I freeze, waiting for him to say more. My heart gallops in my chest and I don’t make a move. I don’t know what I’m expecting. A confession of love? Lust? However, what I get are his soft snores greeting my ears. I know he’s sound asleep. I allow myself to relax into his arms, and my breathing to sync with his. It doesn’t take long for me to fall asleep.
“Hello?” a deep voice rumbles, pulling me from sleep. “Good morning to you too,” Silas says to the caller. “I’m answering her phone because she’s still sleeping,” he explains. “She’s lying next to me. That’s how I know.”
I roll over, and his tired eyes find mine. “Here she is.” He pulls the phone from his ear and hands it to me, not before leaning in and kissing my cheek. “Morning, baby,” he whispers in his husky sleep-laced voice. The sound causes me to squeeze my thighs together to ward off the desire those two words do to me.
“Morning,” I say, taking the phone from him and placing it to my ear.
“Happy Birthday,” Silas whispers.
All I want to do is melt into the mattress and burrow myself in his embrace. “Hello,” I greet the caller that I’m sure is either my sister or Brody from the way that Silas was talking. My guess is my sister.
“Did he just call you baby? Why is he sleeping next to you? Are you at a hotel?” She fires off questions.
“No. We’re not at a hotel. We decided to drive straight through. We got in a little after four.”
“He’s in your bed?” she squeals with excitement.
“Yes.” I look over at Silas to find him with his arms under the pillow, his eyes open and clear as he watches me. “He’s in my bed.” He smiles at my words, and the dimples I love so much make their appearance.
“Tell me everything,” Charity gushes.
“I just did. It was late. He insisted on driving the entire time, so I told him to crash here instead of driving another twenty minutes to his place.”
“Oh,” she says, defeated. “Wait, he called you baby.” She points out.
“Yeah,” I agree. I don’t offer an explanation because I don’t have one.
“You two are still coming over tonight, right? For New Year’s and your birthday? Shit, Happy Birthday.” She laughs. “I was too distracted by what’s going on over there to even tell you.”
“I’ll be there.”
“And Silas?”
I turn to look at him. “Charity wants to know if you still have plans to be at their place tonight.”
“Is that where you’re going to be?” he asks me.
I nod. “Yeah.”
“I’ll be there.”
“He’s coming.”
“I’ll bet he is.” Charity laughs at her own joke, and I inwardly curse the fact that I know my face is flushed from her insinuation.
“Can I bring anything?”
“Yes, Silas loves your taco dip, so bring that. We’ve got everything else covered.”
“How are you feeling? How’s my niece?” I ask, ignoring the “Silas loves” part of the conversation. My heart, though, it skips a beat with those two words directed toward me.
“I’m feeling fine. Just anxious to meet her.” I can hear the smile in her voice.
“Okay. I’m going back to sleep. I’ll see you later.”
“I bet you are.” She laughs and ends the call.
“Do you feel any older?” Silas asks.
“Only from the drive. My muscles are stiff.”
“I can help you with that.” He smiles and scoots closer to me.
“I appreciate the offer, but nothing a hot shower can’t fix.”
He watches me intently for several long heartbeats, before bending to press his lips to my shoulder. “I’m going to run home and shower too, and check on things, and I’ll be back to pick you up later.”
“You don’t have to pick me up. I’ll just meet you there.” My words sound weak even to my own ears.
He leans over and places his hand against my cheek. “I know I don’t have to. I want to. How am I going to convince you to give me a chance if I don’t spend time with you?”
“Give you a chance?” I repeat as I try to decipher is words.
“It may have only been a few hours, but I already know I’m going to be addicted to sleeping next to you.” He leans in, and I take in a breath, preparing for his lips to press to mine, but instead, they land on my forehead. “Go back to sleep. I’ll lock up and be back here around six to pick you up. You need me to grab anything while I’m out?”
I shake my head. Not that I can actually think or process anything other than him telling me he’s addicted to sleeping next to me. That he wants me to give him a chance. “I’ll see you soon,” he says, climbing out of bed. I watch as he slips into his shoes and quietly closes the door behind him. Under the covers, my fingers pinch my leg, and I yelp at the pain.
I’m not dreaming.
This is real.
I squeal into the pillow that smells like him, and I know there is no way I’m going to be able to go back to sleep. A glance at the clock tells me I need to get up anyway. I’m having lunch at Mom and Dad’s. We had already planned for Charity and Brody to stay in. None of us want her out in this weather and risking a fall or having an accident.
Chapter Six
SILAS
I’m early. Thirty minutes to be exact. When I left her earlier today, it took everything I had not to blow off my plans and crawl back in bed with her. However, I had some shopping to do. Today is her birthday, and I need to get her something. In the past, I’ve always just gotten her a card. One year I did break my tradition of only a card and bought her a bottle of wine, but that was then, and this is now. I’m no longer pretending that I don’t want her. No. In fact, I couldn’t give a fuck less who knows. Callista is my kryptonite, and I want the world to know she’s mine. Or she will be.
Knocking on the door, I push one hand behind my back to conceal the bouquet of roses I got for her. Roses mean love, and I would have denied this a week ago, but I’m too far gone to not admit that I’ve been falling for her for years. It’s time to make my move.
“Hi,” she says, a smile tilting her lips. “You’re early.”
“I couldn’t wait to see you.” Leaning in, I press a kiss to her forehead, even though I would prefer kissing her lips. “And I wanted to give you this,” I say, pulling back and offering her the gift bag in my hands. “Oh, and these,” I say, presenting her with the dozen roses.
“Silas.” There are tears in her eyes.
“Happy Birthday, baby.” She steps back, allowing me to enter the house.
“This isn’t what we do,” she says, wiping the tears from her eyes.
“Maybe not in the past, but in the future. Come and open your gift.” I move into the living room and take a seat on the couch, placing the roses on the coffee table. Callista takes a seat next to me, the gift bag in her hand. “Open it.”
“Whatever it is, I’m sure I’ll love it. Thank you, Silas.”