Stay For Me - Megan Smith Page 0,52

get up right this second because it’s going to make this an awkward situation with me sporting a hard on.

“Just a second.”

Layla starts in without me, when she’s out of sight I stand from my chair and adjust myself so I don’t look like some fucking creep.

Layla is waiting for me in the kitchen with a smile on her face. “Does it feel weird that you aren’t tucking Fallon into bed tonight or even checking on her?”

After the first week of them moving in Fallon insisted that I be the one who tucks her in because I do it better than Layla does. “Yeah, a little bit.” I do miss it but I’m enjoying myself a little more here with just Layla.

She gets this glimmer in her eye. “You can tuck me in if you want.”

A smirk comes across my lips. “Well, let’s get you to bed then.”

Layla and I go upstairs and into her room. She grabs a t-shirt since the one she was wearing is still outside and slips it on over her head. She watches me from the corner of her eyes as she pulls down her pants and steps out of them. I try to look away but I fail. Her legs, her fucking legs, they get me every damn time. Layla knows it to so of course she’s doing everything in her power to get a rise out of me. Mission fucking accomplished.

I take the few steps over to her bed and pull back the blankets for her. Layla climbs in and lies on the left side of the bed. I wait until she gets comfortable, then lean over her body and tuck the covers under her body just like I do with Fallon.

I kiss her forehead and say, “Goodnight, don’t let the bed bugs bite.”

Layla giggles just as Fallon does.

I walk over the door and reach up on the wall to turn the light off.

“Eli?”

“Yeah?” I don’t turn around because I just can’t look at her lying there.

“Stay.”

I glance over my shoulder towards her. “I can’t.” I whisper. “It’s not a good idea.”

She waits a moment and just as I take another step forward I hear the words that break my resolve.

“Stay for me.”

Without waiting another second I go back into her room and climb into bed with her.

“Thank you.” Layla says snuggling up to the side of me.

“You’re welcome.” I sigh loudly and decide to bite the fucking bullet. “Layla, I know we have feelings for each other but I also know what happened in your past. I’d like to see where things go between us. I want more than just friends with you.”

“I’d like that, too.”

“You would?” I ask in surprise. I mean I know she likes me but I didn’t think it would be this easy.

She laughs softly. “Yeah, I just…” She lifts her head so she can see me. “I just need to take it slow, okay?”

I nod. “I can do slow for you.”

This is going to be one long ass night. I’ll never sleep having her this close to me and not touching her. I’m sure if I tried, she’d let me, but that’s not what tonight is about. This is taking another step forward and I’m not about to take two steps back.

Layla

It’s a late summer afternoon when we pull up to First Energy Park where the BlueClaws are playing. After Eli suggested we go to a game, Jaylinn was able to score us enough seats so that we could all go with her.

I don’t understand a thing about baseball besides the pitcher throwing the ball at the batter and them hitting it, so when Cooper is up he hits the ball out of the park. Jaylinn and Eli are up on their feet and I’m just sitting here wondering why they are so excited.

“Damn, that was a nice home run.” Eli comments.

“He’s having a great game.” Jaylinn smiles happily.

“Um, what the hell just happened? He hit the ball over all the guys’ heads.”

Jaylinn and Eli both look at me and they start cracking up. Jaylinn is laughing so hard she’s wiping tears from her eyes. “You really don’t know anything about baseball, do you?”

I give her a pointed look. I hate feeling stupid.

“That was a home run, babe.” Eli tells me. “It means that he scored and so did the guy who was on second base. The score is now four to one.”

Now it makes sense why they were so excited for him. Fallon is sitting next