Page 173 of The Storm

He stares at me in wordless challenge, and I roll my eyes before I go and drop my tux on top of the dresser. He goes into the bathroom, and I hear the shower being turned on while I throw the covers back and climb into the bed. I throw myself onto my back and exhale loudly while I stare at the ceiling and listen to the sounds from the bathroom. A few minutes later, he walks out with a towel wrapped around his hips, and I nearly swallow my tongue.

His eyes meet mine before he turns off the lights, then I hear the towel hit the floor.

My breathing sounds so loud in the quiet room. And it’s not like I can’t see him. There’s light coming in from the street outside, so his silhouette is very visible as he steps into a pair of underwear and tugs them up.

By the time he reaches the bed I can feel my pulse hammering everywhere.

“You’re not taking the couch?” I ask thickly.

Please, somebody make good decisions here, for the love of God!

“It’s uncomfortable,” he says. “Too short for my legs. We can share. It’s not a problem, is it?”

I narrow my eyes at him through the darkness. “Sure. We’re friends, after all. And that’s what friends do, isn’t it?”

He’s close enough that the warmth from his skin hits me like a heatwave in the narrow bed. I swallow thickly.

“Okay?” Nick asks.

“Yup. You have a very comfortable mattress.”

Kill me now. I just said that.

He snorts out a laugh. “Blue, it feels like you’re about to roll off the side of the bed any moment now.”

“It’s how I like to sleep.”

“No, you don’t. At least, you didn’t used to.”

“People change,” I grit through my teeth.

He hums, and how the hell does he sound so unaffected and casual about this while it feels like my skin is alive with waves of electricity?

He’ssoclose. His bare skin is so close. I move my pinky an inch. So. Close.

“Okay, then.” He sounds almost cheerful. “Sweet dreams.”

Okay, then, sweet dreams???

He can’t seriously think either of us is going to be able to do any sleeping like this, can he?

It quickly becomes clear that’s just a me problem, because Nick’s breathing evens out in a matter of minutes.

The absolute fuck is this?

But he’s not done with me yet. There comes a point when he rolls toward me, throws his arm over my chest, and pulls me against him. My heart is galloping in my chest as he settles in with a contented sigh, his bare chest against my back, his nosein my hair, his lips pressed to the nape of my neck, breaths deep and even.

I swallow a whimper and squeeze my eyes shut, doing my best to ignore the fact that my cock is so hard it’s throbbing between my legs.

It takes forever before I manage to fall asleep.

FIFTY-TWO

INDY

I wake up,slowly blinking my eyes open. It’s so early that it’s not even light outside yet. The air is silver with predawn glow. I’m so warm and comfortable, and it takes me a moment to figure out why. I’m nestled against his chest, his chin resting on top of my head, and his arms are wrapped around me tightly. One of his hands is spread across my back, holding me close like he’s afraid I might disappear during the night if he doesn’t.

I wish it was real. I wish it was real so hard it hurts.