She flipped over onto her stomach, even though she knew she wasn’t going to fall asleep. She thought about Jake, trying to erase the words he’d said to her.

Chapter 21

Now

The bed was moving, the twisted sheet tightening against his ribs.

Harry opened his gummy eyes. It was still night. He was cold, but a warm body was pressed against his back, and an arm had snaked over his shoulder. He heard Alice’s voice in his ear: “Just keep sleeping, Harry. I don’t want to be alone.”

Harry stayed as still as possible, wondering if he could just pretend to be asleep, but he knew that she’d felt his entire body tense when she touched him. She pulled in tighter. There was some kind of satiny fabric between his body and hers, but he could feel the press of her breasts against his back, the rough edge of a nipple. “Alice . . .” he managed to say.

“Shhh. Go back to sleep. You’re so cold.” She spread her hand across his chest, then brought her legs up so that her knees touched the backs of his thighs.

“I don’t think—”

“Just for me, okay. Go back to sleep.” He could smell the wine on her breath. She shifted her body back and forth like a bird settling into a nest. She pressed her forehead against the back of his neck.

Harry concentrated on his breathing, keeping it steady. He closed his eyes. It did feel good to have a body up against his, radiating warmth. He listened as her breathing became deeper; he could feel her breath against his skin. His heart rate began to slow.

When he woke, he was on his back, Alice hovering over him, lifting her nightgown past her hips. Harry started to speak, and Alice was kissing him, one hand against his neck, her other sliding down his stomach, and taking hold of his erection. There was nothing he could do to stop it from happening; his body was taking over, and soon they were having sex. Alice kept her head close down to his, her hair spread over his face, and he shut his eyes, the world reducing to darkness and sensation, Alice whispering his name in his ear again and again.

Afterward, he started to speak again, and Alice said, “Don’t. Let’s not talk about it.”