Chapter 26 Phoebe
PHOEBE
Oh no. I turn off my TV, wincing. They lost. Again. Ollie looks so dejected as he skates off the ice. He scored the team’s only goal. It’s not his fault the New York team scored two.
I don’t know if he’ll answer, but I text anyway.
Me: Great goal!
Ollie: Thanks. Sucks there was only one of them.
Me: You’re one person on a team. It’s not only your job to get goals. And it’s Brick’s job to keep theirs out. You’ll be home for the next game and can turn it around.
Ollie: We’re coming home tonight, no one wants to go out. We want to be home.
Me: Let me know your ETA, and I’ll pick you up.
Ollie: No, I’m getting a ride home with Colby, don’t wait up.
Ouch. But he called it home, and that makes my tummy flip.
Me: Okay. Where are you sleeping? Your bed will arrive in the afternoon.
Ollie: Oh. Yeah. I can sleep on the couch.
Me: You can share mine, but it’s smaller than you’re used to.
Ollie: Guess we’ll have to cuddle. Darn.
Forget flipping, my tummy is doing twists and handsprings and cartwheels too.
Me: Where are you?
Ollie: Bus.
Me: Oh, good. Text me when you’re on the way home with Colby. Do you need anything to eat?
Ollie: You.
Taking a sip of water was a mistake because I start choking on it when I read that.
“What?” Andie says from her spot at the other end of the couch. She’s on her phone, probably texting with Colby. She swears they’re only friends, and maybe they haven’t done anything physical yet, but they’re moving toward friends-with-benefits territory.
“Nothing,” I say quickly.
She gives me a knowing smirk. “If it was nothing, you wouldn’t be turning as red as a cherry tomato.”
Ollie: I meant I only need to see you. I’m not hungry. For food. Shit. Shutting up now. I swear I’m sober, awkward AF as usual. Text you when I’m on the way home with Colby. Bye.
Now I’m red and grinning from ear to ear. He is so adorable.
Me: Be safe. See you when you get here.
Should I? Is it going to be weird? Screw it.
Me: :kissy face emoji:
Ollie: :blushing face emoji:
I put my phone down and meet Andie’s eyes. There’s a flush on her cheeks to match Ollie’s emoji. Maybe her text convo with Colby was flirty too?
I nudge her leg with my toes. “Ollie’s riding home with Colby, do you want to hang here until they arrive? Colby will walk you home.” I wink. “Or to his house.”
“We’re friends! Like you and Ollie.”
That makes me squirm. “Ollie and I are engaged.”
“Uh-huh. And Colby and I are friends.”
Why do I feel like I’m playing verbal chicken with my business partner and friend?
Is she lying about being friends, like how Ollie and I are lying about being engaged?
Or is she telling the truth about being friends, like how Ollie and I are truthfully engaged?
This is so confusing. I can’t read the meaning behind her smirk.
“Okay, what do you want to do while we wait for them?” I ask.
She wiggles her brows mischievously. “Plan your wedding?”
“No. We’re not even thinking about the wedding until after our show and their season. We need to focus on those things first.” That’s not a lie.
In the end, we watch Shifters At Sea, a reality show about the crew of a charter yacht catering to rich shifters. I couldn’t do it. The thought of being trapped on a boat in such close quarters with coworkers seems like hell to me.
It’s shortly after one in the morning when I hear a key in the lock. Butterflies take flight in my tummy as I get up to welcome Ollie. He stops short when he walks in.
“Hey,” he says when he sees me standing there. He looks tired. And like he needs a hug.
“Hey,” I reply, stepping up to him, wrapping my arms around his waist, and resting my cheek on his chest, where I can feel his strong, steady heartbeat. The tension in his body melts as he rests his cheek on my hair with a sigh.
“Oh, Phoebe, I needed this. Need you.”
“Talk to you later, Phoebe,” Andie says as she scoots past us to where Colby waits on the porch. To either walk her home or walk her to his house—don’t know, don’t care. All that matters is that Ollie is home.
“I missed you,” I murmur, blinking at the unexpected tears flooding my eyes.
His arms tighten around me like we can’t be close enough.
“Can I get you something to eat? Do you need anything?” I ask.
“Sleep. Holding you.”
“Okay.”
I step out of his embrace and take his hand. Telling the lights to turn off by voice control, I lead Ollie into my bedroom.
“It’s not a Bigfoot-size bed, but I’m happy to share with you,” I say, standing before my standard queen-size bed.
“Looks heavenly to me. I’m exhausted. My bed and car arrive this afternoon.”
I tug on his hand. “Okay, well, get ready and we’ll go to bed. I’m getting a bottle of water, want one?”
