By some ridiculous twist of fate, Luke was going to spend the night in Lauren’s bed, and she had been the one to suggest it.

She had looked directly at him and said she wanted him beside her tonight. Luke replayed that moment throughout his shower, partly because he still could not believe it and partly because remembering her expression made his body react all over again.

There had been no misunderstanding. Lauren did not need him guarding the hallway or sleeping on the couch outside her door. She wanted Luke in her bed.

Miss Lauren actually asked me to sleep with her.

No matter how many times he repeated it, the thought refused to feel real.

His nerves made even showering difficult. The soap slipped from his hands so often that he eventually stopped counting, and every time he bent to retrieve it, his erection slapped against his stomach or brushed his thigh.

Turning the water cold accomplished nothing, so Luke tried thinking about the Dread Devourer instead. The enormous monster and the second mouth hidden inside its swollen stomach should have been enough to kill anyone’s arousal, but remembering the creature led straight back to Yvonne sitting astride his hips after they defeated it.

His cock only became harder.

Great. Monsters make it worse now.

In the end, Luke settled for washing himself as quickly as possible. Even cleaning his cock became dangerous because the thick shaft remained painfully hard against his stomach beneath the running water, and every pass of his soapy hand threatened to turn into something more.

He clenched his jaw and stopped before losing control. Whatever Lauren wanted tonight, Luke wanted to be ready for it, and coming in the shower before he even reached her room would have been pathetic.

Once he had dried himself, Luke stood in front of the bathroom mirror and examined the damage. His face was flushed, his ears were bright red, and the loose sleep pants Lauren had given him did almost nothing to hide the erection straining beneath them.

The thin fabric stretched outward so clearly that anyone who glanced below his waist would immediately understand what had occupied his thoughts. Adjusting the waistband only shifted the bulge to the other side, while pulling his shirt lower accomplished nothing.

How am I supposed to walk into her room with a hard-on this obvious?

A familiar warmth lingered deep inside his body. It was weaker than the rush he experienced when he deliberately activated Reinforce, but Luke recognized it.

The ability had already strengthened his arms and legs without conscious effort. Apparently, Reinforce had decided his cock needed the help too.

His gaze dropped to the shameless erection tenting his pants.

Of course this is how my power develops.

No notification appeared to confirm his suspicion, but Luke no longer believed he was imagining the changes. His body had been using Reinforce naturally since leaving Powerforge Online. It had simply chosen the most embarrassing way to prove it.

After checking that he had not forgotten any clothes, soap, or remaining dignity, Luke stepped into the hallway.

The apartment had gone quiet. Most of the lights were off, leaving only a small lamp near Lauren’s room. Its warm glow stretched across the wooden floor and stopped a few feet from her door.

His heartbeat quickened as he approached, but he refused to spend another eternity standing outside and torturing himself. Lauren had already made her interest clear. He had seen it in the way she watched him work, felt it in the warmth of her touches, and heard it in the questions she asked about Yvonne.

Whatever happened tonight, Luke knew she wanted him close.

He reached for the handle and paused long enough to take one steadying breath.

Just go in.

The door opened without a sound, revealing Lauren asleep near the center of the bed. The sight stole what remained of Luke’s breath.

Her long black hair spread across the pillows in smooth waves, forming a dark frame around her pale face. A few loose strands rested against her cheeks and parted lips, softening the mature elegance of her features.

Without the welcoming smile she wore for customers or the concern that often appeared whenever she looked at Luke, she seemed completely relaxed. There was something almost adorable about her sleeping expression, though nothing about Lauren herself could ever be mistaken for girlish.

She possessed the full, confident beauty of a mature woman. Raising two daughters and running the café had given her a quiet assurance that younger women rarely possessed. The years had shaped her without wearing her down, adding warmth to her eyes and confidence to every movement.

Even asleep, Lauren looked unmistakably feminine.

Her lips remained slightly parted as she breathed, drawing Luke’s attention to the small beauty mark beside them.

God, she’s gorgeous.

His erection throbbed beneath his pants.

A thin nightgown covered Lauren’s body, although calling the nearly transparent fabric a covering felt generous. The blanket had slipped down to her stomach, leaving her chest exposed beneath the warm light from the bedside lamp.

Luke’s fingers tightened around the door handle.

Without a bra supporting them or an apron framing their size, Lauren’s breasts looked even larger than he remembered. They spread naturally across her chest while she slept, their weight pulling the delicate nightgown tight over their curves.

The fabric revealed nearly everything beneath it, including the darker circles around her nipples and the firm points pressing against the cloth.

Those tits are fucking enormous.

The thought entered his mind before he could make it more polite.

Luke had seen Lauren’s cleavage countless times. Her blouses and café aprons had never hidden how generously built she was, especially when she leaned across the counter or reached for something above her head.

Seeing her like this was entirely different. Nothing lifted or restrained her now, and the thin material followed every natural curve as her breasts rose with each breath before settling heavily against her chest again.

Luke imagined sliding both hands beneath them and discovering how much of that softness he could actually hold. Judging by their size, they would overflow his palms.

His mouth went dry as another thought entered his mind.

I could bury my whole face between those.