RANK

Chapter 38

The following morning Nya woke in the position of her cheek beings pressed on the peck of Vince's chest. Her leg was thrown over his and his arm came around and settled on her hips. To say she was comfy was an understatement. She fit so perfectly in this spot, snug, and tight in his arms, and the sway of his fingers brushing under her upper thigh somehow comforted her even more to top it off, the guilty feeling of this being her sister's place had disappeared. Could she wake up any better? She rises, moves her hair from her face, and sits up. Vince was already awake and was looking at his phone. "Sorry..." she wipes the corners of her mouth in case there was dried-up drool. He was always gone before she woke so she was surprised he was still around.

"For what?" He clicked off his phone, set it on the nightstand, and sat up. The immediate weight of all his attention settles on her and creates a fuzzy twirl in her stomach she has never felt before. She clears her throat, hiding it in a way. "Lee... she says you don't like to cuddle."

"Is that what you were doing?" A slight roguish smile appears on his face, one she didn't know he had. It caught her off guard. She loses her words. Her lips part and she sees his focus land on her mouth and now she was thinking about an entirely different topic. The one where he kisses her. Is he thinking about kissing her? She didn't know what was happening but she could feel her resistance to him diminishing and her attraction growing. His muscles, his tattoos, all on showcase. She had to tell herself repeatedly not to gawk. Even worse was she wanted to go back to his comfort, his firmness. God, she felt so safe there.

"You've been doing that every night, sweetheart."

Her insides were warm at the endearment and the tone he used as if she were something delicate to deal with. "Doing what?" She lost track of the conversation.

"Sleeping in my arms."

"Oh..." Her brows elevate. That's probably why he was always gone in the morning. Here she was enjoying his space and he was most likely irritated and felt hot, sweaty, and stifled. "You should just push me off, wake me up to something."

His brows join. "Why would I do that? If you want me to hold you, I will."

"I don't... I mean..." Did you want to hold me? She wanted to ask but she didn't have the guts. Why, she didn't know. Maybe it was to save the pain of more rejection. She clears her throat. "Don't you have to leave?" She says instead.

"In a little while. You're an early bird this morning." His line was cheesy but it made her smile. He extended his hand and brushed her bottom lip with his thumb. "I don't know how it's possible but you look even cuter in the morning."

"I do?... I mean..." Nothing was coming to mind.

"You do." He drops his hand to hers, taking it and rubbing his thumb over her knuckles. It was the most distracting but in a good way. "Have you spoken to your sister?"

"What?"

"Malina, have you spoken to her?"

"You mean about her and Beta Bent?"

"She told you then... What do you think? His gaze intensified on hers and it made her freeze a beat. "I'm shocked. Who knew Beta Bent had feelings for her this whole time."

"And?"

"And...I'm really happy that she is happy, I don't think I've ever seen her this happy."