House of Korba: The Ghost Bird Series: #7 (The Academy) by C. L. Stone Page B

settled in. Silas was on his side facing away from me. I thought maybe he’d say good night or something and I waited for him to do so. Moments passed until I heard his steady breathing next to me.
    I moved my legs as quietly as I could, feeling the expanse of the bed around me. It was tempting to roll around in it to sleep on every square inch. It was comfortable, too.
    Time passed and I dozed, but I was also getting cold. The air conditioning worked a little too well. I did my best to cover myself with the blanket but the air cut right through. I turned over, edging close to Silas, curling up next to him. To my delight, he was like a furnace, warmth pouring from him in waves. I drew closer to steal some of it.
    I bumped against him and he jumped, turning onto his back and then moving over a little. Did he think I was asking for more room? Or had he forgotten I was there in his sleep? In the dark, I couldn’t see if I’d woken him up or if it was just him moving in his sleep. I held myself back from moving in against him again.
    Only the spot he’d given up to me cooled off quickly and I was back to being too cold.
    I dozed more, but began to shiver. Silas didn’t think he could sleep in my attic before because it was too hot and stifling. I couldn’t sleep in his bedroom. It was an igloo.
    Or was I too used to Nathan sleeping so close next to me?
    Needing Silas’s warmth, I turned over again, trying my best to hover close to him, but not touch or wake him. Despite my best efforts, my arm brushed his. He mumbled something, turned over to his side facing away from me, further than before.
    Assuming now he was half-awake and was comfortable again, I edged next to him, taking up the spot he’d just warmed and pressed my back against his.
    He grunted next to me. “ Aggele Mou .”
    “Hm?” I asked, rolling onto my back so it was just my arm near him. Maybe I was keeping him awake by getting that close.
    He flipped over toward me and propped himself up onto his elbow, looking down at my face. He held up his pinkie finger at me. “You’re this tiny and you’re taking up the entire bed. Scoot over.”
    “I wasn’t trying to take up the bed.” I moaned, rolling over a few times, dragging the pillow with me.
    “What were you doing?”
    “I was cold.”
    “Oh...oh.” Silas slid over to me, closer than before, but still an inch or two away. He propped himself up on his elbow, looking down at my face. “Why didn’t you say anything?”
    “I thought you were sleeping already.”
    “And you were trying to nudge me awake?”
    My finger fluttered to my mouth, pushing my lower lip into my teeth as I spoke. “No.”
    “What were you doing?”
    “Trying to steal your body heat.”
    The edge of his mouth curled up. He captured my hand and pulled me toward him. My heart thundered as he wrapped his arms around me, one going under my head like a pillow. With his free hand, he yanked the blanket up around us, before wrapping his arm around my waist, stuffing his fingers between my hip and the bed. I sought out a place to put my hands, and ended up putting them against his chest. He pressed his face to the top of my head.
    “Better?” he whispered against me.
    “Yes,” I whispered back, feeling my breath warming the space between my lips and his chest.
    He held me tighter, nuzzled my forehead with his cheek. “ Aggele ?”
    “Yes, Silas?”
    Pause. “Did you mean it?”
    I blinked, my lashes brushing across his skin. “Mean what?”
    “What you told my dad. What you said when he asked if you were my girlfriend. Did you mean it?”
    My body rattled involuntarily. I knew what I wanted to say, despite the thick layer of guilt as my mind relentlessly flashed images of Kota, North and the others. How could I say no now? It would be lying to say I wasn’t enjoying his touches and the fun we had together. Maybe it was because being in his arms right then was so overwhelming. Maybe I was weak from a full belly, his