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I think for a moment, not able to think of anything, so I shake my head.

“Then I don’t think she’ll think anything of it. It’s not like it’s a rare model or color, right?”

“Right.” I nod.

“Stay here. Stay quiet.” It’s the last thing he says before he pulls the door closed.

I stare at the back of that door for a few long seconds, having to fight with the unsettling sensation of feeling like someone’s dirty little secret. Something that needs to be hidden away. And while I understand, and agree, that this is not the way for Lyric to find out, it doesn’t mean that I enjoy feeling this way.

Not able to stop myself, I move closer to the door when I hear voices. Pressing my ear to the wood, I shamelessly try to hear what they’re saying. Unfortunately, the noise of the TV doesn’t just drown outme, it also drowns out both of them.

Blowing out a hard breath, I make my way into the en suite bathroom.

After making quick and quiet work of cleaning myself up, I crawl into River’s bed, pulling the blankets up over my head to shield out the light pouring in through the window.

I don’t know how long I lie there. Twenty minutes. Forty. An hour. Two hours. The minutes bleed together, my eyelids growing heavier the more time that passes.

I must doze off completely at some point because one second I’m fighting sleep, and the next I’m blinking into the darkness of the room, a heavy weight draped across my middle.

It takes me longer than it should to realize it’s River, his deep breathing the only sound in the otherwise silent room. One of his legs is thrown over mine, his arm draped across my stomach. His face buried in the side of my neck, his breath warming my skin.

I take a brief moment to let myself soak in the incredible feel of him before my mind focuses on other matters.

How long was I asleep?

I crane my neck to be able to see the clock on the bedside table.

It’s just after four. My head is so upside down right now, it takes a long moment for my sleep-riddled brain to decide whether it’s four in the morning or in the afternoon, though the fact the only light in the room is the soft glow that spills in from the hallway, I figure it’s morning, otherwise the sun would be spilling in through the window.

Resting my head back on the pillow, I stare up at the dark ceiling, my hand finding River’s arm that’s draped across my middle. I begin numbly tracing shapes with my fingertips as I listen to him breathe.

How long was Lyric here?

Why was she here?

Did she suspect anything?

These are the questions that plague my brain as I struggle to reclaim the sleep that my body so desperately needs. Even now, after sleeping for several hours, I can still feel the exhaustion of this weekend deep in my bones.

It’s not lost on me that I’m supposed to leave today. The thought sends unease sliding through my chest.

I know that as soon as I walk out that door, everything will be different. It’s easy here, inside our private bubble. As effortless as breathing. But out there, in the real world, the simplicity of our relationship, for lack of a better word, is gone.

For all I know, this will all be over the instant I’m gone.

River said he couldn’t get me out of his system, which is code for let me fuck you out of my system instead. And given the way we’ve been going at it like rabbits for two solid days, I imagine he’s probably getting close to that point. Then again, I felt the same way, and yet, I feel nowhere near getting him out of my system. If anything, I only want him more. It’s not hard to see why that’s a very big problem.

If he ghosts me again, it won’t just be a scrape, it will be a cut so deep that not even the best surgeon would be able to stop the bleeding. Because even though my body is still learning his touch, my heart has been in this game a lot longer than the last two days, even if I’ve been reluctant to admit as much.

The thought should scare me, and I guess in a way it does, but it also strengthens my resolve.

I’ve never been someone who gives up without a fight and I’m sure as hell not about to start now.

It was different when we were just talking. But now things are different.

The days of playing fair are over. And I will utilize every weapon in my arsenal to get exactly what I want.

Him...