Chapter 14
There’s nothing more stimulating than shooting out of a bed that’s not yours because of a shitty night terror. The confusion hit me first, along with a pounding heart. I don’t know how the heck I didn’t wake Danielle up.
Oh, wait a minute, she’s not even in the bed.
She must have snuck out last night and joined Chase downstairs.
I think it’s funny how she sees me as a mother figure in ways.
There’s so much irony behind that, considering my personal experiences in life.
They must have hit it off very well yesterday.
I won’t deny that I thoroughly enjoyed our entire day with the boys.
I try my hardest to go back to sleep. But I’m tossing from side to side, and my mind won’t rest after that fricking dream. Fuck it, I’m going downstairs. I give Lottie a couple of head rubs and tell her to stay on the bed like she understands me.
Honestly, I think she really does. I shut the door just in case she wasn’t listening.
Stopping outside the bedroom door, I notice Theo’s door open. The moon is shining onto the bed where his peaceful sleeping body lays. Theo is lying on his stomach with his arms wrapped around a pillow. He’s shirtless with nothing but his boxers on.
With the moon’s help, I can see every curve and cut from his back muscles. Thank you for the steamy view, moon.
I wonder how it would feel to lie next to him.
It’s been so long since I’ve had a man’s touch.
If I’m being honest, Noah was nothing close to a man.
He was an immature boy that didn’t give two shits about my emotions.
Theo is so much more. He carries himself well, and I see a gentleman when I look at him.
So badly I want to crawl into his bed and feel his warmth against my bare skin.
How thrilling it would be to trace every curve and muscle that runs along his sculptured back.
Or to lay my head against his chest and feel his tender heart beating with life.
Sometimes I wonder how mine is still beating with all the battle wounds it bears.
Just as I realize that I’ve been staring at Theo in the doorway for too long, in the dark, in nothing but an oversized t-shirt and panties, he shifts in the bed. I panic and try to B line it down the hall, but before I make it to the stairs, I hear Theo call my name.
His voice is so deep and filled with sleep. I rest my head on the wall beside the stairs for a moment. What a fucking creep you are, Olive.
I slowly walk back to his room, preparing to explain why I was hawking him in the dark like a weirdo. Just as I turn to walk into the room, I slam straight into a shirtless Theo. Not only do our bodies collide, but so do our heads.Great work, Olive.
I definitely won’t be going back to sleep for a while now. I don’t even know what time it is, but so much has happened and all I can do right now is say sorry repeatedly.
Theo seems to get a kick out of this. How the hell does someone laugh after waking up to a strange figure standing in a dark hallway? And then knocking noggins with that same creep immediately after. The creep being me, of course.
Theo grabs my face and rubs close to where our heads had collided. “Olive, what the hell are you doing?” he says with amusement behind his eyes. His hands are so big, I can feel small calluses on his palms, which show how well he works with his hands.
Before I can answer, he realizes he’s still holding my face and pulls away quickly.
Without thinking, I reach up and place my hands where his once were. “I uh, had a bad dream,” I say barely above a whisper.
The moon is the only form of light in this room, but I can easily make out his facial expressions. His appearance softens as he examines my body language. “So, what brought you to my doorway?”
Fuck. I was hoping he’d forgotten that part, after our head-butt connection.
There’s no real answer to that question, so I just run with it.
“Just couldn’t go back to sleep. I was heading downstairs, and you just, I don’t know, looked so relaxed.
I’m sorry for startling you.” I give him a weak smile.
He gives a sleepy grin in return. “You’re forgiven, Olive. But you interrupted a pretty good dream.”
I squint my eyes at him. “Oh, was it about me?” I say jokingly.
For a moment he does nothing but slowly look me up and down. His eyes seem to grow hungry. “Mmm, maybe it was. Nice sleepwear, by the way.”
I quickly grab the bottom of my shirt, trying to pull it down further; it reaches close to my mid-thigh. But if I were to bend over, he’d see that I have nothing more than a thin piece of cloth covering down there.
Theo catches me pulling at my shirt anxiously. He inches towards me and softly wraps his massive hands around my shoulders. “Olive, I’m just messing with you. I think you look rather cute in nothing but a t-shirt.” I watch him trail his toxic eyes down below my waist.
I slap his hands away in a playful but serious manner and scoff. “How dare you, I am wearing something under my shirt, just so you know.” Before thinking, I yank my shirt up exposing my thin black lace panties. So dumbfounded by my actions, I turn on my heel to run out the door.
But before I can escape my embarrassment, Theo grabs my arm and twirls me around. I look up and see him gaping down at me. Our mouths are only a couple of inches apart. His breathing has changed course.
We both stand quietly, just two hearts beating at a rapid pace. I look between his eyes and his mouth. His full lips are slightly parted. The sight of it causes me to bite my bottom lip. His grip tightens on my arm slightly.
He lets out a long exhale. “You can’t do things like that in front of me and expect me to be good, Olive.” His words cause me to sway back. He doesn’t let go of my arm, which prevents me from stumbling backyards. He speaks again before I can process what he just growled at me. “Come sit with me.”
