Sleep eluded them both.
Yoa lay tense, every muscle tight with the urge to claim Nova in every way he craved. He was too pent up, but he reined himself in, fighting his urges with the sobering reminder that his little mouse was fragile and delicate, and he'd let instinct take over. That instinct left scratches on her soft skin.
Meanwhile, Nova wasn't just restless from that teasing encounter and what didn't happen between them, but her thoughts spun in endless circles, jumping from thought to thought. Was she really going home tomorrow? And if so… why didn't it feel like complete relief?
What did Yoa mean by going back to the lake? What did he plan to do to return her? If returning was possible, why was her heart thudding so disturbingly, as if it was slowly breaking?
"Sleep," Yoa murmured softly, his thumb caressing Nova's thigh where he held her to him.
"I'm trying," Nova pouted into the night. "How come you're not sleeping?"
