Chapter 10RoyceIt’s just after 3:00 a.m. I should be sound asleep by now, but I can’t seem to pull myself away from her. I should be a gentleman and carry her to the guest room so she can get a good night’s rest. Instead, I’m holding her on my couch. The movie ended long ago. The TV is now off, and only the glow from the moon shining in through the patio door lights the room. Not that it matters. I have her memorized. The moment we stepped off that plane, I had already committed Sawyer to memory. The beautiful woman with a fear of heights who managed to pull me under her spell in a matter of hours.
With each passing day, my concentration wanes, and my attraction to her grows. Two weeks feels like two years. I don’t know why I can’t shake my obsession with her. And she works for me, yet here I am holding her like she’s mine. Here in the darkness of my living room, there are no eyes to judge me, to tell me that I’m close to falling off the ledge. No, here in the darkness, with her scent surrounding me, her soft skin under my palm, I don’t care about any of that.
I know I should, but I don’t.
She sees me. Not just the boss or the CEO, but me the man. To hear her tell me that she knows the layers I hide beneath the skin, hit me in my chest. She’s not wrong. I know I’ve been short with her since I walked in and saw her sitting at Sam’s old desk, but I have to be. She’s my employee, and I can’t take advantage of that. Not only that, but part of me was mad. Mad that the first woman in a hell of a long time who garnered my interest was now off-limits. That’s enough to push any man to be broody, as she called it.
She moves, and I shift with her. I’m sure she’s going to wake up, but the sounds of her quiet breaths tell me she’s still sound asleep. We’re now lying on the couch, her back to my chest, and my arms around her. It’s been too long since I held a woman all night long. I didn’t think I missed it. Until now. Then again, maybe it’s just Sawyer with her green eyes and soft skin. She’s the difference. Placing a kiss to the back of her head, I close my eyes and let the soft sounds of her breathing lull me to sleep.
It feels as though I’ve barely closed my eyes when the sun shining brightly through the door forces me to open them. It takes me a minute to realize where I am and who I’m with. Glancing down, Sawyer has her face buried in my chest and the blanket from the back of the couch covering her face. Her arms are wrapped around me and mine around her. I wait for the panic to take over. But it never comes. Instead, a slow smile pulls at my lips. I’ve barely slept, yet I’m wide awake and ready to tackle the day.
Gradually, I pull the cover from over her eyes so I can see her. I want to soak up this moment, one I’m sure to never have again. My hand goes to her hair. As I let the silky locks fall through my fingers, I should be worried this will wake her up, but that’s not a hardship. Then I’ll get to see those bright green eyes. As if thinking about them causes her to wake, her eyes flutter open.
“Hi,” she says shyly, a light blush coating her cheeks.
“Morning.” My voice is gruff from sleep.
She blinks a few times before her eyes widen, and she tries to scramble off the couch. “Don’t go,” I say, my voice gravelly.
She instantly stops moving. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to fall asleep on you or drink that much.” She pauses. “I should call Hadley to come and get me.”
“No.” It’s sterner than I intended it to be. “I mean, I can take you. Let’s go grab some breakfast, and then I’ll take you to Jase’s to get your car.”
“You don’t have to do that.” This time when she tries to sit up, I let her. She stands and pulls at the hem of my T-shirt that’s already hitting her just above her knees. “I’m so sorry, Royce,” she whispers.
“Hey.” I stand and wrap my arms around her in a hug. She feels good next to me like this is where she belongs. “There is nothing for you to apologize for. We fell asleep.”
“I—” she starts, but I place my finger to her lips to stop her.
“We fell asleep, Sawyer. That’s it. Now, there are spare toothbrushes under the sink. Go change, and I’ll take you to breakfast, and we can get your car.”