18. A Tank (Lexi POV)

Waking up felt different that morning. The sensation wasn't solely the plushness of the bed or the sun streaming through the windows, but the wall of heat that surrounded me. Clay was wrapped around me like a cocoon, his arms secure, but the heat caught me off guard. He was so hot... Almost feverish to the touch.

Clay stirred beside me as I shifted, sitting up to take a mental inventory of this new morning. His eyes blinked, meeting mine, and a slight frown creased his forehead.

"Wow, I overslept," he mumbled, stretching his arms above his head, inadvertently showcasing the muscle contours and tattoos I'd admired during his workout yesterday. I tried to not drool right then.

"Overslept?" I echoed, still trying to get my bearings.

"Yeah, I'm usually up by 4 a.m. for my morning workout," he explained, swinging his legs over the side of the bed. But as he said it, his gaze remained on me, as if grappling with the idea that maybe, just maybe, some routines were worth breaking. "But I gu