Selfless: Book Two (bxb) ✔️

Chapter Nineteen: Tell Me A Story

Cade Windsor

I didn't want to open my eyes.

I was afraid if I did—everything that happened last night wouldn't have existed. That everything Ace said was only a dream or a figment of my imagination. Because he wasn't in bed anymore. He wasn't beside me. And rationally, I started to believe that it was a hallucination of my greatest wants.

Because almost no one who fell in love with their 'straight' best friend actually won in the end. Almost no one who fell in love with their 'straight best friend' was able to hear those three simple words that weren't so simple at all.

I didn't want to lose what happened last night, but I knew I couldn't stay here forever. I knew I'd have to face reality—that I'd have to tell myself it was real and I wasn't dreaming. That Ace really did tell me he loved me, and he meant it.

I cracked open my eyes and was startled when I saw the fucking elf hanging from the TV screen. He had a sign that wished me a good morning and a very poorly placed candy cane hanging around his neck. "Fucking Hell!"

Ace poked his head out of the bathroom door, and I snapped my attention to him as he grinned. "What? Elfie had to visit Santa for a little bit. You didn't think he forgot about you, did you? He even brought you a candy cane."

"Give me the lighters."

"No. You'll send him back."

"No, I'm going to burn the doll."

"Feisty. Feisty. Only three days until Christmas, and you're about to find yourself on Santa's naughty list." Ace shook his head. "And people say I'm the Grinch."

I crossed my arms with a frown. "You haven't been the Grinch from my perspective. I'd be happy to take that crown from you."

Ace stepped out of the bathroom, and I certainly didn't miss that he was without a shirt. I flicked my gaze over him with widened eyes—greedily taking in what I could before finding his gaze again. He was smirking. Clearly, having caught me in the act. Shit.

"I am not an all-you-can-eat buffet."

"I was..." Trying to figure out how to get myself out of this situation. "Sorry."

His brows rose as he approached the bed. "Why are you apologizing?" He laughed. "Buffets imply that more than one person can touch. I am more of a private dinner for one."

I scrubbed a hand through my untamed hair. "Shit, last night happened," I said as he sat on the edge of the bed in front of me. "That really happened."

"Uh oh, are you the one who needs the get-out-of-jail-free card now?"

"No, no." I shook my head. "I'm not really good at the relationship thing, though. I'm afraid that I built up too many expectations in my head, and now I don't know how to act."

Ace reached over and grabbed a shirt from the back of the desk chair. "Nothing much is going to change, Vixen." He faced me again, and part of me wanted him to put his damn shirt on. The other didn't. "Do you want to talk it out?"

My favorite question. I nodded. "Yes."

He put his shirt on. Shame. Then he moved in front of me and crossed his legs. "Okay, talk it out."

I twisted my fingers in my lap to keep from reaching out and touching him. Nothing felt real. I didn't get things—not good ones. He was always the boy I wanted and could never have. He was my perfect match in so many ways, and I longed after him in silence. I was an expert at hiding my feelings from almost everyone because I had to. I needed to protect myself.