15. Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Fifteen

J asmine

In college, I was on the crew team. Five days a week, we ran a mile, then rowed for an hour before classes. I remember those first weeks when I wasn't in shape; I was so tired I honestly didn't know how I'd make it to the end of the day.

I feel like that now. How can one person handle so much emotional turmoil in the span of so few hours? It just felt like the right time to tell Bold about my history. Especially after meeting his family, seeing how loving he was with them, I knew he'd support me unconditionally.

"You look beat, Jazz," he says as he lets us back into his apartment. "Can I get you tea? A snack?"

"I'm good." Well, that's a ridiculous lie. "Since I took a shower shortly after we arrived, I think I'll change into the pjs we bought on our way here and then crash."

I slip into the tiny bathroom to change into the soft cotton shorts and tank top we picked up earlier. When I emerge, Bold has changed the bedsheets, pulled them back invitingly for me, and has already laid a blanket and pillow on the couch for himself.

He looks up as I pad barefoot into the living room, his eyes widening slightly as they skim over my pajama-clad form. His nostrils flare and I swear I hear the faintest rumble in his chest, some primal sound of appreciation. My cheeks warm at his heated gaze.

"Bold, I meant what I said earlier. The bed is big enough for both of us. There's no need for you to sleep on that small, hard couch."

He hesitates, rubbing the back of his neck. "I don't want to make you uncomfortable, Jazz. It's fine, really."

But even as he says it, his gaze darts to the bed, something hungry in his eyes.

I step closer, meeting his gaze. "You don't make me uncomfortable. I trust you."

The words hang between us, as I realize just how true they are. Other than my dad, I don't think I've ever trusted anyone as much as Bold. A picture of him heroically rescuing that woman after the tidal wave flashes through my mind. The male is a born hero.

Something in his expression softens, and he nods. "Alright. If you're sure."

Minutes later, we're lying on our backs, side by side in the darkness, the thin mattress dipping under our combined weight. I'm hyper-aware of Bold's solid presence mere inches away, the heat of his body radiating across the narrow space between us. I can smell him, that wild, earthy mix that's uniquely his. It's making my head swim in the best way.

I turn my head on the pillow to face him, seeing his insanely beautiful eyes shine in the faint light. "Thank you for bringing me here, Bold. For making me feel so welcome. Your family is amazing."

He shifts onto his side, his usually sharp features soft in the shadows. "They liked you, you know. I think Forest is half in love with you." He smiles, flashing a hint of fang. "You're easy to like, Jazz."

My breath catches at his words, at the gentle rumble of his voice. Emboldened by the intimacy of the moment, I consider reaching out to brush my fingers over his cheek and trace the angle of his jaw. In my imagination, he leans into my touch, eyes fluttering closed as he lets out a chuff of contentment.

I'm at one of those choice points that are so obvious when you watch them on TV, and so cloudy when you experience them yourself. Bold and I are sharing a bed. His heat is billowing off him, seeping into my flesh. It would be so easy to roll toward him, tuck myself close, maybe throw my thigh over his, and grind against him.

He's a good male, but he's not made of stone. I doubt he could resist such a blatant invitation. But it would make things awkward between us, and here we are, smashed into his tiny apartment until the police give us the all-clear.

Instead of boldly coming on to him, crossing a line, I pull away and turn onto my side, ordering myself to sleep. Bold shifts next to me, and I swear I feel the whisper-light brush of his fingers against my hair, there and gone again so fast I might have imagined it.

"Goodnight, Jazz," he rumbles, his voice like distant thunder, soothing and electrifying all at once.

"Night, Bold," I whisper back, hugging his pillow to my chest and breathing in his scent. As I drift off, surrounded by his presence and his masculine smell, one last thought chases me into slumber.

I'm in deep, serious trouble when it comes to my feelings for a certain wolven bodyguard. But lying here, knowing he's mere inches away, ready to protect me even in sleep… I can't bring myself to mind that one little bit.