Chapter 195
Later that night, Tracy’s phone buzzed with a message from Damon.
[If Aubrey tries to crash in your room tonight, find an excuse to turn her away.]
Tracy stared at her brother’s text, completely baffled. Where had that come from? Why on earth would Aubrey suddenly want to sleep in her room?
Just as she started typing a reply to ask what was going on, a soft knock sounded at her door.
Tossing her phone onto the bed, Tracy went to answer it.
She pulled the door open to find Aubrey standing there, her hair down and slightly tousled. She was dressed in long autumn pajamas, clutching a pillow ind a light comforter to her chest with a sheepish, embarrassed smile on her face.
Tracy couldn’t help but marvel–her brother was freaking psychic.
Tracy, can I crash in here with you tonight?” Aubrey asked, looking more than a little sheepish.
Tracy’s mind worked overtime, trying to conjure up a halfway decent excuse.“What’s up? Why the sudden slumber party request?”
Your brother took me to see a horror movie,” Aubrey grumbled, her tone sharp with lingering annoyance. “I’m still totally creeped out. I can’t close my yes without seeing things.
Tracy bit back a laugh.
Her brother really did know Aubrey better than anyone. It was brilliant–and totally devious.
Jack in the day, Tracy had loved competing with her brother for Aubrey’s attention. She used to love sleeping in the same bed as her; Aubrey always
ad this faint, clean scent that was better than any sleep aid. She was so soft, too, like hugging a life–sized plushie.
but now, she had to keep her eye on the prize. She couldn’t let a moment of pity sabotage her brother’s master plan.
ince Aubrey had amnesia and couldn’t remember their past, Tracy cleared her throat and channeled her best “sorry, not sorry” energy. “I’m so sorry. Aubrey, but I really can’t. I’m a total light sleeper–if there’s anyone else in the bed, I’ll be tossing and turning all night. And I have to be up early for work tomorrow. Why don’t you go ask my mom?”
Is your mom sleeping alone?” Aubrey asked in a hushed voice.
racy shook her head.“Nope. She’s with my dad.”
Aubrey let out a heavy sigh, her shoulders slumping as a look of pure, unadulterated misery settled on her face.
My brother sleeps alone, too,” Tracy added with a mischievous glint in her eyes. “Besides, he’s got that big, protective energy–exactly what you need to Eep the ghosts away. You should go stay with him,”
But…” Aubrey started, her voice trailing off.
Don’t worry, Damon is a total gentleman. He’s not going to take advantage of you.” Tracy stepped out of her room, gently nudging Aubrey toward Jamon’s bedroom door. As they walked, she continued her persuasion.“Besides, you’ve shared a bed with him for years. Don’t let a little thing like mnesia make you shy now. You’ll get used to it again.”
I really can’t just… show up there,” Aubrey whispered, feeling a flush of heat creep up her neck.
You two are basically an old married couple. There’s nothing to be embarrassed abouy.” Tracy maneuvered her right in front of Damon’s door and jave it a sharp knock. Before Aubrey could even think of a protest, Tracy was already retreating down the hall.“Goodnight, Aubrey!” she called out, lisappearing around the corner.
she moved fast, clearly terrified that if she lingered for even a second, Aubrey would catch her and drag her back.
The door swung open almost instantly. It happened so fast that it felt as if Damon had been standing right behind it, waiting for her the entire time.
Aubrey’s first instinct was to bolt, but before she could react, Damon was there, leaning nonchalantly against the doorframe. He looked devastatingly handsome–clean–shaven and fresh–with a faint, knowing smirk playing on his lips. His dark eyes were calm and steady, possessing a magnetic depth hat made her breath hitch.“Come in,” he said, his voice a low, smooth rumble.
‘I… I was just passing by. Tracy was the one who knocked,” Aubrey stammered, her heart suddenly hammering against her ribs. A wave of inexplicable nerves washed over her.“I’m going back to my room…”
With that, she started to turn away, desperate to escape the intensity of his gaze.
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Damon’s voice drifted over her shoulder, low and laced with a playful, ominous edge. “So, you’re not worried about something… crawling onto your bed tonight?”
Aubrey froze. Flashbacks from the movie flickered through her mind like a horror reel. She let out a heavy breath, torn between sheer terror and mounting irritation.
He wasn’t even trying to be subtle anymore. This wasn’t some hidden conspiracy.
It was a blatant power move, and he was playing his hand in broad daylight.
“Don’t overthink it. This house is way too big and empty tonight, and I’m the only one offering to share a bed with you.” Damon stepped out, smoothly plucking the pillow and duvet from her arms before disappearing back into his room.
Left empty–handed in the dimly lit hallway, Aubrey felt a sudden chill crawl down her spine. The silence around her felt heavy, almost suffocating.
She was backed into a corner; she had no choice.
It was either face the ghosts of her imagination alone or face Damon.
Setting her jaw, she followed him into the room and clicked the door shut behind her.
When she turned around, Damon was already settling her pillow against the headboard, smoothing her blanket over one side of the massive bed.
The room was perfectly climate–controlled, bathed in the soft, amber glow of the lamps. A faint, calming scent of lavender lingered in the air.
Damon picked up a few books he’d already laid out on the nightstand.“Do you want to read for a bit,” he asked, his eyes meeting hers, “or are you ready to sleep?”
I think I’ll read for a while,” Aubrey managed, her posture rigid. Her mind felt hollow, wiped clean of any memory of what it was actually like to share a bed with him.
Without those memories, even the concept of intimacy felt foreign, like something she’d only ever read about in books. How was she supposed to act natural sharing a bed with a man when she felt like a total novice again?
Damon was gorgeous–easy on the eyes in a way that made her heart skip a beat–but the sheer physical attraction only added to the knot of nerves tightening in her stomach.
Damon set his book aside and walked to the other side of the bed. He slid under the covers and leaned back against the plush headboard, his attention shifting to his phone.“Go ahead and read,” he said, his voice low and steady.“I won’t bother you.”
Okay,” she murmured. Aubrey climbed in, her body tense as she pulled the duvet over her legs. She made sure to leave a decent amount of space between them, a sterile no–man’s–land in the center of the mattress.
She flipped the book open and tried to focus on the words, but they were just ink on paper. Nothing was actually sinking in.
The room settled into a heavy silence, and the air between them seemed to thrum with a sudden, localized heat.
After a few minutes of failing to focus, Aubrey realized she was completely distracted by his presence. He was keeping to himself, though–acting like a perfect gentleman, exactly as Tracy had described.
Finally, she snapped the book shut, her curiosity getting the better of her.“When we were dating… how long did it take for us to sleep together?”
Three months.”
“You mean the same day we officially became a couple?” Aubrey asked, her eyes widening in shock.
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