Chapter 268

“Back again, huh?” Anthony pulled the blanket over Charlotte, his voice a soft sigh. “How did you ever get any sleep without me here?”
He’d always stayed out of her past, never asking questions, but lately, he found himself wanting to know everything. Every secret, every memory. All of it.
“Lottie He leaned down, letting his fingers brush lightly against her forehead. His voice dropped to a gentle murmur. “You better not have some old first love or anything… because if you do He trailed off, a crooked smile tugging at the corners of his mouth, his eyes full of a helpless, almost teasing affection. Actually, it didn’t matter. Even if she did, from this moment on, she was his.
Charlotte woke up with a dull ache. She tried to move, but her limbs felt pinned down, like she was tied up and couldn’t even wiggle. Frowning, she forced her eyes open, still half-asleep. The first thing she saw was Anthony in gray pajamas, wrapped around her, holding her close.
Her mind blanked. For a second, she thought, Wait, how did Anthony end up in my room?
Then the fog in her brain cleared, reality hit, and she just wanted to disappear under the mattress. No, it looked like she was the one who’d crawled into Anthony’s bed. The worst part? She didn’t remember a thing.
Was she sleepwalking or something?
Charlotte’s frown deepened. She usually just broke things when she had these episodes, not… this. When did sneaking into someone’s room become her new habit? No wonder Anthony had been giving her those weird looks lately. Had she done something embarrassing?
She was debating whether to sneak out or just play dead when Anthony’s sleepy voice broke the silence. “What’s wrong?”
She glanced up and met his half-open eyes. The air between them shifted, suddenly awkward. How often had she done this for him to be this unfazed?
“Lottie Anthony was fully awake now, leaning in to check her face, his lips curving into a soft smile. “Are you really awake, of still pretending to sleep?
This had never happened before waking up in the middle of one of her sleepwalking spells.
Charlotte pressed her lips together, stayed quiet for a moment, then just flopped back into his arms and closed her eyes fine, she’d pretend to be asleep. Maybe he’d let her off the hook.
She stayed perfectly still. Anthony, worried about her, tried to check if she was hurting her hand, his smile a little helpless as he leaned closer.
Then, out of nowhere, “sleeping” Charlotte slipped her arm around his shoulders, her breath warm against his cheek.
“Lottie He was a man, after all, and when it came to her, his self-control was basically nonexistent.
Anthony forced himself to carry her back to her own bed, his gaze soft as he watched her. His voice was low and rough. “You just keep getting bolder, huh.”
“I think we need to have a real talk about this.”
His eyes lingered on her lips, his breathing rough. He stood up, ready to leave, but something made him turn back. He crossed the room,? bent down beside her, and gently tipped her chin up He pressed a quick, possessive kiss to the corner of her mouth. Content bétongs
“You owe me for this,” he whispered. “And I promise, I’ll collect—with interest.”
As the door clicked shut, Charlotte buried her face in the blanket, eyes squeezed shut, a huge, delighted smile spreading across her lips.