Just this once

Chapter nineteen

Erika's POV

"I ummm... I'll sleep on the floor. You take the bed." My eyes widen at his suggestion.

"Hunter , I can't ask you to do that. I'll take the floor, you sleep in your own bed."

"No, you need sleep. Ummmm maybe," He starts rubbing the back of his neck in that cute way he does when he's nervous- wait a minute, did I just call him cute?

'KNOCK IT OFF ERIKA!!!!' God, I can be such an idiot sometimes.

'Erika, whatever he's feeling towards you isn't anything. He will never like someone like you, he's just being friendly.'

"Maybe what?" He looks down at his shoes and reluctantly says

"We could share the bed." Holy shit.

Did he just...? Oh my gods he did!

"Never mind I'll-" Before he can finish the sentence I am scooting over on the bed making room for him.

"If you try anything I will personally castrate you Hunter James."

He slides into the bed next to me and casually throws an arm around my shoulders. I snuggle into his side and rest my head on his chest while he leans down and presses his warm lips to my forehead.

"Wouldn't dream of it princess."

Princess. I like the idea of that; being somebodies Princess. I am pondering what the fact that he called me this means when I am interrupted by his low, sweet laugh.

"What?"

"I was thinking" Oh no, him thinking is always a bad sign.

"About?" I ask cautiously.

"You." My eyes snap wide open.

"What about me?" I manage to say through a sharp intake of breath.

"I've seen so many different sides to you. There is the Erika at school, who is shy, and quiet, and yet everyone notices her. There is the Erika I meet in the hallways that is infuriating and stubborn." This causes me to smirk.

'Damn right I'm stubborn.'

"There is the Erika I found in the rain, sobbing and vulnerable. There is the Erika that lets me hold her whenever she feels broken. And there is the Erika that invites me to share a bed with her, and threatens the safety of my man parts if I try anything."

The comment on his man parts almost makes me want to smile but I am stuck on what he said before.

Sobbing.

Completely vulnerable.

Broken.

"Oh." Is all I say.

"Yeah. And I'm still trying to find out which one is the real you."

Nononononono

'I can't let you do that Hunter.'

"Don't try to find out." What I want to say out loud is 'Don't you get it?'

"Why not? Give me one good reason I should not."

'Because I'm broken'

"Because you might not like what you find." He grabs my face in his hands and tilts my chin up so I am looking into his eyes.

"Erika, you will never scare me away.

I will keep your every secret.

And I will care for even the darkest parts of you.