Turning to Stone (Heart of Stone: Book 2)

Chapter 32: Messages

Chapter 32: Messages

As the week rolled on, Ed and I barely saw each other during the daytime. That wasn't unusual, especially with the Christmas charity single promotion in full swing, and we made up for it through sleepovers.

Sometimes I'd be asleep when he eventually climbed into bed, but I'd stir as he slipped beneath the covers, and then we'd have lazy, drowsy sex until the early hours. He'd lie in, and I'd go back to my room and dress.

Despite knowing each other so well, the relationship felt fresh and new. Occasionally I had to pinch myself. After so many months of obstacles, heartache, and longing, we were together. Properly together. No lies or secrets or deception.

We'd not got this far during our friends-with-benefits arrangement in Europe, and I hadn't even been sure I'd wanted it back then. Now, for the first time in a very long while, I felt at peace with everything in my life, and I saw positivity and happiness in the tiniest, most insignificant things.

A longer queue at the coffee shop allowed me more time to get to know the security personnel that now accompanied me everywhere.

A colder snap in the air made me excited for warm sunshine on our upcoming Costa Rica trip.

An enormous Christmas tree in the hotel lobby sparked a festive buzz in me.

And every time I caught Ed's eye, butterflies fluttered in my stomach.

"I'm heading out to an interview with Heart, and I want you to keep hold of my phone."

Ed made the strange request outside my bedroom door one afternoon in mid-November.

"Why?" I asked, taking the phone from him.

He slid his hands into his hoody's front pocket and levelled me with a cautious stare, his eyes bouncing around my face.

"I don't want there to be any nasty surprises. I trust you, and I hope you trust me, but I'd rather you desensitise yourself when it comes to the kind of messages I'm receiving from other women on a daily basis."

I dropped my gaze down to his screen. It sat silently in my palm.

"Most of my notifications are off," he said. "And hardly anyone has my phone number. But you should spend some time on my Twitter and Instagram. See what pops up."

I lifted my eyes back up to his nervous face. "Is this because of what Helen said?"

"Yep. And she's right. Honestly, if you were receiving hundreds of messages every day from horny guys, I'm not sure I'd be cool with it. At least not at first. I'd trust you, but I'd find it really annoying."

Passing the phone from hand to hand, I kept my focus on him as I digested his words. How could one of the hottest guys on the planet find that annoying?

"Fine," I said. "And I'll try my best not to reply to any of them."

A deep chuckle vibrated low in his throat. "Thanks for that."

"It's not going to put you off your interview, is it? Worrying about what I'll see? What I'll think? Because I do trust you, but I know why you want me to see them."

"Nah. It's all good. I'd rather you look at them alone so you can decide how you feel without putting on a brave face for me."

Smiling, I stepped into the heat of his body and wound an arm around his back, leaning my head against his solid chest.

"I really like you, you know."

"I know." He kissed the top of my head as his hands withdrew from his pockets to wrap around me. "I really like you, too."