Keeley fell asleep on the couch during her sixth episode of Dancing with the Stars, around 9 PM. Aaron lacked the heart to wake her. Her breathing was slow and even; he felt calmer simply watching her from across the enormous couch.

Decades had passed since he'd seen her look so peaceful and uninhibited. He'd missed this. Gently, he smoothed the bunching blanket, ensuring it didn't cover her feet, and brushed her hair from her face.

"I love you," he whispered, bending to kiss her forehead.

Those three words had been locked in his heart since the day he'd chosen to protect her by keeping his distance. He loved her deeply. He believed she would eventually reciprocate his feelings.

He carefully crept from the room to avoid waking her, prepared for bed, then returned to lie on the opposite side of the vast couch. It was so large they could both lie horizontally without touching. Aaron knew he shouldn't, but he wanted to be near her a while longer. He couldn't recall being this happy in years.

Keeley awoke, sleepily rubbing her eyes, disoriented. She wasn't worried, though, because Aaron was there, wearing the same pajamas he kept at her place for sleepovers after A Nightmare on Elm Street viewings.

Why was he so far away? He was supposed to be holding her.

She crawled into his arms, pulling the blanket over them both. That was better. She instantly fell back asleep.

When she truly woke, something was wrong. Arms. There shouldn't be other arms here!

Frantically whirling her head, Keeley saw Aaron, deeply asleep, his expression peaceful. She almost screamed before remembering it was her fault.

She'd fallen asleep on his couch watching TV, and apparently, he had too. In the night, she'd mistaken the situation for their dating days and sought to snuggle. She couldn't be angry with him; it was her own hallucination.

The least awkward solution was to disentangle herself before he woke. She could pretend nothing happened.

As she attempted to inch away, Aaron's arms tightened, his face pressed against her neck. He mumbled something that sounded like, "Go back to sleep, honey."

Who was he dreaming of? It wasn't her concern. In fact, she hoped he found someone else and left her alone.

She shouldn't have succumbed to the allure of the enormous TV, super comfy couch, and favorite snacks. It was a moment of weakness. She'd intended to watch an episode or two, as agreed, then go home.

Home…what time was it?! She'd left her phone at home! Her roommates would be frantic; she'd vanished!

"Aaron!" she yelled.

His eyes snapped open. Realizing their position, he recoiled, hands raised. "I didn't do this!"

He never panicked. If she weren't so stressed, she would have laughed.

"I know; I was having a weird dream and thought you were…someone else. Sorry. Give me your phone," Keeley demanded.

He retrieved it from the entertainment center. It was a little after 8 AM. She was in trouble.

"They're going to kill me," she groaned, slapping her face.

"Who?"

"My roommates! You didn't let me grab my phone before we left, and now they probably think I was abducted by a serial killer in the stairwell."

Aaron's expression returned to its usual composure. "Do you know either of their numbers by heart?"

"No, they're saved in my contacts!" She hadn't memorized a number since getting a cell phone in 2003.

"Why not call your phone?"

She could, but the contact name was 'Crazy Person,' requiring excessive explanation. That seemed worse than death.

"They won't answer it."

"I may have a solution," he admitted a minute later.

Keeley doubted he could fix this. "What is it?"

He took his phone, rapidly texting before looking up. "One of your neighbors works for me; I told him to tell your roommates you had a family emergency and were fine."

Her heart rate slowed. At least they wouldn't worry. Wait… "Is that how you knew which apartment was mine?"

"Yes. I knew he lived in your building and asked."

"It's Aiden, isn't it?" she asked flatly. That traitor! He worked in IT; how did he know the CEO's son?

"Good guess," he said, faintly impressed.

Minutes later, he received confirmation that Aiden had informed her roommates, who were relieved but ready to strangle her. Great.

She slumped onto the couch, exhausted from the emotional rollercoaster of the last five minutes. It was tempting to stay; she'd receive a terrible scolding at home.

Her embarrassment at waking up in Aaron's arms battled with her fear of her roommates' wrath. She was practically immune to embarrassment after the last 24 hours. The instinct to hide won.

"Aaron? Can I…stay here and finish the show? There were only three episodes left."

Surprise flickered across his face before he nodded. "Of course. I'll make breakfast."

Keeley focused on deep breaths as the first episode began. She was okay. Everything would be okay. She could deal with the consequences later.

(The final promotional sentence was removed as it was irrelevant to the story itself.)