THE SUMMER MONTHS ARE WILD in Newport Beach.
I work seven days a week, juggling Country Club and waitressing. I also cover for other cart girls whenever Jared asks. I’m weaselling my way back into his good graces after I spent four days recovering from the worst case of flu two weeks ago. Theo took time off work to take care of me, made sure I took the pills on time and spoiled me rotten with takeout food, sweets, and cuddles. He slept in my bed three nights in a row, arguing it was safer that way.
I didn’t protest. I loved having him close.
Too bad I had to get better at some point. I’d stay sick for a bit longer if I had any control over my well-being.
Maybe longer than a little while.
We’re both catching up on work now, so I only see him between jobs. He’s asleep when I come home from waitressing gigs, usually too tired to undress, and he’s still sleeping when I rise at five in the morning.
I’m tired, so I decided not to work at any parties on Fridays and Saturdays for now. Everyone needs to rest sometimes.
Theo’s not home when I enter the condo on Friday afternoon, but Ares greets me in the hallway, begging for cuddles. I give him a handful of treats and fill his bowls with fresh water and food. The door opens again within minutes. Ares bolts out of the kitchen to greet Theo.
“Hey.” He walks in with a case of beer in one hand and two boxes of pizza in the other.
“Hey.” I lean out when he comes closer to kiss my cheek. “Are your brothers coming over?”
“No. You’re not cooking tonight. You’ve not had a day off since you were ill. Ask how much you owe me for the pizza, and I’ll cover your pretty face with a pillow while you sleep and watch you take your last breath.”
I elbow his ribs. “That’s very descriptive. If you expect me to say, oh, that’s so unnecessary, you know I don’t mind cooking, don’t hold your breath.” I pop the caps on two beers before we sit down and dig in. “Thank you. I needed a night off. I thought I could do this, but I underestimated the amount of sleep my body needs.”
“I keep telling you to stop waitressing. I know you want to rent a place, but there’s no rush for you to move out of here.”
Oh, if he only knew that I’ve had enough money saved to rent a small studio flat for a while now. I’m not in a rush to move out of here, even though I probably should leave. My feelings for Theo are getting out of control, and he’s still keeping me at arm’s length.
“I want you to come with me to the Unexpected Truth party at Nico’s tomorrow.”
“We talked about this. I work on Sunday, and the party probably won’t end until early morning. I’m too tired to skip sleep again.”
“Actually, you’re not working on Sunday. I asked Jared to give you a day off. Don’t get mad, okay? I just think you could use a night to relax and unwind and—”
“He agreed to give me a day off?” I cut in, my eyebrows knotting in the middle. “I asked him about it last week, and he said there’s no way. How did you do it?”
Theo shrugs, visibly relieved that I’m not mad. The Unexpected Truth party sounds exciting, and since arriving in America, I’ve not had time for fun other than the night I met Theo.
“I’m very convincing.”
“Clearly. Thank you.”
The smile on his face turns my blood into soda water. Living with him is getting more complicated every day. He’s on my mind twenty-four-seven, and I catch myself imagining his hands and lips on me before I fall asleep, missing the warmth of his body.
“Oh crap!” I drop the pizza slice back in the box. “I don’t think I have a white dress or even a blouse to wear. Are any boutiques open at this time?”
“I’ve got you covered.” He disappears into his room and returns with a white, ruched mini dress. “I asked Shawn and Jack to pick an outfit for you.”
“Do they think I’ve shrunk in the last two weeks?” I check the label. “It says size six but looks like a two.” I tug on both sides to check if the fabric stretches. “Maybe it’ll fit.”
“It will. Do you like it?”
“I love it. Will you try to suffocate me with a pillow if I ask how much I owe you?”
He nods with a stern expression. “Definitely.”
“In that case,” I rise on my toes and press my lips to his cheek, “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Now go take a shower or a bath, and I’ll set up “Ozark.”
◆◆◆
The room is dark when my bladder wakes me out of deep sleep. It takes a moment before my eyes adjust and another second before I assess my position.
I’m not in bed.
And I’m not alone.
I’m on the couch, wrapped in Theo’s arms under a soft blanket, my head pressed into the crook of his neck. The rhythm of my heart becomes irregular in an instant. Endorphins mix with a sense of fluffiness in my chest sprinkled with just a little feral lust.
Fine, a lot of lust.
Why does he always smell so sensual?
We must’ve fallen asleep watching “Ozark.” Although… if that was the case, wouldn’t the TV still be on?
