The heat from his front soaks into my back, and after a short while, his heavy breaths lull me into my own slumber. I fall asleep smiling, and the only thought that keeps repeating in my mind as I doze off is: Tomorrow, I’m going to wake up to Aleck Fox in my bed.

TWENTY-TWO

WINTER

As I stir awake, the knowledge that Aleck is in my bed jars my senses like an ice bath. My eyes snap open, and I cautiously turn my face to the side, seeing tanned skin and carved muscles in my periphery.

Smiling instinctively, I twist my body slowly and delicately so I don’t wake him. When I’ve turned all the way around, facing Aleck, I rest my head on my pillow and nuzzle the blankets under my chin. My eyes scan his peaceful face. They travel the sharp lines of his nose, chin, and jaw. I take in the dark stubble of his beard, the soft skin on his eyelids, his deep brown hair that’s perfectly tousled, a short tendril hanging across his forehead touching his long eyelashes.

He’s absolutely delectable.

There’s something undeniable about the way I feel about him. I originally thought Aleck was shallow, but he’s so much more than the expensive suits and stoic guise. He’s more than his money and impatient personality.

Shallow is far from Aleck’s depth. Aleck is a goddamn universe.

“Good morning, Winter,” his deeper than usual timbre snaps me from my reverie.

He slowly blinks his eyes open, his eyelids heavy with a good night’s sleep.

“Morning, Aleck,” I say, unable to hide my smile.

I clear my throat, hesitant to breathe, hoping to god he doesn’t immediately regret sleeping in my bed. But when his lips curl into a grin and he scoots toward me, closing the gap between us, a chaotic swarm of butterflies takes flight, fluttering in my belly.

“Come here, dumbass,” he says, his smile growing. “Why are you so far away?”

I laugh quietly, exhaling a breath of relief, and scoot into his arms. “I was trying not to wake you up. Boy, you’re a peach in the morning.”

“I want to eat your peach,” he whispers, laying soft kisses on my cheek, across the bridge of my nose, my chin, then my lips. “How long have you been staring at me?”

I smile, feeling sheepish, knowing I’ve been caught. “About five minutes, give or take. How long have you been awake?”

“About five minutes when you turned around to stare at me, give or take.”

His warm breath tickles my lips and I can’t lie, Aleck Fox in the morning is like waking up to the smell of brewing coffee. He awakens my senses with vigor and wraps me in a blanket of comfort in equal measure.

“Can I tell you something?” His deep rasp making it apparent he just woke up.

Another side to Aleck I’ve not yet seen. It’s cute and sexy. He’s always been sexy, but I don’t know if I’ve ever thought of him as cute. Now I know the closer I get, the more angles I’ll see him from, and the more angles I’ll like him from, too.