Total pages in book: 120
Estimated words: 117740 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 589(@200wpm)___ 471(@250wpm)___ 392(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 117740 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 589(@200wpm)___ 471(@250wpm)___ 392(@300wpm)
It was a dangerous thing to do, and I knew that. Fantasising about things I couldn’t have was a one-way ticket to some serious heartache, but right now, I didn’t care.
More to the point, I didn’t want to care.
“If you promise to actually let me sleep, then I suppose you can stay,” I replied softly, running my hands along his arms. “And if you ever tell anyone I gave into your cute, clingy act…”
“You’ll punch me.”
“Good, good.” I spun in his arms. “But I have no pyjamas.”
“Neither do I,” he replied, grinning. “Don’t tell me you’re shy.”
I rolled my eyes and removed myself from his hold. “Don’t be daft. I need to tell my parents I won’t be home tonight.”
“That’s a sentence I never thought I’d hear a grown woman say.”
I grabbed my phone, sitting on the edge of the bed, and poked my tongue out at him. “I’m sorry some of us still live with our parents. Not all of us can inherit a dukedom and vast estate from our grandparents.”
“Technically,” he said, pulling off the towel. “I also live with my mother.”
Huh. He did, didn’t he?
“Does she know you won’t be home tonight?” I raised my eyebrows at him.
“She doesn’t care.” He snorted as he pulled on his boxers. “Besides, I just told her to stay out of my private life, so if I told her I wasn’t going back to the main house, she’d probably ask me what the hell I’m telling her for.”
That sounded exactly like something Eleanor would say to him.
“Here.” He tossed me his t-shirt, and I stared at it. “You want something to wear while you sleep, right?”
“I…” The fabric was soft to the touch, and I held it close. “Yeah. Thanks.”
His lips twitched into a tiny smile, and I quickly pulled it over my head. It had a distinct tropical scent, a bit like mangoes and pineapple, and I paused to sniff it.
“I’m slightly jealous that you’re sniffing the t-shirt and not me.”
“Oh, shut up,” I said. “What fabric softener do you use?”
Oliver cocked his head to the side, amusement flashing in his eyes. “Why?”
“Because I like the scent of it, obviously.”
“Yes, obviously.” He paused. “I don’t know. Do I look like I do laundry?”
Of course, he didn’t do laundry. Such a menial task was far too below his noble station.
“I’ll find out,” he said after throwing himself on the bed. “Do you have a preference?”
“Hm? For what?”
“A side of the bed.”
I snorted, sitting down and unlocking my phone. “Yes, I’ll take the middle.”
He groaned, tugging on the covers. “You’re a starfisher? I should have known.”
I merely grinned as I shot a message to my mother telling her I wouldn’t be home, then quickly flipped to Isa’s chat.
ME: If my mother asks, I’m at your place tonight.
Her response was immediate.
ISA: But I’m on duty tonight at the emergency vet.
ME: Does my mother know that?
ISA: I can’t imagine why she would.
ME: Then just tell her I camped at yours.
ISA: …Are you shagging the duke again?
ME: Not right this second, no.
ISA: Well, if I have to work all night, at least one of us should get some.
ME: Is that a yes?
ISA: Will I cover for you while you hop, skip, and jump all over that handsome devil of a duke and I’m making a bread-loving dog puke his guts up? Yes.
ME: You could have just said yes. I didn’t need the life story.
ISA: I hope you dream of a puking dog.
ME: I love you, too.
“That’s enough of her,” I muttered, instantly putting my phone down.
Oliver raised his eyebrows. “Isadora?”
“She’s making a dog throw up because it stole bread,” I answered, sliding under the covers he was holding out. “Not the visual I wanted before I sleep.”
“So, you thought you’d share it with me?”
“Sharing is caring.”
He groaned and scooted across the bed, tugging me against his body. I rolled towards him, and as his arm slipped under my neck, I rested my head on his chest and snuggled into his side. A low hum vibrated through his body as he wrapped his arm around me and our legs tangled together, practically locking us in place.
My arm lay over his stomach, and he took my hand with his, gently toying with my fingers.
This… was annoyingly nice.
Oliver was warm, and the rhythmic beating of his heart under my head was soothing. I almost felt as if I’d fall asleep right away if I closed my eyes right now.
Which was bad.
Very, very bad.
I pushed those thoughts out of my mind and wriggled in even closer to him, and he chuckled quietly.
“Now who’s being clingy and cute?” he murmured into my hair.
“Shut your stupid mouth.” I pressed my face into his chest as he continued laughing, squeezing me against him.
“I would, but you told me I had to let you sleep.”