Beyond the Lines

Chapter 15: You're Trouble.

Rebecca's POV:

The light filtered softly through the curtains, stirring me from sleep. I blinked a few times, my eyes adjusting to the morning glow as I felt the weight of someone near me. 

I turned my head and found Lane hovering above me. He was close—way too close—and... shirtless.

Oh, okay. Well, that's new.

I swallowed hard, trying not to let my gaze drift down his chest, but it was impossible not to notice the defined muscles, the way his skin seemed to glow in the early light. 

My heart did a little flip in my chest, and I had to bite my lip to stop myself from smiling too much. 

I stretched, yawning lazily, hoping the movement would distract me from how good he looked right now.

"Morning," I mumbled, trying to sound casual.

He didn't say anything at first. 

Instead, he leaned in even closer, his nose gently brushing against my cheek, sending an involuntary shiver down my spine.

 I couldn't help but close my eyes, feeling the warmth of his breath as it skimmed across my skin.

"You're awake," he murmured, his voice low, that deep rumble that always made me feel a little weak.

"Yeah..." I yawned again, forcing myself to keep my voice steady. "But you... look... different this morning."

Lane raised an eyebrow, the corner of his mouth tugging up in that smirk that always made my stomach flip. 

"Oh, do I?" His voice was teasing, but his eyes were locked onto mine with an intensity that made it hard to breathe.

I nodded, trying to avoid looking too obvious. "Yeah, you're... shirtless."

"Figured I'd be more comfortable." He leaned in further, his lips barely grazing the side of my jaw before he shifted lower, letting his nose trail along my collarbone. 

"Unless you mind?"

Mind? Of course not. 

But words weren't exactly forming in my head right now. 

My breath hitched, and I squeezed my eyes shut for a second, trying to calm the sudden rush of warmth that had crept into my face.

"I'm... I'm good," I managed, my voice a little shaky.

He hummed, satisfied with my answer, and he continued to nuzzle his way along my skin. His stubble tickled, but it wasn't unpleasant. 

Quite the opposite. It was... well, it was too much for a morning like this.

"Did you sleep well?" he asked, his lips brushing against the base of my throat now, leaving me even more breathless.

"Yeah," I replied, my voice barely a whisper. "You?"

"Mm-hmm," he said, though his focus clearly wasn't on talking. 

He kept his lips close to my skin, letting his fingers trace down my arm slowly. I had to resist the urge to squirm under his touch, but it was becoming harder by the second.

"Lane," I finally managed to say, trying to get my thoughts back in order. "You're... really distracting right now."

"Am I?" He finally pulled back a little, just enough to meet my eyes. "That wasn't my intention."

"Could've fooled me," I muttered, my cheeks burning.

He chuckled softly, leaning back slightly, but not enough to put distance between us.