Page 82 of The Damaged Billionaire's Obsession
Chapter 24
Ethan
I knock on thedoor to the guest room, and just when I’m about to walk away because I think she might be asleep already, the door opens, and she lets me in.
Bonnie looks lost and sad. Still, seeing her in my clothes makes me want to tackle her to the floor. The gray tee falls to her mid-thighs and the sleeves go halfway down her forearms. No one has ever worn my clothes. Not even Grant or Jordan. Not since I was sixteen when my world melted down into a pool of anxiety.
She goes to sit at the edge of the bed, but I motion for her to get in. She does so meekly, and I tuck her in.
“I’m sorry for your loss, Bonnie.” I sit beside her, stroking a hand along her temple.
“Thanks,” she whispers. My heart goes out to her because I can see how much she’s hurting. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her this subdued before.
“Were you close?”
There are shadows in her eyes when she answers, “Um…she raised me. She was there for me in a way no one else was.” Shemeets my gaze steadily, and I see a lot of pain behind her eyes. I know she just suffered a loss, but something tells me there’s more to it than her nan’s passing.
“Why did you come here, of all places, Bonnie, and not to any of your friends?"
“I don’t know. Does there need to be a reason?”
I huff out a laugh. “Not for me, no, but maybe you need to figure out why. Not now, of course. Later on. In any case, I’m glad you felt safe enough to come to me.”
She’s silent.
“So, what’s the plan?” I ask.
“I need to go to Clonmel—Ireland, tomorrow.”
“You mean today?”
My teasing tone doesn’t seem to register, as she just continues looking lost. “Oh, yeah. True.”
“Have you booked your flight yet?”
She shakes her head. “Oh, no! My phone. I left it at home. The battery went dead.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll sort it out. Get some sleep.” I squeeze her hand reassuringly. “It’ll be alright.”
She holds fast when I try to pull away. “Stay.” She sniffs, holding back more tears. “Stay and…hold me.”
Her beautiful eyes are large and luminous.
Saying yes feels like I’d be taking advantage of her vulnerable state. “Bonnie—”
“Please don’t say no, Ethan.”
That’s the problem right there. I can’t say no. Not anymore. The last time I stayed in bed with her, I woke up to find her plastered to my body. I followed my instincts, and it landed us in an awkward mess we still haven’t recovered from.
The difference is, this time, she’s asking. If she asks me to do more than hold her, I won’t have the strength to stop, knowing now how she feels and tastes.
I huff out a breath and round the bed, getting into the opposite side. I haven’t even settled yet before she’s all over me. I freeze at the jarring contact and wait for the initial wave of pleasure to subside. Her head is pillowed on my chest, and she has one arm around my torso and her leg curled around mine.
Christ, she feels good wrapped around me. “Better?”
“Mm-hmm,” she murmurs sleepily. Within minutes, her breathing evens out.
I study her features in the low light.So. Fucking. Beautiful.And vulnerable and soft and open.