Like how I want him to touch me. I want him to kiss me. I want him to wrap me tightly in his arms and keep me safe from the world, a private oasis that’s only us. Him and I. The comprehension hits me like a wrecking ball. Instead of drowning or being pulled out to sea, I’m anchored. Grounded. There’s such an air of familiarity being here next to him, like we should have been doing this all along.

“This feels nice,” he says, eyes remaining closed.

“Are you awake?”

“I think so. If not, this is a really fucking amazing dream.” His voice is thick with sleep, half rasp, half whisper. It’s sexy as hell. “Good morning.”

“Good morning,” I whisper back, the endearment seeping into my bones. His eyes open slowly, squinting into the sunlight starting to filter through the curtains. A beat passes, his brain catching up with his body, causing him to wince as he takes in our close embrace.

“Shit, I’m sorry,” he mumbles, hands moving to my shoulders to reposition me away from him. “Can’t seem to keep my hands to myself.”

“I came over here willingly. And I’d like to stay.”

Henry stares at me. “You sure?”

I nod, my head returning to his chest, a smile forming on my lips. “Yeah. I’m sure.”

“We have a few minutes before we need to get up.”

I hum. “It’s going to suck going back to work and not getting to sleep in. I’m normally two cups of coffee and four file folders deep by now.”

Yeah. I could definitely get used to waking up in the arms of a strong man. I wiggle my hips forward, met with hardness pressing below my belly.

I let out a gasp the same moment Henry curses, both of us freezing, unable to move.

“I’m sorry. That’s not intentional.”

“Right. Yeah. Of course not.”

“Shit. I don’t mean you don’t get me hard or anything. Because you do. Fuck. Let me start over. I can’t control that first thing in the morning and my brain is really jumbled right now. I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine. Totally fine.”

“How’d you sleep?”

“Wonderfully. What’s on the agenda today?”

“The big dinner. Dancing. Drinks. Lots of food. My parents are giving a speech. It should be fun.”

“I’m excited. I think everything’s going well. Minus that slip up we almost had with your sister yesterday, we’re doing a great job at pretending this is real.”

Henry stiffens, muscles growing rigid and taut. His grip around me falters and he scoots away.

“Yeah,” he says curtly. I’ve been doused with a bucket of water and I shiver in his notable absence. “I’m going to take a shower downstairs. You can get ready here.”