Page 55 of The Deals We Make

CALISTA

“As lovely as this has been, I need to get back to Mom,” I say, finally, when we’re done eating our food and he’s cleaned away the dishes after refusing my offer of help.

Vex shakes his head. “Look out the window, babe.”

I do as he instructs and see the snow that has steadily fallen. “Shit.”

“You can stay the night. Come on.” Vex takes my hand and leads me to his bedroom.

Too tired to argue, I let him.

When he pauses in the hallway, I almost bump into his solid frame. “I got two beds.” He points to his room. “That one, I’m gonna be sleeping in. Really like the idea of you being in it with me.” He points to the other. “That one is my guest bed, and I won’t be in it. Your choice.”

There is only one decision I can make to protect myself. I step up onto my toes and kiss his cheek. “Good night, Ti.” Then, I turn and walk into the guest bedroom. It’s as pretty as Ti’s bedroom and must look out over the rear of the house, but it’s too dark for me to see anything beyond the immediate flurry.

Quickly, I do what I need to in the bathroom, strip down to just the T-shirt he gave me to wear, and then crawl beneath the sheets. They smell exactly how they used to, and I find it sweet that Ti uses the same laundry detergent his mom always used. They’re soft and cool to the touch. The weight of them over my body settles me.

To a point.

I hear the creak of floorboards on the other side of the hall, the click of a switch.

In my head, I build a picture. Ti naked in bed. I mean, I used to think of Ti naked all the time, but now it’s more than an abstract concept.

He’s taller than many of the men I’ve dated. Has broader shoulders. And is less refined. But I like it.

No, more than that, I feel safe around him.

I huff, punch the pillow a few times, then try to resettle.

What would it be like to slip under the covers with him? Would I sleep with my head on his chest? How would his arms feel wrapped around me? My body starts to light up, and I slide my hand down my body to cup my pussy, which rocks against my hand.

“Fuck,” I mutter and snatch my hand away.

What was the advice Adam gave me all those years ago?

Sweetheart, don’t settle for half of what you want when you can go out and chase the real thing.

I’m not sure he had Ti in mind.

I know doing anything more with him is asking for trouble. I can’t stay, and he won’t go, so this will have to end when I leave.

But maybe it can bring the two of us the closure we never had all those years ago.

Normally, when I have a big decision to make, I make it instinctively, but then I give myself twenty-four hours to think about it rationally.

My heart says to just go to him, but I know my head will say something altogether different in the morning.

But for once, I let my heart lead. The handful of steps across the hallway feel like climbing Mount Everest without oxygen. By the time I reach the door, I’m vibrating with nervous energy.

The handle is cool to the touch as I turn it slowly.

I can just make out his form in the bed. He’s wearing a black sleep bonnet on his hair and his eyes are closed. And when I’m about to talk myself into seeing that this is a really bad idea, he lifts the duvet.

“Get in here, babe,” he says. His voice is rough around the edges, and it does little to ease my nervous energy.

I’ve felt this before. When I ran. When I signed the forms to make my company a legal entity. When I got my first client, and when I did my first seven-figure hack.

Scratch that. I haven’t felt anything quite like this before.