Chapter 426
426
Aria said matter – of – factly , “ Can’t have you staying up until three or four . Just sleep . You’ll have to get used to it anyway , ”
She wasn’t worried Owen would assassinate her in her sleep . With that out of the way , sharing a bed with him was no different than crashing with
Vanessa .
+28 )
She pulled open the closet , grabbed a thin blanket , walked around to the other side of the bed , and spread it out . “ I’ve never slept on this side . You take
it ”
She picked up the teddy bear , placed it in the middle like a soft , fuzzy border .
“ You sleep first , I’m going to shower , ” Aria said , calm as ever . She didn’t even hesitate to grab her pajamas and underwear right in front of him .
Owen quickly averted his eyes , catching her reflection as she disappeared into the bathroom .
He stood there dazed for a long moment , muttering under his breath , “ Does she just … not see me as a man ? ”
But she was the one who kissed him – she must .
His gaze drifted to the bed . The thought of actually sharing it with her made his heart pound like crazy .
Hearing the shower , he couldn’t help glancing over . Through the misty glass , he could see her arms raised , fingers running through her hair .
He jerked his head away , almost bolting to the balcony , hand pressed to his forehead , cursing himself out .
He stayed outside until Aria finished her shower , blow – dried her hair , and finally poked her head out . “ You’re not sleeping yet ? ”
Owen turned , immediately distracted by the sight of her brushing her hair , calm and unfazed .
He swallowed , looked away . “ Getting there . ”
She finished up , noticed him still standing , and shot him a look . “ Not tired ? ”
“ Not really . ” Owen came inside , closed and locked the balcony door , pulled the curtains , then cracked a window to let some air in .
The chill helped settle his nerves .
Remembering the sad pots on the balcony , he asked , “ So … those flowerpots out there . Did you never plant anything ? ”
Aria snapped out of her thoughts and replied , “ I did , but everything I raise dies . Nothing’s ever made it . ”
An awkward silence settled over the room .
Suddenly she remembered the 3,000 dollars she’d sent him that morning and added , “ Well , not everything – there’s still one cactus left . ”
Owen had to stifle a laugh . “ Yeah , there’s still a cactus . Tell you what – why don’t I plant something for you next time ? Would that be alright ? ”
She looked at him , curious . “ You ? Planting ? ”
He nodded , determined . “ You’ve already got soil and pots . I’ll buy some flowers after work tomorrow , get them started , and come by every so often to take care of them . I promise they won’t die on my watch . ”
This way , he’d always have an excuse to visit her room .
“ Sure , go ahead , ” Aria agreed , no fuss .
She adjusted the AC , dropped the temp a couple of degrees , and climbed into bed like it was the most natural thing in the world .
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48 Sun , 22 Jun
426
They were sharing a bed now . What difference did it make if he came over more often ?
“ Remember to turn off the light , ” she said .
Her movements were so casual that , if it weren’t for her last sentence , Owen might’ve thought she’d forgotten he was even there .
He turned off the main light , slipped into bed on his side .
Aria rolled onto her back , eyes up at the ceiling . “ What time do you need to wake up ? Should I set an alarm ? ”
“ I’ll be fine . No alarm needed . ”
“ Alright . ” She reached over , switched off the bedside lamp . “ Goodnight . ”
“ Goodnight , ” Owen echoed , eyes closed but nowhere near sleep .
He’d planned to help her get used to him slowly , but suddenly , here they were , sharing a bed .
The pace was dizzying , but he couldn’t help feeling a little hopeful .
Maybe , just maybe , they’d end up spending a lot more nights like this .
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