Page 27 of Only Ever You

This was so wrong.

Was he still asleep? Had her alarm woken him?Please let it not have.She’d have a better chance of escaping this situation with a modicum of tact and forgettability if it hadn’t.

The hoodie –Bash’sorange hoodie that Faye quickly debated never wanting to see again – in its massiveness, had wriggled up her body overnight and evidently given Bash’s hand exclusive access to her midriff. Her vest top had betrayed her too, since his thumb and at least two fingers sneaked under the cotton.

Damn her, she liked the feeling. She liked it too much; the roughness of his fingertips from years of racket sport curling against the soft skin of her stomach. The lean, honed, wide planes of his chest against her back. He touched the bump beneath her belly button and Faye didn’t feel the instinct to breathe in.

A betraying wave of pure desire slithered straight to pool in that recently vacated space between her thighs.

For her own sanity, she tried to extricate herself away from the really lovely but severely inappropriate warmth cocooning her. There wasn’t much space between the edge of her bed and the wall for any graceful escape, but she could twist her legs out from under the covers if she planned her movements slowly. A few more inches and she would be free.

“Stay.” A dazed, low plea halted her, steady breaths warming down her neck.

So the bansheehaddone its job two fold this morning; Faye scowled at her phone on the nightstand.

Fingers stroked beneath her vest top and she knew Bash was completely unaware he even did so. Because he would never, consciously. At least, she didn’t think that he would …

Little meaningless touches here and there weren’t uncommon between them – werefriendlyeven, in the manner that Bash searched for her attention when he spoke and gave gentle reassurances he was listening, but that tactileness didn’t extend to his hand casually sliding under her vest.

“I have to go to work.” Her voice came out smaller than she would’ve liked. What else was she supposed to say?

“No y’dont,” Bash mumbled against her hair and Faye learned then what genuine delight felt like. How it took a molten shape and filled up all of her chest.

No.No.

She needed to untangle herself or else she would stay here forever. And when Bash became lucid, he would be horrified and leave her flat and they would never speak to each other again. That was dramatic, yes. Worst case scenario? But it was the reality that Faye was desperate to avoid.

“Yes, I do.”

Stirring awake, Bash released her with what was apparently a lot of effort.

She needed to just play it cool.This is no big deal.Of course her mind would make it so, but Bash didn’t need to see that on her face.

When she rolled out onto her feet, it was a mistake to turn back and see what her heart had always longed to see: Bash with his hair crumpled and his dark waves untamed from sleep, his white t-shirt riding up his toned stomach, arm still draped over the space where she’d slept. The duvet was bunched between his knees and barely covered over his hips, though hid enough for Faye not to witness the hard mass she’d felt up against her with her eyes.

Her gaze wandered down him regardless and she ripped it away before she crossed a line. Ogling her best friend’s crotch wasnotgoing to be on the cards this morning if she wanted a chance at being able to concentrate today.

Blearily, Bash roused himself from his grogginess, shifted and stretched out his legs, then halted mid groan.Yep. He’s figured it out.Faye caught the exact moment on his face when he realised what his body had done, likely still did, and then she couldn’t quite look at him.

She distracted herself with gathering the pair of black trousers she’d discarded on the floor after work last night while Bash pulled himself up to sit against her headboard. He rearranged the pillows around him, one notably finding its way to his lap.

“Sorry,” he said in an un-Bash-ly level of quietness. Embarrassment thick in his rough morning voice.

Play it cool, Faye.

“For what?”

Bash went quiet, and Faye wondered if he second guessed whether he should bring up the fact his erection had tried to invade between her thighs as they slept. His silence obviously debated if she’d noticed. How could shenothave? His … wasveryhard to miss. Even more so when this hoodie surrounded her in the spring-forest-esque scent of him. It was masculine yet sweet, and the undertone of something spicier spun Faye’s thoughts back to the bed between them, and how exactly he might besomethingspiciertoo if they were in it.

For gods’ sake.That thought surprised even her.

“For harassing you in your sleep,” Bash eventually answered.

Faye rolled with what he gave. “It’s natural. Don’t worry.” At least he had the courage to acknowledge the moment and apologise.

“Yeah … but I shouldn’t when—never mind. I’m sorry.”

Shouldn’t when what?When it washerthat he’d been spooning?

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