The walls were a modern shade of gray and the carpet, which felt glorious under my icy toes, was a faded blue. I slipped out of my wet pants and blouse, pulling on a throw blanket from a love seat in the living room and tiptoed down the long corridor to his bedroom, which was slightly open. As suspected, Troy was spread on the bed with his white down comforter covering merely one leg. His hair seemed silkier, and he was freshly shaven. I imagined he must have showered the minute he got home. His face appeared clean and there was a smoothness to it, despite the carved features. There was a sense of calmness in him that you’d never believe if you saw him just over an hour ago.

His broad torso moved up and down as he breathed, and I found myself lost in the sound of it.

I blinked, snapping myself out of the intoxicating human laying half naked before me. I pulled open his drawers carefully until I found a pile of t-shirts and drawstring pants. I glanced back once more, finding Troy turned with his behind peaking from under the covers.

That was one part I didn’t get to see the other night.

I crept out of the room, threw on the warm, dry clothes and reached for his cell phone, which was on his kitchen counter.

The only number I knew by heart was my dad’s and there was no way I was calling him to tell him where I was and that I needed help.

I tried Nic again.

“Hello?” a voice that was definitely not Nic’s answered on the other line.

“Oh hi, sorry—wrong number.” I hung up and tried switching the numbers again.

No luck.

Feeling defeated, I sat back on the smaller, far-end sofa and yawned. I set an alarm on Troy’s phone knowing there was no way his hungover self was going to be up before me tomorrow morning. I planned to be out of here before he knew it.

6. August

6

I splashed cold water on my face and rinsed my eyes, shaking my head before taking a good long look in the mirror. I was definitely awake and alert.

I took a breath before marching back out into my living room.

Yep. Still here.

Harper Maxwell was indeed spread across my sofa wearing my clothes. And asleep. Her wavy blond hair scattered over a navy blue pillow and the only thing crossing my mind at that moment was whether it was soft enough for her head. Not what on earth she was doing here. She was curled to the side with my cell phone on the floor next to her.

What in the actual—?

An alarm went off on my phone and it started buzzing around the hardwood floor, waking sleeping beauty.