Page 80 of #Starstruck

With what I was feeling right then, maybe he should have worried about me a little.

“Come on. I’ll find you something to wear.”

Giddy that I didn’t have to go, I followed him into his bathroom and then his walk-in closet, which was probably the size of my entire apartment.

“Here.” He handed me a T-shirt and the kind of drawstring pajama bottoms he’d worn last time. “Hopefully this will be easier on my vivid imagination than that nightgown of yours. I’ll let you get changed.”

He turned around, yanked off his shirt, and threw it into a laundry basket near the door. I watched, fascinated by the play of muscle as he moved, and it took me a second to realize he’d done it just to mess with me. The smirk on his face as he walked out with his own set of pajamas tipped me off.

Knowing I had already tiptoed along the line I’d set for myself, I got changed quickly and waited a few heartbeats, not wanting to walk in on him. Well, I wanted to, but I knew I shouldn’t. His shirt was oversize but soft and comfortable. I tightened the drawstring in the pants, tying it so they wouldn’t slide off. I caught my reflection in a full-length mirror. Not my best look.

I texted Lexi to let her know I wouldn’t be home anytime soon. Her response?

I was about to send her a withering text when I heard the sound of pillows hitting the floor. I went into Chase’s room. He stopped midthrow and stared at me. He shook his head. “That’s not any better.”

“Sorry I don’t have anything more hideous to wear,” I said as I helped him with the pillows. We pulled the blankets back together, like we’d done it a million times before, and the promise in his smile made me hope we’d do it a million times more.

I climbed in, and he hit the lights. As soon as the mattress sank with his weight, I scooted closer so he could hold me. He was so warm. It was like cuddling a cozy fire that wouldn’t burn you. “You’re like a furnace.”

“Are you saying I’m hot?”

Even though it was dark and he couldn’t see me, I rolled my eyes. He knew he was hot. “I meant you give off heat like a furnace.”

“Given that you have ice blocks for feet, I’d say that makes us a good match.”

Last time he’d fallen asleep quickly and easily, but now his breathing remained normal, and his chest felt tight under my hand, as did the arm wrapped around me. “What are you thinking?” I asked.

“I’m running the RBI stats of last year’s Padres lineup as a way to distract myself from the lovely, lush, but untouchable softness in my bed right now.”

That made me giggle and burrow closer to him, which he didn’t seem to appreciate. “Do you do that a lot? Think about sports when you’re with me?”

“Hush, woman. You’ve ruined baseball for me. Now whenever I watch a game, I have illicit thoughts about you.”

I giggled again, and this seemed to relieve some of his tension.

“I still can’t believe I’m the one who stopped,” he murmured, his voice sleepy.

“Neither can I. You must really love me.”

“I really must.”

This time we didn’t try to build a wall between us in the bed. This time I drifted off feeling safe, secure, and totally loved. Happier than I ever remembered feeling.

As if part of me had been missing and I’d finally been made whole.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

Chase woke me around noon by kissing the back of my neck, getting me all hot and bothered before I’d even regained consciousness. “Stop that.” I swatted at him, and he laughed and nipped the spot he’d just kissed before he released me and got out of bed. I heard a zipping sound that I guessed was his suitcase.

The mattress tugged to one side when he sat. “I got you a present.”

“Last night was the best present ever,” I told him, stretching like a sunned and well-rested cat. His eyes roved over me and then snapped up to my face. Getting to be with him all night, having him say he loved me ... what could be better?

As if he could read my thoughts, he said with a smile, “I promise you someday I’ll show you the best present ever.” As I flushed, he handed me a wrapped package. “But for now, there’s this.”

It was a heavy, wrapped rectangle. The words Debauve & Gallais were printed on royal blue-and-gold wrapping paper. I pulled off the paper and found a leather-bound book inside. It was the same royal-blue color with gold embossing around the edges and an elaborate design in the middle. I started to thank him for the book, but when I opened it, I realized it wasn’t an actual book. It was a box of expensive-looking chocolates.

“I heard the way to a woman’s heart is with chocolate.”

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