Page 33 of Yours, Forever

My voice hadn't really smoothed out yet either, but a casual conversation seemed like a good idea. Distraction might come in handy, if I didn't want to get a boner in the kitchen, where she'd see it right away.

"No, I was awake," she said. "I wanted to have some tea. It helps me sleep, sometimes. Would you like some?"

"Sure." I crossed my arm and rested my hip on the peninsula. "Do you often have trouble sleeping?"

"Sort of?" She took two mugs out of the cupboard, and put one tea bag in each. "Most of the time I sleep fine, but then something will be on my mind and give me insomnia. You?"

"I'm a poor sleeper most of the time, unfortunately."

Having prepped our drinks, she mirrored me with a hip on the stone counter. We waited together for the water to boil.

She gave me another once over. "I guess it was bound to happen, seeing each other in our underwear."

Treacherous topic, to discuss our nakedness. Clearly, making fun of the circumstances was the safer bet.

I scratched my eyebrow. "What makes you say that?"

"The fact that we live together? Two people who sleep poorly sometimes? A random meet up in the middle of the night is to be expected."

"If that's the case, I suppose other things could be predicted." I pursed my lips and went for it. "If you think that having sex is one of those inevitable things, let me know. You would have you sign a waiver— like for an extreme sport, but for any damages I might cause you. I cannot be held liable for the things I'd do to you."

She stared at me with eyes open wide. "What?!"

I couldn't help myself. Her shock made me want to keep going.

I poked again. "Thing is, I enjoy a rough time, so what happens when I leave a few accidental bruises after a hand necklace or some manhandling?"

She gaped. "You're outrageous!"

I kept going. "Not to say anything about the risk for a medical event when you see what I pack, or the potential injuries from such a huge—"

She covered my mouth with her hand... and laughed.

Shelaughed.

In a daze, I spoke through her fingers. "It'll fit, though."

"You really have to stop."

She continued to laugh, her hand over my mouth, my heart on the floor between us.

Her chortle, bright and airy and full of joy, had slit my chest open, and stolen the beating organ from me.

"I made you laugh," I said.

She pulled her hands away.

"I laugh." She dismissed my awe with a shake of her head.

"Never for something I said. Why did you stop me? You always stop me."

"We were just joking around."

The water boiled, and Eva poured our cups full.

I pursed my lips to the side, and made quick work of stitching my heart back in place.

"Then why stop me?" I asked.