full-blown episode, I grabbed my backpack and ran to the door. The hall was pitch black, save the light coming from behind me. Peter’s bedroom door was ajar but there was only darkness inside.

I hesitated at his door. Did I wake him? Or did I just leave? I could call a cab. I had some cash.

“Yanni?” Peter’s voice startled me. I pushed on the door and could make out his silhouette. He was sitting up in bed. “What’s wrong?”

“I can’t sleep,” I answered quickly. My voice was pitchy, my panic barely contained.

Peter reached over and switched on his bedside lamp. He’d been asleep and I felt bad for waking him. But he didn’t hesitate. He flipped back the covers to his bed in invitation.

Did I want to do that? Did I want to be wrapped in his arms where I felt safe and warm? Did I want him to hold me until my heart wasn’t trying to beat out of my chest? I didn’t even need to answer. I simply dropped my backpack at the door and ran to his bed, sliding in beside him. And I didn’t stop there. I curled right into his side. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you.”

“It’s okay. I’d rather you did than be scared by yourself.” His voice was rough with sleep, and his arm settled around me. The weight of it made me feel better already.

“Is this okay?”

He shuffled a little so he was more on his side, and his arm wrapped tighter around me. I buried my face into his bare chest, breathing in his smell, and his soft chest hair felt amazing. He brushed my curly hair down and rested his face against the top of my head. “This is perfect,” he murmured. “Did you want me to talk until you fall asleep? You always said it helps calm you.”

I was already out like a light.