Stripped Love (Guys Next Door #1) - Baylin Crow Page 0,54

to piss.

With slow movements, I tried to roll him off me but he clutched me tighter. I chuckled and he frowned as he was jostled.

"Stop moving, I'm sleeping." His whispered words were quickly followed by another snore.

I shook his shoulder. "Sorry, Arch, but you gotta get off me. My leg’s bothering me."

"Are you okay?" He blinked puffy eyes and swiped his messy curls from his forehead as he slowly lifted himself.

"Yeah, just need to get up and walk it off." With stiff limbs, I rose from the bed. “Are you sore this morning?”

He flopped back onto my black silk covered pillow and pulled the deep gray covers to his chin. "No, I’m sleepy."

“Did you know that you snore? I don’t think I’ve ever told you.” Opening my drawer, I fished out a fresh pair of boxers and slid them on.

Archer yawned, stretching his arms over his head. “I do not.”

My lips curled into a grin. “You do. Tonight, I’m going to record it and show you.”

His eyes narrowed to slits and his arms fell like bricks to the bed. “You wouldn’t.”

“Oh, I absolutely would. Be right back.” Turning away from my adorable, cranky boyfriend, I limped into the kitchen, grabbing two waters and a bottle of pain medicine before returning to Archer. Sitting on the edge of the bed, I shook out two pills and held them out to him. With a groan, he sat up and held out his hand where I dropped them into his cupped palm.

Archer accepted the bottle and popped the pills into his mouth, chasing them with greedy gulps of water. “I told you I was fine. I’m not going to break, you know.”

“That’s not a risk I’m willing to take.” My lips kicked up on one side and he snorted. "I was going to take you out for breakfast, but I'm thinking maybe I'll just go grab something and bring it back."

He nodded and rested his back against the headboard, covers pooling in his lap. "Maybe a lazy day in bed?" His tone was adorably hopeful.

“Sound like a plan to me.” It was Sunday and the only day we both had off and I couldn’t think of a way I’d rather spend it. As I sipped on my water, I headed for my closet and pulled a pair of dark jeans and a black shirt from their hangers. "Maybe we could work on your book," I suggested as I pulled on the jeans.

He tunneled back beneath the blankets and buried his face in the pillow so that his reply was muffled. "That sounds good. I'll run over and get it later."

“Any special requests? They have muffins, bagels, donuts…”

Instead of answering me, I received a lazy wave. I chuckled as I finished dressing and gathered my rings and necklace, slipping them on before I rounded the bed, dropping a kiss on his forehead he didn’t seem to register. His breathing was deep and even. He’d already fallen back asleep.

I chuckled as I left the room in search for my keys, eventually finding them on the floor by the door where I must have dropped them in my hurry to get Archer in bed.

Locking the door behind me, I settled into my car and headed for the small bakery that made the fluffiest muffins with fresh strawberries—nearly identical to the ones I’d eaten every morning in Nashville. I ordered an assorted pack of six and two coffees, in case Archer decided he wanted one for a change, and hoped would stay hot in the closed cups. On a whim, I also swung by the grocery store and bought a cookies-and-cream ice cream cake for Archer.

As I pulled back into the driveway, I groaned under my breath. Isaac, with his mostly gray hair loose from his usual ponytail and wearing a pair of shorts and shirt with ripped sleeves, was wheeling his trash bin to the street. He paused when I parked, lifting his hand in a lazy wave. After a bit of adjusting things around, I climbed out of the car with arms full of Archer's favorite dessert and clearly food and coffee for two people.

Isaac eyed the contents and smirked. "Tell my nephew I said good mornin’."

Not a blusher, my cheeks still heated as I struggled to hold everything. I cleared my throat. "Actually, he’s asleep, and I need his book from upstairs. Can I grab it?"

"Looks like you have your hands full. I'll get it." As he shot me a smug grin, I decided