Soft, all-consuming warmness fills my insides. He chose to stay on the couch with me after I nodded off. I need to pee, but untangling myself from the comfort of his arms without waking him up might be mission impossible. I’m too comfortable to cut the cuddles short. Too safe with his warm body pressed against mine.
I’ve missed this.
My knee is bent, my leg sprawled across his thighs, and I’m holding onto his t-shirt as if I unconsciously refused to let him move away. I’ll have to go to my room if he wakes up, and who knows when an opportunity like this will come by again? I try to fool my body that I don’t need to pee, and I’ll last another two hours. It’s three in the morning, and the alarm clock will sound at five to wake me up for work.
My bladder puts up a fight. My tummy is pressed against Theo’s hip bone, which isn’t helping the case, and I end up shifting my position.
He stirs, tightening his hold on me, burying his face in my hair. “Don’t even think about getting out of here,” he says, his voice gruff. “Get back to sleep.”
“I’m trying, but I need to pee.”
With a deep groan, he lifts his arm and kicks the blanket aside. “Make it quick.”
The darkness in the room hides the massive grin on my face as I tiptoe to the bathroom. Theo’s still in the same position when I crawl back beside him three minutes later, but I don’t get to hide my face in his neck again. He flips me over, forcing my back to his chest, one hand under my head, the other around my middle.
“Sleep, omorfiá.”
He’s called me that since day one, but it never fails to make my insides quiver. I gather my courage and take his hand, lacing our fingers and stroking my thumb over his knuckles while drifting back to sleep. It can’t be more than five minutes later when my alarm goes off, but the room is lighter this time, hinting that more time has passed.
“Five more minutes,” Theo mutters. “Press snooze.”
That’s his best idea to date. I lean over to grab my phone from the coffee table, then press myself against Theo, closing my eyes again.
“I’ll drop you off at work,” he huffs when the alarm blares once more. He takes the phone out of my hand, tapping on the screen to set another alarm, then places the cell on the armrest, pulling me close.
I can’t help but chuckle when he yanks me as close as possible. “Who would’ve thought Theo Hayes likes to cuddle?”
“No one’s going to believe you.”
I snatch the phone again to take a selfie of us entangled in each other. His eyes pop open at the sound of the camera clicking. He tries to take the phone back, but I’m not about to let him delete the only picture of us that exists.
We play fight for a moment while I try not to let him overpower me, but he is stronger, and I end up under him, shoving the phone into my bra.
“You think that’ll stop me?” he murmurs, holding onto my waist. “Give me the phone.” His fingers disappear under the hem of my top, his touch feather-light, making me squirm as he traces the curve of my waist. “Don’t test me.”
We’re in the most compromising position imaginable. The pressure of his morning erection against my thigh has my body igniting with arousal. I’m instantly ready, panties wet, nipples hard. He’s not trying to hide it, doesn’t readjust his body to disguise how hard he is.
My insides knot in anticipation with every inch of my skin he touches. The atmosphere turns heavy, roaring with sexual innuendo intense enough to vaporize diamonds.
His heart thumps faster against his ribs that press into my chest, and my heart accepts the challenge, matching the rhythm. My every breath turns shallow, short, and strained.
God, I want him so much I can taste my own desire.
Awe in his eyes grows tenfold. He looks like he’s under a spell, mesmerized by the feel of my skin under his fingertips. Dumbstruck, when his eyes meet mine, pupils blown.
Any moment now.
He’ll kiss me.
And it’ll be spectacular.
I’ve imagined this moment for weeks, but reality will be better. It’s already better than the endless scenarios my imagination came up with. I’m ready. Waiting. Hoping.
“You’re so beautiful, little one,” he whispers, eyes feasting on my face.
My boobs vibrate.
Literally.
The alarm goes off, breaking the spell, pulling us out of the sexual, red haze just as his fingers are about to brush against my bra, and Theo moves away faster than I’d like.
That stings.
I pull the phone out and contemplate hurling it at the wall, but after a deep breath, I disable the alarm and open the photo gallery to show him the picture. He’s peaceful in it, face relaxed and content. I’ve not seen him like that before.
The Hayes brothers are pros at maintaining an impassive, emotionless face. Still, I’ve known Theo long enough to read his mood by paying attention to the small gestures: narrowing of the eyes, flaring nostrils, the corners of his mouth ticking up when he’s amused but doesn’t want to show it.
“I need to get ready for work.”
He takes the phone but doesn’t delete the picture. Instead, he sends a copy to himself.
