I wake up in Grayâs arms, our legs tangled together, my head on his chest. I blink, last night coming back to me. My heart constricts painfully, and I turn in Grayâs arms to look at him.
Heâs still fast asleep, his arms wrapped around me. His lashes flutter ever so slightly, as though he might be dreaming. Iâm scared to move, scared that I might wake him. I want to stay the way we are, just a little longer. Moments like these are mine to keep.
I carefully place my hand on his bare chest, wanting to be closer to him than I already am. I canât imagine how bad his heart is aching, how much further itâll break when I tell him what I must.
Heâs been taking such good care of me. Every single night he checks all the locks with me, and heâs taken to putting me to bed, just because he worries about my nightmares.
Heâs lying right here with me, yet it feels like Iâve already lost him. I didnât even realize how much heâs come to mean to me. When did this happen? When did I stop thinking about Brad? When did Gray start to occupy my thoughts?
It isnât just Gray, either. Ash means more to me than I dare admit. The playfulness between us⦠it made me feel like a normal person. To Ash I was someone amazing, the founder of a platform he loves, a mysterious woman. I canât ever live up to the image Gray must have of Nyx.
Being Nyx allows me to be everything Iâm not in real life. I get to be strong, fearless, mysterious, and even, admittedly, intelligent. Thatâs not an image I can uphold in front of Gray, whoâs seen me get cheated on and struggling to find an entry-level job.
My heart twists painfully as I imagine the disappointment Iâll find in his eyes when I tell him the truth, but it doesnât compare to the pain I feel at the thought of losing both Ash and Gray.
He tenses underneath me, and his grip on me tightens. âAria,â he whispers, still half asleep. He pulls me closer, and my heart skips a beat. Thereâs something so sexy about him whispering my name like that.
His hands run over my body, one hand settling on my ass while the other wraps around my thigh. He pulls me closer, shifting me on top of him so that my leg is hooked around his hip.
I suppress a moan when I feel how hard he is underneath me. He pushes his hips up slightly, moving against me in the best way, and a small whimper escapes my lips.
I try to pull away so I can slip out of his bed, but his grip on me tightens. He tenses, his lashes fluttering. âDonât go, babe,â he murmurs, his voice groggy. âLet me hold you, just like this.â
I relax into his arms even as my heart rate skyrockets. He must still be half asleep, but I donât care. Iâm knowingly fooling myself, but I donât care. All I care about is that Gray me in his arms, and while I still can, Iâm going to relish in this moment.
I hook my leg up higher, wanting him even closer, and he moans. He grabs my waist and turns us both over. I swallow hard when his eyes find mine. I expected to find grogginess, and maybe even confusion, but what Iâm seeing is pure lust.
He lowers his face to mine, and for a second I think he might kiss me, but then he turns his face to the side, his lips brushing against my neck. He leans in further, pressing a kiss to my throat, and a soft moan escapes my lips.
I want him closer. I want my hands in his hair and his lips on mine. But before I can do something weâd both regret, he pushes away from me. He rolls onto his back and stares up at the ceiling for a second before rising from his bed. I swallow hard at the sight of his clearly outlined erection. Feeling it was one thing, but seeing it is something else entirely. Heâs .
Gray walks to his bathroom, and I sit up, flustered. He pauses in the middle of the room, turning just enough to look at me. The way he smiles puts me at ease, and I relax back into his pillows.
âHow about I make you omelets for breakfast?â he asks, grinning. âIâve been perfecting my recipe for a while now.â
I nod, unable to keep the smile off my face. This happiness⦠Iâll hold on to it just a little longer. Just a few more days. I want a few more days of Gray looking at me like that; his eyes filled with affection.
I donât know how heâll respond if he finds out who I am, and for now, I donât even want to think about it. Besides, heâs got more than enough going on already. A few more days⦠thatâs all Iâll take.