“Yeah, thanks.”
I leave him to get changed and see him go to “his” bedroom where his clothes are.
After getting us each a bottle of water and placing them on the nightstands, I go into the bathroom connected to this bedroom and change into a pair of cotton knit pj’s with a pink T-shirt and matching shorts.
Nothing sexy, but it’s feminine and comfortable.
I’ve finished brushing my teeth and doing my bedtime routine when Ollie walks in, wearing his glasses with a faded blue T-shirt and dark gray knit shorts. Yum. I want to swoon.
We stand there looking at each other. I think we’re both unsure what to do.
“What side of the bed do you want?” I ask.
He shrugs. “I don’t care. But would it be okay if we cuddled a bit? I think I got spoiled. Can’t sleep alone now.”
Ouch. It’s not that he can’t sleep without me, it’s that he can’t sleep alone.
So if it’s not me, he’ll find someone else to share his bed and hold on to.
I need to remember that and not get too attached.
Okay, I’m already attached. I need to work on detaching and remembering that this may be temporary.
The best I can do is teach him so some other lucky bitch can benefit.
At least I’ll get him for a little while.
Yeah, I’m altruistic, not needy. But first, get through tonight. Or what’s left of it.
“Okay, I’ll take this side, and you take the other.
It’s going to be a tight fit because you’re so big.
” I flush hotly when I realize what I’ve said and how it could be interpreted.
By the blush staining his cheeks, Ollie’s brain is working the same way mine is.
Great. Tonight is not the night to do anything about it.
Not enough time. Not enough room in my normal-size queen bed.
“Do you want to spoon?” he asks. “Is it weird to ask that?” He pushes his hand through his hair and gives a little tug. “I hate being so fucking clueless.”
“Hey.” I rest my left hand on his chest and spy my engagement ring. I love it. I’d never thought about an engagement ring because I didn’t ever expect to receive one, but it’s perfect. Of course it is—it’s from Ollie. “You’re fine, it’s me. I’m a sure thing. We’re already engaged.”
He rests his hand over mine, his big fingers gently toying with my ring.
“Yeah, but what if I don’t get to keep you?”
It’s on the tip of my tongue to tell him I’m his for the asking, but he suddenly yawns so hugely his jaw cracks. Poor man, he’s exhausted.
I give his muscular pec a pat and pull my hand away.
“Come on, let’s get to bed and get some sleep,” I say while stepping back from Ollie to climb into my side. I turn off the lamp on my nightstand, and the room is dark except for a sliver of moonlight. He slides in on his side and scoots to meet me in the middle.
As his arms wrap around me, he lets out the deepest, most heartfelt sigh.
His arm tightens around my abdomen, like he wants me even closer to him.
I have no complaints when he nuzzles the back of my neck and presses a ghost of a kiss against my nape.
I can tell by his deep breaths that he’s fallen asleep already.
Poor guy, he’s exhausted. I’m glad that he’s comfortable enough with me to be able to relax so easily.
Following his lead, I lay my hand over his and link our fingers.
Even in his sleep, he senses it and gives a gentle flex that I feel not only on my hand but on my heart.
* * *
Why did I say I’d work today? It’s not baking, it’s working the counter, so I don’t have to be there as early.
But still, my alarm going off at half past five, when I didn’t fall asleep until almost two, is way too early.
Especially when I’m being cuddled by Ollie.
This is why I want to win Pastry Pro so badly—so I can stay in bed with my partner and hopefully someday get kids off to school in the morning before I chain myself to my mixer and oven.
Or only do it a couple of days a week and not five of them.
Unlinking our hands, I try to gently lift Ollie’s arm so I can slide out of bed, but he’s having none of that.
“Where you going?” he mumbles, tightening his grip.
Rolling over so I can face him, I push his hair off his forehead. He’s adorable when he’s sleep-rumpled, and his brown eyes are soft and slightly unfocused in the very early light of the morning.
“Work. Short day today, only until noon. Working the counter, no baking. Light day.”
“Stay,” he mumbles, wrapping his arm more snuggly around me and throwing a leg over mine.
In this position, his semi-hard cock is pressed against my stomach, and wowser.
If he’s like that when he’s barely awake, I can only imagine how impressive it is when he’s fully in the moment and feeling desire, not responding biologically.
“Ollie,” I whisper, “I can’t. Go back to sleep. By the time you’re up for the day, I’ll be home. I’m off tomorrow and Monday so I can go to your game and not turn into a pumpkin. I’m going to Tuesday’s game too.”
Why did I tell him everything now? He doesn’t need all the information. He needs to sleep. Pressing a quick kiss on his cheek, I wiggle out of his embrace.