Eden let a surprised sound when Sterling scooped her into his arms, wrapping her own around his neck tightly. She exhaled shakily, resting her head against his shoulder, thumb grazing the bare skin of his neck.
He was carrying her. He could have chosen to simply help her walk, but he’d chosen to carry her.
She swallowed. “Carrying, huh…”
“Mmhm. Did you not think I would?” Sterling murmured as he set her down on the couch, looking down at her with a soft smile. “Where are the blankets? I’ll grab a couple.”
Eden closed her eyes, a small smile overtaking her lips.
“I thought you would choose the least troublesome option,” she admitted, wanting to reach out for his hand. “You can get a blanket from my room…”
“Carrying you is not troublesome. It was pretty easy, actually,” Sterling chuckled, brushing a lock of her hair behind her ear before taking a step back. “I’ll be right back.”
Eden wiped at her burning, wet eyes, cursing the fever she had inwardly.
“Are you trying to show off?” She questioned in amusement, trying not to let his little action affect her as her heart skipped a beat. He was so gentle with her. Eden just wanted to melt. “All right, Sterling.”
Sterling chuckled and started toward her bedroom. He stepped inside and pulled a couple of blankets off the bed, then walked back to the living room and Eden.
“Here we are,” he hummed as he made his way over to her.
“Here we are,” Eden murmured, watching him make his way over to her. “Come on, then.”
Sterling laid the blankets over Eden before lifting a side and slipping under them. He wrapped an arm around her, holding her close. “Is this okay?” he murmured softly.
Eden buried herself in his side, legs pressed up to her chest, her head on his chest. She breathed him in. “Yes,” she whispered. “It’s more than okay…”
More than okay…
It was more than okay that he was this close. They had decided to be friends, nothing more, and yet they were acting this way. Not that he minded, but he was pretty sure most friends didn’t act this way.
“Good. Now try to sleep if you can,” he whispered back, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead.
(Well, Sterling, you could be best friends… best friendzoned from friendzoned.)
This was wrong. Terribly wrong, Eden knew. They shouldn’t be acting like this. They should be keeping their distance, not be this… close. He shouldn’t be kissing her forehead, holding her close, sleeping with her. She shouldn’t be letting him do this.
Yet she was. She was letting him be this close when a mere touch of another man had left her a traumatized mess. She was letting him kiss her willingly when she would be scrubbing herself clean in the shower if another man so much as made contact with her. This was wrong. And frightening, but Eden liked it. She liked it even though she shouldn’t be liking it.
“You, too,” Eden told him. “I woke you up. You should sleep as well.”
(Sterling: grumbles That is not better…)
Sterling was surprised she was even letting him touch her, much less hold her like this. A few weeks ago, she would barely even look at him, and now they were laying on the couch, snuggling as “friends.”
“I’ll sleep when I know you’re asleep. But I’ll rest until then,” he promised gently.
(Chogiwae: Oh, well. 🤷♀️)
“It’s nearly five,” Eden rubbed circles on his chest unconsciously. “Don’t wait up for me. I most likely won’t fall asleep.”
Sterling closed his eyes, letting out a slow breath. The touch of her hand on his chest was just… It felt really nice. Maybe a little too nice, but he wasn’t going to stop her.
“Okay,” he gave in, rolling onto his side and tucking her against his chest as he wrapped his arms around her. “As long as you promise to at least try to sleep.”
Eden smiled when he rolled to his side and tucked her against him, arms wrapping around her tighter. She breathed him in, eyes closing, head on his chest. But then he mentioned the promise and it strained slightly.
“Okay,” she agreed rather reluctantly. “I’ll try to. Goodnight, Sterling…”
“Goodnight, Eden,” Sterling murmured into her hair, rubbing gentle circles onto her back. “Again.”
Eden sighed in content at his gentle touches. She waited for him to fall asleep, her head on his chest, listening to the steady beating of his heart all the while running circles on his chest.
Eden’s head was pounding. Her eyes were burning, breathing extremely heavy. She felt sweaty and suffocated, and though she’d done nothing but stay in Sterling’s arms throughout the night, she felt exhausted.
She shifted a little in his hold, trying to get comfortable. She didn’t dare move or wake him up, even though nausea gnawed at her gut and needles poked at her head. She felt horrible.
Sterling awoke to the feeling of someone moving in his arms. He cracked an eye open to see his gir— his friend shifting again. Eden was extremely hot, and she looked like she was sweating.
“E? You seem worse…” he said groggily, lifting a hand to feel her forehead. “You’re burning up.”
Eden breathed heavily, leaning into his touch almost instinctively, her eyes closed.
“Huh? Yeah,” she mumbled. “I feel terrible. I feel awful. What time is it?”
Sterling sighed and cupped her cheek in his hand, rubbing gentle circles onto the skin. “About seven, I think. It’s a good thing it’s Saturday, hm?” he quietly chuckled a little. “Do you want a wet rag for your forehead?”
Eden’s eyes opened, teary from the burning. She swallowed thickly, her mouth dry and numb. Why did his touches feel so good? It wasn’t supposed to feel so good. He wasn’t even her boyfriend. This was terrible. Too bad she was prone to trouble.
“That would feel nice, yeah,” she hummed, eyes falling on his mouth before closing again. “A wet rag.”
Sterling chewed on his lip, nodding slowly. He pressed a lingering kiss to her forehead and continued to look at her for a moment before reluctantly sliding from the couch.
“I’ll be right back, then,” he murmured. “Don’t go anywhere.”
Eden rested against the couch, chuckling softly. She immediately missed him being pressed up against him.
“Where will I go?” She asked in amusement before opening her eyes again. “Sterling?”
Sterling paused and turned around to smile at her, leaning against the wall he was near. “Yes, Eden?” he chuckled, sticking his hands in his pockets.