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Authors: Stacey Lynn Rhodes
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maybe something in her expression betrayed her, because he crossed to her in two strides and took her by the upper arms then leaned in. It was so reminiscent of her dream that her breath caught.
Instead of whispering in her ear, though, he pulled her into a brief hug then set her away from him. “I just want you to know that I’m a good listener and I’m here for you. Even if what’s troubling you is…close to home.” He squeezed her arms again then took the mugs from her hands and went into the kitchen.
She suspected that he was alluding to Trevor, but she wondered if Colin could tell that part of what was keeping her up at night was him.
Close to home indeed .
Echoing the word home conjured up a strong image in her head of an evening spent much like this one…only the romantic scene on the balcony came after they’d tucked in a little one together and quietly left the room…
Oh for fuck’s sake, Erica. You’re hormonal enough .
It was especially cruel of her brain to have conjured that image now since she’d started her cycle the night before. As always, the reality of that time of the month seemed to mock her. Another egg wasted . Tick tock .
Feeling blue, she tried desperately to check her expression before Colin came back in. She only partially succeeded and could tell that he remained worried about her.
“I’ll be fine, just need a good night’s sleep.”
Colin looked at her steadily. “I’m not sure whether to excuse myself so you can get started, or offer to stay since you obviously felt restful with me nearby.”
Her mouth opened then closed as she considered that. It wasn’t anything she would have thought of herself, but now her mind seized upon the idea of having him close.
“I’ll stay if you want me to. Actually, I don’t even have to stay all night, just until you conk off.”
“No,” she protested. “You’d better not run off in the middle of the night. You need your sleep too.” She thought about what she’d just said. Evidently she’d just told him to stay. Suddenly becoming aware of how weary she was, she shrugged at an attempt at nonchalance. “Up to you, though.”
Colin grinned slowly, his face lighting up as he nodded. “Fair enough. If that’s up to me, then it’s up to you where I sleep.”
The smile that had formed in automatic response to his dropped. She hadn’t really considered him sleeping with her, just staying in Trevor’s room. Strangely enough, Trevor hadn’t slept in her bed the few nights he’d been there before his trip. She hadn’t thought much of it at the time, figuring he was banking sleep before his travels. But it puzzled her now.
Shaking that thought away for another time, Erica focused on the brother in front of her and boldly admitted, “I’d love if you slept with me. But,” she warned, “no funny business.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it,” he answered innocently.
Erica narrowed her eyes suspiciously at Colin and he smiled, chuckling inwardly. She must have been having a helluva dream while she’d been cozied up next to him outside. A couple of breathy sighs and a moan had slipped from her.
It had been arousing as hell to imagine that she was having a hot dream while he held her. He’d been enjoying the feel of her against him, even with his arm falling asleep, but once he’d figured out where her sleeping mind had gone, he’d held utterly still, trying not to disturb her.
Then, right before she’d awakened, she’d murmured his name— Colin …
His breath had caught and his insides had seized. He’d stiffened in surprise at what seemed to be a vocalization to a dream lover—to him—and she’d probably subconsciously felt his movement, because she woke up almost immediately.
Now he had another opportunity to hold her as she slept and he wasn’t about to waste it. He knew that nothing would happen between them, that it would be as platonic as he could keep it. She seemed to be troubled greatly by
Instead of whispering in her ear, though, he pulled her into a brief hug then set her away from him. “I just want you to know that I’m a good listener and I’m here for you. Even if what’s troubling you is…close to home.” He squeezed her arms again then took the mugs from her hands and went into the kitchen.
She suspected that he was alluding to Trevor, but she wondered if Colin could tell that part of what was keeping her up at night was him.
Close to home indeed .
Echoing the word home conjured up a strong image in her head of an evening spent much like this one…only the romantic scene on the balcony came after they’d tucked in a little one together and quietly left the room…
Oh for fuck’s sake, Erica. You’re hormonal enough .
It was especially cruel of her brain to have conjured that image now since she’d started her cycle the night before. As always, the reality of that time of the month seemed to mock her. Another egg wasted . Tick tock .
Feeling blue, she tried desperately to check her expression before Colin came back in. She only partially succeeded and could tell that he remained worried about her.
“I’ll be fine, just need a good night’s sleep.”
Colin looked at her steadily. “I’m not sure whether to excuse myself so you can get started, or offer to stay since you obviously felt restful with me nearby.”
Her mouth opened then closed as she considered that. It wasn’t anything she would have thought of herself, but now her mind seized upon the idea of having him close.
“I’ll stay if you want me to. Actually, I don’t even have to stay all night, just until you conk off.”
“No,” she protested. “You’d better not run off in the middle of the night. You need your sleep too.” She thought about what she’d just said. Evidently she’d just told him to stay. Suddenly becoming aware of how weary she was, she shrugged at an attempt at nonchalance. “Up to you, though.”
Colin grinned slowly, his face lighting up as he nodded. “Fair enough. If that’s up to me, then it’s up to you where I sleep.”
The smile that had formed in automatic response to his dropped. She hadn’t really considered him sleeping with her, just staying in Trevor’s room. Strangely enough, Trevor hadn’t slept in her bed the few nights he’d been there before his trip. She hadn’t thought much of it at the time, figuring he was banking sleep before his travels. But it puzzled her now.
Shaking that thought away for another time, Erica focused on the brother in front of her and boldly admitted, “I’d love if you slept with me. But,” she warned, “no funny business.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it,” he answered innocently.
Erica narrowed her eyes suspiciously at Colin and he smiled, chuckling inwardly. She must have been having a helluva dream while she’d been cozied up next to him outside. A couple of breathy sighs and a moan had slipped from her.
It had been arousing as hell to imagine that she was having a hot dream while he held her. He’d been enjoying the feel of her against him, even with his arm falling asleep, but once he’d figured out where her sleeping mind had gone, he’d held utterly still, trying not to disturb her.
Then, right before she’d awakened, she’d murmured his name— Colin …
His breath had caught and his insides had seized. He’d stiffened in surprise at what seemed to be a vocalization to a dream lover—to him—and she’d probably subconsciously felt his movement, because she woke up almost immediately.
Now he had another opportunity to hold her as she slept and he wasn’t about to waste it. He knew that nothing would happen between them, that it would be as platonic as he could keep it. She seemed to be troubled greatly by
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