Page 69 of Friend Zone to End Zone

She had managed to put on the T-shirt I’d given her, but just like the first time she’d stayed at my house, she had forgone putting on the shorts over her black panties.

Forcing myself not to stare at her bare legs for too long, I stepped into the room and set the glass of water on a coaster on the nightstand. Then, knowing she’d sleep a lot better if she was in a more comfortable position, I lifted her floppy body into my arms and lay her down with her head on a pillow.

That would be much more comfortable.

I pulled the sheet and duvet cover over her, and since I knew she wasn’t the best sleeper, I tucked the sides around her tight so she’d feel like the blankets were enveloping her in a nice, warm hug.

She sighed contentedly when I finished tucking her in and mumbled something incoherent yet happy-sounding.

I smiled as I took in her sleeping face.

She was always beautiful, but there was something special about seeing her when she was asleep. She was calmer and so serene with all the cares of the world washed away from her face.

My chest swelled at seeing her so peaceful. I wished I could do more to keep all her worries away all the time. She did so much for everyone else, I wanted to be able to take care of her for a change.

This girl really did have me wrapped around her finger. And I’d move the sun and the earth if it meant she’d agree to be mine and plan a future with me.

I let my gaze run over her delicate features. Her angled chin. Her lips that were pale pink and softly parted. Her long thin nose. The long, long lashes that surrounded the most captivating eyes I’d ever lost myself in.

She was amazing. Fun, smart, witty…and a million other things that made her up.

She had captured my attention the moment we met and stolen my heart not too long after that, and I really couldn’t imagine a world where she was supposed to be with anyone else. Because for me, she was it.

She’d always been it.

Her eyebrows knitted together, a crease forming between them.

“Cole…” She said my name like a caress, and for a heart-pounding moment, I thought she was speaking to me.

But then she sighed heavily like she was in deep sleep and said my name again.

After waiting a moment for her to say something more, I picked up the dress that she had left on the floor and hooked it over my arm to put with my suit so my housekeeper could take them both to the cleaners when she came next.

I was just turning off the lamp on the nightstand and about to head toward the door when Arianna’s soft voice drifted over to me, saying, “I wish he was mine.”

And with those five whispered words, my whole world tilted and tingles raced all through my limbs.

Had she just said what I thought she’d said?

I had heard her talk in her sleep before, but she usually rambled on about random things. Like how there was too much snow in Denver, or how amazing she’d thought Chad was.

But she wouldn’t be talking about Chad right now, would she?

Earlier tonight, she’d already rambled on to Incognito about how Chad was bad.

So was it too much to hope that the person she was really talking about was…me?

I turned back to face her sleeping silhouette, hoping that she’d say more. But she didn’t say anything else. So I left her there to sleep and headed to my own room where I hoped my mind wouldn’t race too much and allow me to actually get some sleep tonight.

She’d been too drunk and tired to give me a critique of the night, but at least on my end of things, it had been the most amazing night of my life.

I could only hope she’d want many more nights like tonight.

30

Arianna

The timeon my phone read five-thirty-two a.m. when I woke up in an unfamiliar room. It took a moment to remember where I was, but when my eyes adjusted to the dim room with moonlight streaming through the windows, I recognized the furniture that I’d helped pick out for Cole’s guest bedroom.

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