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Or to someone I loved.

Love.

I chewed on the word. I did love him. I loved his personality, the things he’d shared with me, our stolen heated moments. He’d never opened up a lot about his family. Then again, he’d been a bodyguard, so already he had been overstepping.

Right?

I exhaled and lifted the cup of coffee to my lips.

"Can’t. Sleep. With. Noise,” Ace’s muffled voice said into the pillow. “Why was your first instinct to turn on Friends? I don’t share food. I don’t like noise?—”

“Aw, it’s like Joey but has no personality. Wait, does that mean your blood sugar dropped? Do you need a protein bar to feed all those muscles this early? Should I keep them by the bed?”

"Are we bed partners now?” He groaned. “Say it isn’t so.”

"Oh, please, I’m a lovely bed partner.”

“Noise,” he repeated. “And you kick in your sleep.”

I smirked into my coffee mug. “Maybe I just wanted to make sure you were still breathing. Think of it as concern for my bodyguard.”

“Be concerned elsewhere.” He sat up and looked over at me.

I tried not to gasp but it was impossible to keep it in. His long hair was a mess all over his face, his green eyes penetrated mine in a way that made me feel naked, and his lips were slightly swollen like he’d sucked on them all night, and damn those cheekbones for cutting ice and doing hard work all night.

A knock sounded downstairs followed by the doorbell. I frowned and looked over at my phone.

Ten missed texts.

I’d had my phone on silent.

I quickly opened them.

Ivan

Your mom went on the trip, your dad stayed, he wants to come over and chat.

Ivan

Why aren’t you picking up? Where’s Ace?

Ivan

I know it’s early, I’ll show up first and brief you, I know the code to get in though I’ll give you a warning knock and loudly hit the doorbell so you aren’t naked.

I kept reading the texts, my head spinning, when I looked up and saw Ivan standing in the doorway staring us down, eyes wide. “Well that didn’t take long.”

Ace practically levitated away from the bed. “It’s not what you think. After the attack last night she got scared, I stayed on my side?—”

"He threatened to cut off my toes,” I said cheerfully. “As if I’m not already depressed as shit. I found it really conducive for a peaceful sleep.”

Ivan looked between us. “I’m honestly surprised you both survived.”

"Me too,” Ace grumbled.

"Heard that.” I threw a pillow toward him. “Put some clothes on. Not all of us have six packs. No need to show off, right Ivan?”

“I have a six pack.”