Page 10

T hat morning of New Year’s Day, though a bit awkward, was pivotal for our relationship.

I haven’t really slept much. I sat at the edge of the bed, mask back on, watching her stirring beside me. Her hair was a pink mess all over the pillows, a bit of drool slipping past her parted lips, the scent of her perfume and arousal still hung in the air.

Finally, her fingers clutched at the sheets as she blinked up at me, her face contorting into something between confusion and horror. Not the worst reaction I’d ever gotten from a girl waking up next to me.

“Oh, fuck me,” she croaked, rubbing her temples as her sluggish brain fought to piece things together.

I tilted my head. “Good morning to you, too.”

She groaned, squeezing her eyes shut like she could rewind time if she just wished hard enough. Cute.

“I’m so sorry.”

I tsked. “For what?”

“For…” She waved a hand in the air, searching for the words. “Last night. Ugh, I can’t remember much. If I was, uh—”

“Too handsy?” I supplied.

She winced, a fresh wave of embarrassment washing over her. “Yeah.”

I chuckled, a deep, amused rumble that had her glancing up at me through her lashes. “Bunny, if I had a problem with you throwing yourself at me, I wouldn’t have spent the last year trying to get your attention.”

I let that sink in.

I could see the way her cheeks heated, the way her fingers fidgeted with the sheets, the way her breath hitched just a little.

I liked her like this. Soft. Hesitant. Shy.

And utterly mine .

“We made out just a little, and then you fell asleep. No big deal.”

“I didn’t do anything too embarrassing, did I?” she asked coyly, biting her bottom lip.

Well, you also confessed your feelings for me…

“Embarrassing how?”

“Um, I dunno… like talking in my sleep or something?”

“No.” I considered letting her go easily, but I enjoyed seeing her squirm too much. “You only humped my thigh.”

“Oh, God!” she whined, covering her face with a pillow. “I was feral, wasn’t I?” she muttered from under it.

“A little rabid. I liked it.”

She groaned louder, kicking her foot under the covers like that could shut me up. “Don’t make it worse.”

I laid on my side next to her, propping myself on my elbow as my fingers ghosted across her hip. “You’re not going to ask?” I teased, knowing damn well she could feel how naked she was under her dress.

She peeked at me from under the pillow. “What happened to my underwear?”

“You asked me to take it off,” I responded, to which she whimpered and hid her face again. I laughed, ripping it from her hands. “But don’t worry, we didn’t—”

“I know,” she cut in quickly. “I trust you.”

You really shouldn’t , I thought to myself.

“I enjoyed myself very much, though.” I leaned over her, my voice dropping to a whisper. “I loved the way you kissed me… the way your body felt against mine… Next time, I’ll make sure you don’t forget a single second. That’s a promise.”

Her skin flushed, her chest heaving, her eyes unfocused. “Can I take a shower? I feel gross,” she mumbled, as if she were looking for an escape.

She was still running away from her feelings… not realizing that I already had her in my web.

I nodded, standing up. “Of course. I’ll find you something to wear.”

She gave me a sleepy, grateful smile, then padded toward the bathroom, slipping from her dress on her way.

I watched.

Obviously, I fucking watched.

She wanted me to.

But the door clicked shut behind her too fast, and the sound of running water filled the room.

Such a naughty little girl.

I balled my fists. She had no idea how fucking hard it was to hold myself back and not follow her there.

I had tasted what it would be like to have her. To feel her heat pressed against me, her hands desperate and needy, her lips parted as she moaned my name… And it was better than what I’d imagined. How could I resist her now?

I exhaled sharply, forcing my thoughts into something more neutral. More controlled.

It wasn’t the right time.

But soon.

To distract myself, I ordered room service so she could have something greasy to eat to ease the hangover. It arrived just in time when she shut off the water.

When she finally emerged, steam trailing in her wake, her pink hair damp and her skin flushed from the heat, she wore a hotel robe. She smelled like luxury body wash and mint toothpaste. Completely unaware that she was standing in front of someone who had no fucking business being in her life.

And yet, here I was.

I had to clench my jaw to keep from grabbing her right then and there.

She tied the robe tighter around her waist, looking at me shyly. “I feel human again.”

“Doubtful.” Before she could say something stupid—like try to deny it—I stood up and stretched, rolling my shoulders. “Now, breakfast. Eat.”

She wrinkled her nose. “Ugh, I can’t.”

“Wrong answer.”

She groaned. “Ghost, no.”

