Pretend We're Over (Pretend 2)

“We should try to sleep. We have a big day ahead of us tomorrow.”

She smiles at that.

I stand up to give her space, but she grabs my hand, seeming to know that if I leave, I’ll come to my senses and sleep on the couch.

“Stay,” she says.

Fuck, I curse under my breath.

Stay.

I can’t deny her what she wants, not when she’s this emotional. But Jesus, this is going to test me.

I nod.

Then I watch as she scoots up in the bed and starts pulling the covers back. I’m still just wearing a towel; I should at least find my boxers to put on, but then she’s patting the spot in the bed next to her.

Fuck it.

We are both adults. It doesn’t matter what we are wearing. We are just going to sleep.

I remove my towel, climb into the bed, and pull the covers up over us, doing my best to tuck her in. She seems unsettled next to me. I turn off the lamp, and then we are lying in darkness.

She sits up suddenly. “Can I?”

I know what’s she asking even though she doesn’t say the word. I can feel her fear. And right now, I’m the only person in her world who can take away the fear.

No matter what happens tonight—I will not fuck her tonight. I will not fuck Millie. I repeat my mantra over and over in my head.

Then I pull her to my chest. Her head rests perfectly on my shoulder, her body fitting like a glove to mine. She takes a deep breath, relaxing into me. Minutes later, she’s snoring.

I smile. I knew she was a snorer. I won’t be able to sleep. I’ve slept for years alone in my bed, but I could listen to the soft sounds she makes all night. It will be worth the lack of sleep.

I kiss her forehead, breathing in the salty ocean water and sand still stuck to her hair. Something stirs deep inside me, a feeling I’ve never felt before. A feeling I didn’t know I could feel.

Want.

I want her. Not just to fuck her. I want more with her. I want to feel everything with her, even if our time together is limited. I want to protect her.

What are you doing to me, Millie?

And then I close my eyes, and the strangest thing happens. I fall into a deep, content sleep.

16

Millie

I’m warm, too warm, but also so damn comfortable that I don’t want to move. Maybe if I just kick the covers off, I can sleep some more without being so hot.

I kick, knocking the comforter and sheet to the floor. Not what I intended, but I feel so much better. The sun is warming my skin through the large window. Quickly, I realize that the main source of heat isn’t the sun or the covers, it’s the very hot, naked man that I’m practically groping.

“Oh my god!” I squeal when I realize he’s naked—completely naked. My thigh is draped over his waist, and his cock is straining against my leg. My hand is gripping his pec, and his hand is gripping my ass.

Sebastian stirs awake from my outburst. I might have been a little too dramatic.

“You’re naked,” I exclaim in horror. Right now, my memory of last night is a little foggy. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever slept harder or better, except maybe the night that got us in this mess in the first place.

He chuckles. “You’re observant.”