We headed for the stairs, and when we reached the top, I made my way to the guest room where I’d taken to keeping a few things. Mostly sweats so I could be comfortable on our game and movie nights. But my lone pair of flannel pajamas were still in the top drawer from when I’d slept in this room before.

I moved through my nightly routine, washing my face and brushing my teeth. I was more thorough than I’d ever been before, flossing twice and rubbing in my moisturizer for a full two minutes. The longer I took, the tighter the knot in my stomach grew. By the time I started towards the master bedroom, I thought I might throw up.

Brody looked up when I reached the door. He was already in bed, only the one bedside lamp on, casting the room in a warm glow. I took a deep breath, but it rattled in my lungs. Just sleep. I started towards the opposite side of the bed. Brody pulled the covers back for me. “I was starting to think you’d reconsidered.”

I gave my head a little shake. “No. Just getting ready for bed.”

I wasn’t sure if it was the slight tremble in my voice or the fact that I wouldn’t meet his eyes, but Brody instantly moved in close, cupping my cheeks and tipping my face up to his. “Hey, what’s going on?”

I was torn between so many emotions my body couldn’t keep them all straight. Anxiety and elation. Fear and excitement. Embarrassment and hope. “I’m fine.”

Brody’s mouth pressed into a hard line. “Don’t lie. Not with me. You know you can talk to me about anything.”

He’d proven that time and again. In how he listened without judgment. In how he encouraged without pushing. My hands fisted in the sheets. “I’ve never slept in the same bed with someone.” Not unless you counted my parents when I was a child. I’d certainly never shared this tiny space with a man. Not that the California King we were on was small, but in my mind, it might as well have been us crammed onto a twin.

Brody was silent. Each second that ticked by wound the ball of worry inside me tighter. Soon, I couldn’t take it anymore. “I’m just going to go.”

“No.” Brody tugged me back to the bed. “I’m trying to find the right words, but all I can think in my head is why. You’re magnificent. This potent mixture of strength and kindness. With a beauty that would knock a man right on his ass.”