“Ghost, yes.” I nudged the cart toward her, my voice dropping. “Come on, I’m not gonna let you starve your cute little ass after drowning yourself in tequila.”

Her fingers toyed with the hem of the robe, and for a second, I thought she might actually argue with me. Instead, she sighed and grabbed a plate.

Good girl .

By the time she finished, she sat cross-legged on the bed, looking less like a corpse and more like my Bunny again. She seemed comfortable—so comfortable that she forgot all about her phone until mine pinged with a notification.

“Nate is asking if you’re alive,” I told her after I checked the message.

“Gosh! Have you seen my—”

Before she finished, I pointed toward the nightstand where her purse was.

She immediately went to fish out her phone. “It’s dead. Do you have a—”

I nodded toward the opposite side where my charger was.

“Thank you.” As she waited for her phone to charge, her eyes never left mine. Finally, she asked, her voice quiet, “So… why the mask? I mean, it must have been off when we made out.”

I stared at her for a second. “I don’t know…” I said, my tone deliberately light, almost lazy. “I wasn’t sure how you were gonna react. Figured you wouldn’t remember a thing anyway.”

“I wish I did,” she muttered, more to herself. “You’re not gonna let me see you?” Her eyes flicked up. Curious. Hopeful. Maybe even a little hurt.

Her phone rang before I could respond.

Fucking timing.

She jumped, startled, then glanced at the screen. “Sorry. It’s Kendra—I better take this.”

I just nodded, and she picked up. I could hear her best friend freaking out through the speaker after Nate’s panic blast. Bunny’s voice dropped lower as she mentioned my name, and I could hear even more squeals on the other end of the line, which made her blush in embarrassment.

I chuckled.

“Um, it’s getting late,” she said once she hung up. “I should go. I’ve got a plane to catch in a few hours.”

The thought of her leaving made something cold ripple through me. But I grabbed a pair of fresh boxer briefs and one of my softest black t-shirts—oversized, worn thin, something she’d drown in—and tossed them her way. “Put these on. I’ll get you an Uber. Where are you staying?”

She caught them with a sheepish smile. “Thanks…” Then she gave me her hotel address, and I ordered her a ride.

Once she was dressed, she lingered near the door, fingers fidgeting, shoulders hunched like she was waiting for a reason to stay. She glanced back at me, as though she was hoping I would stop her.

I stepped forward and pulled her into a hug—one hand on her lower back, the other cradling her nape.

Close. Tight. Intimate.

She melted into it, her forehead resting against my chest.

“You’re welcome to stay, you know,” I murmured against her hair. “We can make a day out of it. I’ll extend the room, and I’m sure we can switch your flight for tomorrow.”

I felt the hesitation in her body before I even saw it in her face. She didn’t want to leave.

But she would.

Because she wasn’t ready to admit it yet. Not to herself. Not to me.

“We’ll… stay in touch?” she asked, voice small but hopeful.

“We better.”

She smiled then. Bright and open and all mine.

Hook. Line. Sinker.

She didn’t know it yet, but she’d already sealed her fate.

And we did stay in touch— obviously . I wouldn’t let her slip away. It started with a ‘Did you make it home safe?’ and spiraled from there…

In the weeks that followed, we’d talked nonstop.

Texts throughout the day and calls in the evening. It was easy. Effortless. We were friends for so long that we didn’t need any awkward questions like what our favorite color was. I knew her interests, her schedule, her habits.

Sexting happened organically. She excelled at that.

She was way more forward behind the screen, and she loved to drive me to the edge of my sanity.

The first time she sent me a photo, I stared at it for ten straight minutes before I could breathe again—because this one was meant for me and my eyes only .

My phone quickly got filled with half-naked selfies of her.

And it was also fun getting to know each other from this side.

I learned what she liked in bed before I even had her there.

She was much more vanilla than one would think—or at least that’s what she believed.

I could read right through her coyness. I knew she could be a total freak with the right partner.

She needed a firm hand. Although I might have scared her a little with my kinks.

I didn’t push—not yet. But she asked questions.

Curious, innocent questions that told me exactly where her boundaries would bend.

Fuck, how much I wanted her.

It was fast. Intense. All-consuming.

And I was completely enamored of her.

Long-distance was a fucking pain in the ass, but I made it work. For her. She wanted this, I knew she did. I had her attention, her voice, her body in pixels—but I didn’t have her. Not in the way I needed.

Then, one night, we took it even further…