Maybe Olivia hadn’t been in his immediate plans, and maybe the idea of letting her in was about as daunting as walking into a four-alarm fire, but the way he’d felt around her today made it worth exploring this new, unexpected path.

He lingered in the shower until the tank emptied of hot water, then dried off and headed into his room. Samson was sprawled across the center of his bed, snoring the snore that Gabe had committed to memory, even and peaceful and unreserved. Gabe tugged on a fresh pair of boxers and collapsed beside his dog after shoving him over a foot with his hip. Samson slept through it undeterred, and his warmth soaked into Gabe’s side, a wash of familiar comfort.

Gabe’s bed was nothing more than a mattress on the floor now. He’d moved the box spring and frame into storage after Samson had twice tumbled off on his way down in the middle of the night for a drink.

He’d be asleep in seconds if he didn’t fight it, but Gabe debated getting back up for his phone. He was pretty certain he’d left it in his jeans pocket, not in the truck. It had been a long time since he’d entered into a new relationship with someone, and he was a few months away from turning thirty. He wasn’t interested in playing games. Wasn’t afraid to let her know his thoughts.

Struggling out of the enticing pull of dreams, he cleared his throat, got up, and headed into the living room. After fishing his phone from the back pocket of his jeans, he pulled up her number and typed out a text.

Hope you two made it home safely. Odd as it may sound, I’m thankful for the car trouble you had. Good night, Olivia. I’ll call you tomorrow.

He left his phone on the nightstand that he’d cut down to the height of his mattress and, finding that Samson had stretched out again, fought for the slim pickings at the edge of the bed. He fell into a doze as soon as he’d tugged enough of the blanket from under his dog to at least not wake up frozen.

* * *

“Full disclosure, I’m not used to being spooned.” Olivia wiggled underneath the straitjacket-like embrace of her sister. “Trevor slept on his back. He wasn’t much of a cuddler.”

“That’s sad. Not even as you fell asleep? Or after sex?”

“He fell asleep in two-point-two seconds. Even after sex.”

“I’m so glad you didn’t marry him.” Ava released her death-grip-like hold on Olivia and rolled onto her back. “But I can’t fall asleep without connection. Your hair’s wet though. It’s getting in my face. Can you do something with it?”