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My eyes drifted over to Cal, who smiled at me lazily. “I’m okay, Sienna. Tell him I will call him tomorrow. Will you cover for me? Please Sienna, I’m telling my parents I’m at yours tonight.”

Our eyes hadn’t broken contact.

Sienna breathed her response slowly. “You’re not going to tell me where you are, are you?”

“No,” I whispered. “I can’t. But I’m okay”

She agreed to cover for me, so I turned my phone off.

“Do you have anything I could sleep in?” I asked in a small voice, sinking down on the bed beside Cal.

“You could wear me?” he smirked, winking at me as we laced our fingers together.

“Easy there, Buffalo Bill.” I joked as we laughed easily. I loved that he got my Silence of The Lambs reference.

He tossed me a t-shirt, tugging his own off to expose his chest as I sucked in a breath. That body was probably illegal somewhere in the world.

“Are you staying here?” He looked like the cat that had the cream.

“If that’s okay...” I shrugged with a wide smile as he walked towards me and spun me around.

“Let me unzip your dress,” he murmured, carefully sliding the zip down before stepping back. The dress fell as I reached for Cals t-shirt.

“My God, you are fuckingperfect,” he whispered, his eyes wide as he studied me.

I pulled the t-shirt on before sliding into bed, my eyelids heavy and my tiredness sudden. Cal reached around me, his arm warm and strong, finding my hand as he kissed my shoulder.

“Goodnight, Raven,” he whispered, as I fell asleep with a smile on my face.

Chapter Ten

GRETCHEN

I woke to a pale blue wall that is unfamiliar and certainly not mine. I stirred when his warm arms surrounded me, pulling me close.

Oh. My. God.

I’m in Cal’s bed.

The memories of last night returned to me hazily, and I closed my eyes. I turned to face him, finding him fast asleep. His lips were parted slightly, his long lashes resting on his cheeks.

I gazed at him, my heart drumming in my chest. I leaned forward and kissed his lips tenderly as he groaned, his hands pulling me closer as he returned the kiss.

How wasthismy reality?

“Is this what lust feels like?” I wondered aloud as he wrinkled his nose up at me.

“Do you think that’s what this is? You’re the first girl I’ve ever slept next to and actuallyslept,” he smirked as I hit him with a pillow. “Are you okay?” He looked at me, biting his lip. I curled up next to him, my hands entwined with his.

“This isn’tmeCal,” I gestured between us. “Lying here with you whilst I’m in a relationship, withyourcousin of all people,” I admitted with a tired sigh.

Cal ran his fingers down my back, fixing me with his emerald gaze. “I know, I do. But what if you’re meant to be with me? Then being with him is the wrong thing, isn’t it? That makes this right?”

I smiled at his inane logic.

He leaned on his elbow, so he was looking at me directly. I wasn’t strong enough to resist his lazy morning smile, or the fact he wasn’t wearing any clothes over his muscular chest.

He fell back onto the pillow, dragging me down with him as his arms circled my body, and I shivered with delight.