Confetti Hearts (Confetti Hitched, #1)(74)

I stare at him. “I know Erica’s wedding invites went out with plenty of time, so why was there a big rush for you?” I pause as a thought occurs to me. “How do you know her anyway? Friend of a friend?”

“You could say that.” It’s very obvious he isn’t going to say any more.

For a moment there’s nothing but the sound of the water, and I suddenly sway as a wave of tiredness almost knocks me over.

“Hey,” he says, his arm at my back. “You okay?”

“Just suddenly tired,” I mutter.

I turn and we end up in each other’s arms, bodies close, and despite my lethargy, my dick kicks. He’s so sleek and big and wet.

“Lachlan,” I breathe, tilting my head. His eyes grow slumberous, and he lowers his face to mine but before our lips can touch, he jerks back.

“Come on,” he says tersely, and I blink as he abruptly exits the shower and offers me a hand.

“You okay?” I say, shivering until he enfolds me in a big bath towel still warm from the heater.

“Fine,” he says shortly, drying my hair as if I’m five.

If it were anyone else babying me, I’d have become cross or made a joke, but it’s Lachlan, and I stand quiescent under his care. It helps that I’m so tired, I’m in serious danger of falling over.

“Come on, sweetheart,” he says, drying himself cursorily and pulling me into the bedroom.

“What is it with you and your endearments?” I mutter.

“I can’t think what you mean. Get into bed.”

He pulls the covers back and I slide gratefully onto the bed, feeling the blissful firmness of the mattress and the soft pillow under my head. “I don’t know why I’m so tired,” I say, yawning without putting my hand over my mouth.

“You’ve had a bad asthma attack, in case you’ve forgotten.”

He moves away and my eyes fly open. “Where are you going?” I ask, unable to stop the panicked note in my voice.

“I’m going to get dressed and sit in the chair and do some work.”

“Stay,” I say before my brain can censor my mouth.

“What?”

“Please.” I lift the sheets. “Come and lie with me.” I don’t want to think about what emotions are driving me, but I want to be near him. I don’t want a room’s distance between us.

He hesitates looking strangely conflicted. “Are you sure?”

“Of course. I’m going to be asleep in minutes. Why don’t you get in with me? You could stand some napping too. You look tired.”

“Okay.”

He says something else, but sleep immediately pulls me under.

I come awake a while later. I look around cautiously. Lachlan is asleep behind me, his body warm, and his soft snores are a gentle and poignant reminder of our time together. The fire is low, the room is dim, and from a look outside it seems to be late afternoon.

I stretch and take an accounting of my body. My chest and ribs hurt, but that’s normal after an asthma attack, and the horrible tightening in my chest has gone and I can breathe freely. I sigh in relief.

“How are you feeling?” Lachlan’s sleepy voice comes from behind me.

I jump. “Warn a bloke, will you? I’m in a delicate condition.”

“You’re really not, and if you’re thinking of trying to leverage an asthma attack into me making you tea, think again.”

“You’re very hard-hearted.” I nudge him. “Are you sure I can’t get tea?”

He sighs. “You know you can.”

He goes to move, but I turn and throw myself against him. “Don’t go. The bed will get cold.”

Chuckling, he wraps his arm around me. It’s alarmingly easy to lie like this with him, as if we’ve time travelled back to when we first got together.

After a few seconds of peaceful silence, I stir. “Let’s play truth or dare.”

“Are you ten?”

“No, but it’ll have to be a virgin truth or dare with no alcohol. I’m really not up to that.” I consider how tired I feel. “And no dares either.”

“So, actually just truth extortion.”

I shrug. “You say tomato. I say tomarto.”

“We both say tomato, and okay.”

I blink at him. “You’re actually going to do it?”

He stretches. “Why not?”

“But you’ve never told me anything before.” I regret saying that as soon as the words come out of my mouth. A remorseful look comes over his face. “Ignore that,” I command. “Okay, most embarrassing moment.” I hold up a finger as he starts to talk. “But the really good stuff. Not some crappy ‘I got toilet paper on my shoe’ memory.”

He raises one eyebrow. “Can I talk now, or do you wish to put more conditions on my revelations?”

I wave a regal hand and watch his mouth twitch in amusement. “Go ahead.”

He rolls onto his back and stares at the ceiling contemplatively. “I don’t think I’ve got one.”

“What?”

He shrugs. “I can’t remember ever being very embarrassed.”

“Are you actually human?” I demand. “What the fuck?”