Page 69 of Stuck with Me

Nico takes my hand with the homemade splint in between his and carefully, he undoes the straps. Every few seconds his eyes flick up to meet mine before returning to the task, neither of us speaking. Once the splint is off, he drops it onto the nightstand, and he rubs his thumb against the sensitive skin on the inside of my wrist. I inhale a sharp breath and my body shudders in the most delicious way.

This man. This fucking man.

He is treating me with such gentleness. More than I probably deserve. But I realize in the moment, it’s exactly what I’m craving tonight.

Nico pulls back the covers on the bed and gestures for me to climb in first, still not letting go of my hand. I’m grateful and I grip it like a lifeline while I slip in between the sheets fully clothed. It’s cooler in this part of the cabin. The chill in the air causes a shiver to race through my body.

Nico gets in the bed after me and tugs the blankets over us, bringing it close to my neck. We face one another and we’re so close, we’re breathing in the same air. Typically, his brown eyes are light enough to decipher the ring of color from his pupil. But right now, all I see is darkness in the center of the white.

He gazes at me with care and concern. I feel the same in my heart for him. After all we learned tonight, there’s a mixture of emotions whirling through me. And I imagine, him as well.

We continue to hold hands and stare at one another, my heart thumping too loudly. We don’t speak. We just lay here in this shared space of sadness and grief. Yet somehow, it’s not as lonely as it normally is. Even without words. His presence, his touch, it’s enough.

Slowly, I can feel my hard-shell exterior breaking away. The more time I spend with Nico, the easier it is to let my guard down. I’ve worked hard at building up this wall around myself. To not let others in so I don’t have to lose anyone else. It’s the reason I keep my circle small.

But being around Nico makes me feel like I don’t have to be tough all the time. That it’s okay to feel emotions like grief. And maybe going through it alone isn’t the best idea.

If I had found that box of letters when I was by myself at the cabin, I don’t know how I would’ve handled it. I’m grateful he was here. Not only so I wouldn’t be alone, but that it washimwith me.

“Goodnight, Rosie,” he murmurs into the dim stillness of the night.

The use of my name feels right in this moment. For the last forty-eight hours, he’s taken to calling mewomanorKit-Kat. Somehow, Rosie feels more intimate tonight.

“Goodnight, Nico.”

My heartbeat slows and my blinks lengthen. Nico’s breaths are more even. But he doesn’t loosen his hold of my hand. It’s stays put, tucked in the comfort and protectiveness of his grip. He pulls it close against his chest where it’s near his heart. Where it’s safe and where it feels perfect.

And shit, I’m falling for this guy, aren’t I?

CHAPTER19

Nico

It feels too early to be awake. Too early to pry my eyes open. So I don’t. Instead, I relish in this moment for as long as possible.

Rosie has her head resting on my heart. Her chest is pressed against mine and her knee is propped up and slung across my waist and legs. Despite that my arm has been asleep for who knows how long because it’s currently squished underneath Rosie’s side, I might as well have died and gone to heaven.

Even while the pins and needles shoot down my arm, I don’t care if I end up losing a limb due to the loss of circulation, I continue to thank the good Lord. Waking up with Rosie in my arms feels like the best Christmas gift I’ve ever had. My free hand, and let’s just call it the lucky one, is cupping the most perfect ass cheek.

Rules? What rules?Is what goes through my mind while I absentmindedly squeeze her perfect butt.

“Hand. Off.”

I’m not a dick. I do as I’m told.

I raise my hand and open my palm as if to say,there’s nothing to see here. But Rosie’s head is still pressed to my chest. And as far as I know, her eyes are still closed too.

“Sorry, it was a reflex. Didn’t mean anything by it, swear.”

I’m only sort of lying. Of course I meant something by it. I meant to intentionally grab her ass and hope it might lead to forgetting that silly agreement of ours and moving onto having the most mind-blowing morning sex either of us have ever experienced.

Rosie lifts her head and rests her chin on my chest, blinking beautiful sleepy brown eyes at me. “You’re trying to tell me you didn’t just purposefully grab my ass? Like you were sleep-fondling? Instead of sleep walking?”

“Ha,” I exhale a laugh. Because she’s funny, even this early in the morning. “Exactly.”

“And I suppose the morning wood you’re poking into my stomach isn’t intentional either?” She quirks her lips to the side in amusement.

Busted.

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