Passionate Exchange

Chapter Seventy-One

My eyes flutter open as I yawn still exhausted from yesterday. It doesn't take me long to notice the weight on my chest. I turn my head to see Archer sleeping next to me with his arm wrapped securely across my waist. Our legs are intertwined underneath the sheets.

He looks at peace for the first time in a while. I feel the same. Looking at him with his hair dishevelled and his lips slightly parted causes butterflies to erupt in my stomach. I find myself snuggling a little closer.

I know I need to tell Penny about me and her brother soon. I'm not going to make the same mistake I did last time. She deserves to know. I can't help the anxiety that grows in my chest at the thought of telling her despite her reassuring me, whatever happens, we'll be friends.

Once I've told her, I'll finally be able to relax knowing that I'm not hiding anything from anyone. With this in mind, I carefully lift his arm off of me and roll out of the bed. I open the door as slowly as I can to prevent it from making a noise and turn around to see if I was successful. A triumphant smile takes over my features when I see him still sleeping soundly.

I think I'm in the clear until my foot comes into contact with one of the floorboards outside and it creaks. I scrunch my eyes shut, freezing in place. Cautiously, I turn back hoping that I didn't wake him up. I'm not sure what time we fell asleep last night but I know it was late.

"Where are you going?" He asks. His voice is deeper than usual, and it sends shivers around my body.

I plaster a smile onto my face. "To see Penny," I state.

I sigh in relief when he rolls over and pulls the duvet over his head. I'm not used to seeing him in my bed but I'm definitely happy about it. We've only spent the night together a couple of times, but I treasure them all. Yesterday was definitely a day to remember.

I rip my gaze away from him and pad over to her room. My fist comes into contact with her door as I knock on it. I press my ear against it when I don't get an answer right away only to hear shuffling on the other side. The shuffling stops seconds before the door's ripped open.

"Madison," she says breathlessly.

"Morning." I chorus, choosing to ignore her strange behaviour.

I walk further into her room before plopping myself onto her bed. Countless ways to start this conversation swim around my head. I find myself getting lost in them. When I return to reality, I notice her biting her nails. "Are you okay?" I eye her suspiciously.

She purses her lips. "I need your help."

"With what?"

I don't expect what she says next. When I finally process it, my eyes are wide, and my eyebrows are raised. "Tyler stayed the night and I need to get him out of the house before Archer wakes up." Her pleading eyes make me agree without a second thought.

"Where is he?"

She yanks open the door to her closet and reveals Tyler standing amongst her clothes. He steps out with a sheepish grin, a slight blush on his cheeks. He gives me a small wave as I stare at him blankly. "Oh," is all I say.

"I guess what I need to tell you will have to wait."

We set out on our operation to get Tyler out. He's still carrying his shirt in his hands when we leave the room. I'm not entirely sure why. He had time to put it on already, but I shrug it off. If he wants to walk around the house without a shirt on, then so be it.

I tell them to wait there while I creep towards my room, making sure to miss the creaky floorboard in front of the door. I open it as slowly as possible and peek my head through the gap. I'm met with Archer's sleeping form covered by my cream-coloured duvet. He's still asleep.