Thankfully, Willow snaps into action and hands me the blanket, which I wrap around my shoulders to cover my body up. Lachlan moves forward and turns to face me. I’m so embarrassed, I can’t even look him in the eyes. Nobody since Rick has seen me in such a vulnerable position.
“Where’s Kinsley?” Jax asks, breaking the awkward silence.
“Sleepover at Celeste’s with Olivia’s and Giselle’s daughters.” Olivia and Giselle are two of my sister-in-law’s best friends. Between the three of them, they have eight girls. It’s a running joke how Olivia and her husband, Nick, are the only ones with a son, Reed. When I got pregnant with Kinsley, the three of them were all pregnant at the same time. We took bets on who would be the one to have the second boy, but all four of us ending up having daughters. When Celeste mentioned having Kinsley over, she asked me to join, but there was no way I was passing up a night to myself.
“You should join us,” Willow suggests, but I’m already shaking my head.
“Oh, no. I’m too old and tired to keep up with you party animals,” I joke.
“Yeah, yeah.” Willow laughs. “Well, don’t wait up.” She winks dramatically and pulls Jax behind her.
“Night, sis!” Jax yells, following his girlfriend out the door, and leaving Lachlan and me alone.
“You better get going before they leave you behind.” I nod toward the door with a small laugh.
“You never texted me,” Lachlan says, changing the subject.
“I thought about it,” I admit, which has him smiling, and in turn, has me smiling.
“And what did you think about texting me?”
“I don’t know.” I shrug a shoulder, refusing to tell him about the fifty different texts I thought about sending.
“I was thinking I could stay here…keep you company,” he says, his eyes wandering down my blanket-covered body. Worried that at any moment I might drop said blanket, I tighten the corners around me. The blanket knocks my loose bun out and several stands of hair fall into my eyes. With my hands full of the fabric, and not wanting to chance dropping the blanket, I attempt to blow the hair out of my face. Lachlan laughs and, stepping forward, tucks the wayward strands of hair behind my ear. The simple touch of his fingers brushing my flesh shouldn’t affect me the way it does.
“So, what do you say?” he asks. “You up for company?”
I shoot him an incredulous look. “Trust me, you don’t want to miss going out with your friends and possibly getting laid, just to lounge on the couch and watch a cheesy rom-com with me.”
“Don’t tell me what I want,” he says, his tone serious. “I wouldn’t have suggested us hanging out if I didn’t want to.”
“Hey Lach!” Jax yells from outside. “Quit hitting on my sister and let’s go!”
I roll my eyes, and Lachlan coughs out a laugh. As I look at him, I already know I’m going to give in. I’ve been fighting it since the first day I met him, but my resolve has been slowly weakening each time I’m around him and he says and does all the right things—then again, so did Rick in the beginning. I push that thought from my mind. Rick doesn’t belong here with Lachlan and me. I’m so tired of allowing him, even dead, to rule my thoughts and decisions. It’s my life!
Lachlan must mistake my silence for no because his smile drops, and he says in a defeated, very unlike Lachlan, tone, “All right, well, have a good night.” He shoots me a half-smile and is walking away before I even know what’s happening.
“Wait!” I say, running to stop him. This seems to be becoming our thing: he asks, I say no, and then I chase him. Only this time I wasn’t going to say no. “Sorry, I was in my own head. If you want to stay and hang out, that’s fine.” Lachlan raises a single brow, and I cringe at how rude that sounded. “That came out wrong. I just meant if you really would rather hang out here instead of going out, you’re more than welcome to join me.”
The corner of his mouth quirks up into a sexy smirk, and he nods once. “I’ll let Jax know I’m staying here while you go get dressed.” His eyes light up mischievously, then he adds, “Or you can stay just how you are.” He bites down on his bottom lip before turning to go outside. What I would give to have him biting down on my bottom lip.
When he’s out the door, my body sags in relief. Holy hell, he is so freaking intense. Running up the stairs, I scour my room for a single clean article of clothing, but can’t find anything. Damn it! I really shouldn’t let my laundry pile up until I have nothing left. Uncertain of what the hell to do, I stand in my closet willing for something to appear. I have a couple dresses, but how stupid would I look walking down there dressed like I’m ready to go to church or work?