He finally releases my arm, and the disconnection from his touch makes my chest ache. Theo gives me a reassuring look before heading for the bed.
A tiny piece of me whispers turn around and go back to my room, but a big part of me screams, “Girl get in that damn bed with him!” Which takes little to no convincing.
I awkwardly climb on the bed beside him, trying to hold my shirt down so that I don’t foolishly show my panties again. I sit close but ensure there’s distance between us. I’m still baffled at everything that has occurred in the last hour. How the hell did I end up in this bed beside him?
We sit in silence for a while, gazing out the window at the moon.
Theo asks questions about my family, hobbies I like, and so on.
I ask the same of him. I briefly mention Mom and her battles.
I even talk about my childhood and some things Nora and I endured.
I share a lot about Nora and how much she means to me and give small details about Jake and how it’s affected her.
It’s refreshing to get things off my chest, even if they are only the breadcrumbs of my life. Theo sits quietly, soaking in every word. I feel safe and comfortable having this deep conversation with him.
There is a sliver of me that wants to tell him about Noah.
He needs to know where my hesitation emerges from, but every time I go to speak on it, the words won’t form.
Maybe I’m worried about how he’ll react to it.
What if he looks at me differently? I already feel shame towards myself.
I’m unsure if I can accept him potentially judging me for my past decisions that I’m still trying to move on from.
Fuck Noah, but the wounds he created will always hover. I understand that if Theo and I continue this, I must let him know. For now, it’ll have to wait. The right time will come.
We talk about his family a lot. His parents were high school sweethearts and have been together since.
He has one adopted sister, and her name is Emma.
She just turned nine recently. She’s his cousin on his dad’s side.
Unfortunately, her biological mom and dad are in active addiction, in and out of jail and rehab.
They didn’t hesitate to sign their rights over to Theo’s parents when she was only four.
I feel so much for that little girl; her experiences remind me a lot of myself and my past battles. Thank goodness his parents saved her. Theo seems so proud when he talks about her; it warms my heart to see the love he has for that girl. Maybe I’ll get the chance to meet her one day.
Aside from Danielle, I’ve never had someone want to hear about me or my life.
And I’ve never been much for opening up to people, but Theo makes it easy to let go.
He’s soaked in every word, and I think he’d listen to me talk for hours longer if he could have it his way.
Never in a million years would I have guessed I’d be here in this moment with this man.
Let’s not forget his good looks and catching features. He has been shirtless the entire time, and I’ve caught myself staring at his toned chest different times. Theo is all man. Point. Blank. Fucking period.
Thump, thump, thump. I squint my eyes open; it’s so bright in this room. I wonder what time it is. Or when I went to sleep finally? Thump, thump, thump. What the hell is that loud pounding in my ear?
I take a moment to process the sound and orient myself.
Whoa, somehow, I fell asleep on Theo’s chest. My left arm is resting across his stomach.
I turn my head and look up; he is still slightly sitting up on his pillow.
His arm is gripping around my bare waist. Mind you, my shirt is bunched up to just right under my breast. Okay, now I’m panicking.
How in the hell did I get myself in this position?
Last night, we sat together in this bed and delved into an in-depth discussion about many aspects of our lives.
We shared stories, exchanged thoughts, and explored various perspectives.
Neither of us asked or checked what time it was; time meant nothing.
It was the two of us exploring each other’s thoughts.
Most guys would rather jump to business and get their dick wet.
But not for one second did I think that was Theo’s intention.
His body is so warm against mine. His heart beats strong and steady.
It’s what I imagine a pure unbroken heart sounds like.
I could stay in this position forever. This intimate feeling is so new to me that I would be okay with it sticking around for a while.
His muscular arm rests along my side, while his hand secures my waist tightly.
Shit, this feels too intimate. This is moving faster than it needs to. This man doesn’t understand what he’s potentially getting himself into. My life is toxic and depressing, and anyone who tries nudging their way in ends up poisoned by it.
I gently grab his forearm, and his grip on my waist loosens.
I slowly slide his arm from my side, but he doesn’t budge.
Thank goodness. I feel like a ninja on a mission to escape my enemy’s territory.
I finally make it off the bed and tiptoe towards the door.
I’m so glad he didn’t just witness my pathetic attempt.
Just as my hand grabs the door frame, I hear Theo shift in the bed. I hesitantly look over my shoulder. What are the odds that he’s now sitting on the edge of the bed. His disheveled hair is so adorable, indicating that he had a good night’s rest.
I turn fully around and rub my hands together nervously. He grips the mattress on either side of him. I watch his shoulders and chest flex, showing off how fit he is. I can still feel my head laying against his impressive pecks.
Theo gives me a sly look. “Those were great bailing skills, Olive,” he says teasingly.
Pinching the bridge of my nose, I whisper in response, “Sorry, I needed to use the restroom and didn’t want to wake you. You seemed so comfortable.”
He gives me a nod and runs his hand through his blond locks. “ I was, thanks to you.”
My cheeks become warm and tinted with pink. Surely, he doesn’t notice the way his words impact my body. As if reading each other’s minds, we say nothing more. Things are about to get insanely interesting.