55–Bedrooms and boundaries
I wake to a light tugging in my hair. The room is still dark, so I have no idea how long I’ve been asleep.
“Hello.” Bemy says quietly, stroking my hair. I guess that exins the tugging. I stop and take in my
situation. Once again, while sleeping we have moved around so that I am lying half on top of him, one
leg pulled up and crossed over his. One of his arms is wrapped around my waist while the other is
stroking my hair. I take a deep breath, trying to stay calm. I don’t know why I’m so freaked out. This is
very different to the other times we woke up next to each other. Those times Bemy backed off as
soon as he realised what was happening, but
now…
“Hi?” I answer him nervously. Bemy doesn’t say anything. He just keepszily stroking my hair and
lets out a deep breath. He moves a little adjusting his legs, shifting me slightly.
“Sorry, I’m probably crushing you, I’ll move 1-” I am about to roll off of him when he runs his hand down
from my hair. He runs it lightly over my shoulder, down my side and itnds on my thigh. He holds it
lightly to stop me moving away, although not so tight I couldn’t pull
away if I wanted to.
“Don’t go.” His arm tightens around my waist.
“I can finally touch you. It’s how I know this is real.” He murmurs. I flush bright red and hide
my face against his chest.
“Just for a little longer then.” I mutter. We lie there in silence for who knows how long, thirty minutes?
An hour? Eventually the sound of Bemy’s phone vibrating on the table by the bed. is enough to force
him to move. With a sigh he releases me, sits up and checks his messages. He groans in frustration.
“Word has gotten out about what happened to Tristan, apparently his mother is demanding to see me.
It hasn’t urred to her that I might not be home.” he groans again.
“Does that mean you need to go?” I ask, still lying down in the pillows, reluctant to get up. Bemy eyes
me up and down, something in his gaze I don’t quite understand.
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55–Bedrooms and boundaries
“Eventually I’ll need to deal with it. When I go back, I’ll have to deal with all the fallout of his death and
Megan’s almost- marriage. But it can wait a little longer.” He moves closer, leaning over me. I stare up
at him, his golden eyes meeting mine. He moves closer again, one arm on the pillow on the opposite
side of me to support himself.
“But, isn’t it important?” I blurt out.
“You’re more important.” he answers smoothly. He’s so close now. He leans in, his lips just brushing
mine in the lightest kiss. I panic.
“Stop!” He freezes and takes in my expression. Then with a half–smile he moves back a little. He’s still
leaning over me, but I have more space.
of
my
“Too much?” He asks. I nod, not trusting myself to speak. Bemy is quiet for a second before he
moves and presses a light kiss against my forehead before moving away to sit on the edge. bed. I sit
up. Well, this is awkward. I climb out of bed and make my way to the kitchen. I don’t know what time it
is, but I’m hungry, Bemy probably is too. I open my fridge and stare at the empty shelves. I’m a bit
overdue to do the grocery shopping. I close the door and jump in shock when I realise Bemy followed
me to the kitchen and is standing behind it.
“We might need to eat out.” I tell him, my voice slightly higher than usual. I step around the tiny kitchen
to move around him and put a bit of space between us.
“Ryann.” Bemy starts. I keep talking, well, more like babbling nervously.
“Or we could eat at your house I guess, I want to check on Megan so I don’t really mind but-”
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“Ryann, please stop for a second would you?” he asks. I sigh and turn to face him.
“We should talk about what just happened.” He insists. I blush and stare at the floor. Bemy likes to
face issues head on, he’s not going to let me avoid awkward conversations.
“What about it?” I respond. This entire situation is ufortable. I don’t know how I’m supposed to
react to anything..
“You were ufortable.” He starts. I shrug, that much was obvious enough.
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55- Bedrooms and boundaries
“I just, I want to know what you arefortable with.” he exins. I look up at him helplessly. “How
should I know?” I blurt out. I don’t even know what I’mfortable with so how can I tell him? Bemy
watches my face and seems to understand my internal dilemma. He runs a hand through his hair and
exhales heavily.
“Look, I know it’s been exined to you a little, how Shifters like to be close to those they care about.
For me, being close to you is something thates as easily as breathing, I crave it. I’ve chosen you
and as far as I’m concerned that’s the only decision I needed to make. I know it isn’t the same for you
and I don’t want you to be ufortable. If you can’t tell me what you’re okay with, then you’re going
to have to tell me when you’re not okay with something. For example.” Bemy steps in closer to me,
not super close, but enough that I
could reach out and touch him.
“Is this okay?” He asks. I nod. He smiles and slowly reaches out and takes my hand.
“And this?” I nod again. He tugs me a little closer and ces his free hand on my lower back.
“Okay or not?” he checks. I’m bright red at this point.
“O–okay.” He uses the hand on my back to pull me lightly to lean against his chest. Was he always this
tall? I feel so tiny. His hand releases mine and loops around my back to meet his other hand trapping
me against him.
“And now?” He asks again. I don’t answer, I just lean into him further and lie my head against his chest.
He wraps his arms tightly around me and I can feel him press a kiss in my hair. We stand there for a
minute before he speaks again.
“May I kiss you?” he asks. I consider. I DO want him to kiss me, I’m just also super nervous about it.
Bemy seems to take my silence as a refusal. He pulls away, clearing his throat, clearly also feeling
nervous. His difort oddly enough is exactly what I needed to help me. conquer my own. Before I
can talk myself out of it I blurt out;
“Yes.” He examines my face, making sure I mean it. Then a slow smile moves across his face. He
reaches out and ces one hand on my cheek. He uses the other to lightly tilt my head up from under
my chin. Then he leans down and lightly presses his lips to mine in a gentle kiss. He pulls back,
lingering for a moment a few centimetres from my face. Then pulls away to properly assess my
reaction. I give him a shy smile and he returns it with a cheeky, satisfied
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55- Bedrooms and boundaries
grin.
“That’s more than enough for now. I’m in no hurry.” He tells me, taking my hand in his again.
“I just have onest question.” He adds. I try my best not to make a face.
“What is it?”
“Before, when you stopped me from kissing you. What was different? What made that not. okay and
this okay?” Bemy is watching me, his expression earnest. I find myself staring at my feet. I ran out of
my room so fast I forgot to put my slippers on and my toes are cold.
“The bed.” I whisper, my difort returning. Bemy considers me for a moment before nodding.
“Okay then. I’ll remember that.” He pauses before continuing.
“Can we eat out? When I get back I’ll have a lot of work to do, I want to rx just a little
longer.” I nod my agreement.
“Okay, I’ll text Megan and let her know I’ll be about an hour then.” He releases my hand and heads
towards my room to get his phone. He’s in the doorway when I finally speak up.
“What about you?” I force out. He stops and turns to face me.
“What about me?”
“Is there anything that would make you ufortable?” I rify. Bemy shes me a bright
smile.
“I honestly can’t think of anything you might do that I wouldn’t be okay with. But if anythinges up I
promise to tell you.”