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‘Well, what do you usually do in situations like this? I know you’ve slept over at your lady friends’ before and had to change at Glimmers. Katie outed you.’

‘Of course she did.’ He shook his head. ‘Firstly, the other women I spent time with weren’t friends like we are – I haven’t figured out if that changes things. Secondly, unless I have to leave I’d usually just respect her preferences. Some like to snuggle; others… it’s better to bow out politely.’ He reached out and tucked her hair away from her face. ‘So, what would you like me to do?’

‘Whatever you want.’

‘I don’t have to rush back for anything…’ He really was very tempted.

‘It’s up to you.’

‘I think I’d like to stay, if it’s really OK with you?’

‘I already told you it was.’ Mia reached over to turn off the light, then cuddled back against him with a happy sigh.

He was quiet for so long that she thought he’d fallen asleep, until he pulled her closer and kissed her forehead. ‘Thank you, Mia.’

‘You’re welcome.’

‘You know, as sorry as I am that your prince turned into a toad… right now I’m feeling a bit glad he did.’

‘You are?’

‘Yeah. He wasn’t even close to good enough for you.’ He trailed his fingers down her back again, and pulled her a bit closer. ‘Will you promise me something?’

‘If I can.’

‘Don’t settle for anything less than you deserve. If the next would-be prince doesn’t treat you right, if he doesn’t make you feel spectacularly gorgeous even when you’re wearing your glasses and haven’t done your hair, kick him to the kerb.’

‘You make it sound so easy.’

‘I’ll happily do the kicking bit for you.’ He smiled at her soft laugh. ‘It should be that easy, Mia. You’re amazing. Any man who doesn’t see that doesn’t deserve to be in your life.’

‘Says the man currently naked in my bed.’

‘Oh, Princess, I’m just happy being your friend and Friday-night call until Triple D shows up.’

She giggled in his arms.

‘Really, really, really happy.’ He traced his fingers up and down her back, making her squirm. ‘Really very, very happy.’

‘Yeah, I got that.’

Aiden blinked a few times as he woke up, and had those usual few seconds of trying to figure out where he was and who he was with when he found himself in a strange bed. He looked down at the glossy, chestnut waves kissed with honey knotting across his shoulder: Mia.

She was snuggled against him, sleepy, warm and delicious. She stirred for a few seconds, then settled comfortably, her cheek resting on his shoulder. He stroked her hair gently away from her face and traced a finger down her cheek, barely making contact. He didn’t want to wake her, but couldn’t resist the urge to touch her.

In another world, one where his life was different and he wasn’t so truly, totally messed up, he could have easily seen a life with someone very much like the gorgeous woman cuddled against him, her hair messy and tangled from his fingers.

It would be easy to feel angry about it, to be bitter about what he couldn’t have, but that would ruin the awesomeness of moments like this. Instead, he hugged Mia a bit closer and smiled when she buried her face against his chest. ‘You really are too good for me, sweetheart,’ he whispered, needing the reminder.

She was more awake than he realised. ‘Enough of that nonsense.’

‘Sorry. Hadn’t meant to wake you.’

‘Or for me to hear you downgrading me? I’m not your princess any more? When we’re naked in bed and you’ve already got what you wanted, I get relegated to just being “sweetheart”. Is that how it works?’

‘Mia, no! I didn’t mean it like that.’

She looked up, her eyes filled with mischief.