Chapter 36

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I woke up to an expected tenderness between my legs, cold air blowing nicely on my exposed back. The early morning sun peeked through the translucent blinds, illuminating the room. My stomach clenched at the memories of the earth shattering experience, heat crawling up my cheeks.

The systematic rising and falling of Holden's chest drew my attention to his sleeping form under my head. Surreptitiously, I lifted my head off his chest as I took him in. My eyes traveled along his resting features, studying the way his thick lashes brushed against his cheekbones.

Using a single finger, I hovered it above the scattered branches of the weeping willow on his lower chest. Feather lightly, I dragged the tip of my nail along the trunk of the tree. My trail was cut short by the navy sheets that rested low on his hips, concealing the rest of the him.

Unthinking, I stretched my head to brush my lips on his cheek.

"I...I love you" I whispered.

It felt like a load had been lifted off my chest and suddenly, I wasn't being weighed down. The fact that I loved him was another thing I had concluded in the dead of last night. Come to think of it; I had known it for a while, I just confirmed it to myself. It was however, one thing to tell him when I knew he wasn't listening and another to actually tell him.

Startled, my heart jumped as I quickly flung my eyes shut. I held my breath, stilling complete when he stirred slightly. His hand clamped over mine, flattening my palm against his skin. I felt him edge closer to me, his warm breath fanning the side of my face.

"Are you going to keep pretending your asleep?" he asked in my ear.

"...good morning" I said awkwardly as I cleared the sleep out of my voice. He stroked my knuckles sensuously, awakening goosebumps along my arm. The plumpness of his lips settled on the side of my head, pressing briefly.

"Do you mean it?" He donned a serious tone, his eyes fixing on mine. I knew he heard it and I wasn't ready for him to. I didn't regret saying it though, it felt nice to get it off my chest. I just wish I wasn't naked and clanging on to a thin sheet.

"I-I do"

If he wasn't so close to me, he probably wouldn't have heard my quiet answer. My skin grew even hotter at my open revelation as I stared everywhere but at him. Using his forefinger, he lifted my chin towards him. His lips brushing over mine before deepening the kiss, caressing my tongue with his.

"Good" he rasped against my mouth. He was an utter enigma to me, I could never anticipate his responses. He didn't strick me the a commitment type and I had nothing against it, but I'd expected him to be indifferent about my admission. He wasn't.

"I have to get to practice, but you should go back to bed. Its still too early" he pecked my lips before sliding out of the bed while tugging on his boxers.

A gasp tore through my throat at the sight of his back, my hand flying to my mouth. Holden craned his head towards me in confusion as the lines on his forehead creased.

"Your back" I said, pointing at the red lines littering his tan skin. I unconsciously curled my fingers into my palms, making a mental note to clip them.

"I like them" he winked while walking towards a large duffel bag across the room. He got into the bathroom, emerging minutes later in black sweatpants and a white shirt. His wet hair fell leisurely in his eye as he walked past the threshold.

I had just straightened on the bed, my legs making contact with the cold floor as I reached for my sports bra. My grip on the sheet tightened as I willed it to stay in place. It didn't matter that he had see all of me last night, I was still self-conscious.

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