up.”
I looked around the room as I started to pull my hand free. It was getting late and the last thing I should do is pass out in his bed. “I should—”
“You should stay.”
My gaze swung back to his. “Come again?”
“You can stay.”
“I… I don’t know.” That seemed like a big step toward… toward I didn’t know what and I wasn’t sure he wanted me here. Yes, he’d saved my life. Yes, he called me sunshine and hadn’t taken advantage of me. But he said he wanted me… more than anyone he ever wanted, and that was, well, that couldn’t be true.
I didn’t think that because I had low self-esteem or anything. I was just realistic. I knew what I was—what I looked like. I also now knew that he hadn’t been with anyone in two years. He probably wanted anything more than anyone at this point.
And that shouldn’t matter. It really shouldn’t.
But it did nonetheless.
So that meant I really, really should go before I got in over my head when it already felt like I was there.
Tugging my hand free, I went to sit up and it took a moment, but I did it. “I do need to go. Tink will worry.”
“Tink.” Caden murmured the brownie’s name as he sat up much faster and more gracefully than I did. “He’s staying with you?”
I nodded as my gaze fell to my ruined jacket. Probably best it stayed here, which meant I wasn’t able to take the stake with me. “I guess until Ivy gets back and so does Fabian.”
“Do you wonder why he didn’t go with my brother?” he asked.
“I have. I asked him why and he said he didn’t like Florida. I think he called it the Australia of the United States or something.” I reached up and could tell that my ponytail was half undone. I tried to tighten it, but gave up and just pulled the rubber band out.
“I like that.”
I glanced over my shoulder at him, and almost wished I hadn’t. The golden hue of his skin had returned and as he rose, his muscles did a whole lot of interesting things. “The whole Florida being Australia thing?”
“No. I have no idea if that is true, but I’ll take Tink’s word on it.” He faced me. “I meant your hair. I like it down.”
“Oh.” My hand floated to the ends of my hair as I shifted my gaze away from his, landed on his chest and decided that was worse, and then I ended up staring at my sneakers. “It’s a mess.”
“Sunshine,” he said, and then his hand was pulling mine away from my hair. He tugged me to my feet. “Still looks like sunshine.”
I didn’t know what to say to that. “I really need to go.”
I thought he’d let go, but when he didn’t, I looked up just as he pulled me to his warm chest. His arms went around me, holding me tight, and I… God, I liked that. I can’t say I didn’t know why I did what I did next. I know why I did, because I wanted to.
Drawing in a shallow breath, I closed my eyes and leaned in, resting my cheek against his chest. When was the last time I was hugged like this? I felt the next breath he took. When was the last time he’d hugged someone like this?
“Thank you,” he said, voice rough as he rubbed my back, following the line of my spine. “Thank you for what you did tonight.”
“It’s no big deal.”
He chuckled, the sound untried but nice. “You know that’s not true.” Pulling back, he dragged those hands up to my cheeks. “Thank you, Brighton.”
“You’re welcome.”
He held me a moment longer as he glided his thumbs over my cheeks, and I thought he might not let go. He might insist that I stay, and if he did, I… would, no matter how much of a bad idea it would be.
But he let go.
Chapter 20
Tink was hanging upside down from my headboard, his wings spread out on either side of him and his little face inches from mine when I woke up.
That summed up how my Saturday morning was going.
“Were you watching me sleep?” I groaned, tugging the comforter up over my head. “Again?”
“I was making sure you were breathing,” he answered. “Your chest was barely moving. I was kind of worried.”
I rolled onto my side, keeping the comforter over my face. “You didn’t seem worried last night when you told me to feed Caden