Page 49

49

JULIET

A little while later, after we had cleaned up, Romeo stroked his fingers through my hair as we lay facing each other in bed.

“Talking to you at night like this feels so normal, except now you’re here,” I murmured.

He pulled me tight to his chest and pressed a leg between mine, hitching it so my top leg was forced to sling around his hip. “I much prefer it this way,” he said, voice low.

I wiggled a little so we were even closer, our foreheads resting together, and he stroked his fingers across my skin.

“Do you like the apartment?”

“Yeah, it’s amazing.” The entire back wall of the apartment was pretty much all windows with an incredible view of Central Park.

“Do you feel safe here?”

“I know there’s good security.”

“No, I mean…” He tightened his arms around me, his hand cradling the back of my head as he pressed my face into the crook of his neck. “I mean, does it feel safe, like one of your safe places? You said you only felt safe in your apartment, the bookstore, and the bagel shop. I want this to feel like one of your safe places.”

A lump formed in my throat, and I wrapped my arms around him. “Yeah. It feels like one of my safe places.” Or at least, it felt like it could become one. I still felt uneasy here, especially if Romeo was gone, but I wasn’t panicking. It had nothing to do with the actual apartment or the security and had everything to do with Romeo.

I was pretty sure I would feel safe wherever he was.

“I have to take care of some shit tomorrow and I’ll be gone for a lot of the day.” He played with my hair, curling and uncurling the ends around his fingers.

My heart sank, but I kept my tone light. “That’s okay. I know you have to work. I’ll be fine here.”

His lips brushed the top of my head. “I don’t want to leave. Fuck work.”

“Are you going to be okay to work? Shouldn’t you get sick days?”

He chuckled. “It’s just a few bruises. I’ll be fine.”

I pressed a kiss to his throat. “If you’re sure.”

“I’m sure. I’ll be checking in with you throughout the day, and you can always call me if you need anything.”

I nodded and hugged him tighter. I already missed him.