Page 94 of In at the Deep End

He turned onto his side. Owen stirred but didn’t wake. Matt shifted closer.

The day didn’t have to start yet, and whatever happened next, last night hadn’t been a mistake.

Owen woke up, and for one glorious, sleepy second he forgot where he was.

Then he felt a warm body pressed up against him.

Matt.

What flooded him wasn’t panic, but awareness.

Oh.

He shifted his head slowly. Matt lay beside him, fast asleep, hair falling over his forehead.

He looks much younger than twenty-five.

The memories of the previous night stole over him, a recollection of pleasure, shared kisses, shared orgasms…

Owen took a breath.

Don’t make this more complicated than it needs to be.

He tried his best to put last night into the Casual folder in his head, but it wouldn’t go. The reason for that lay next to him, one hand resting against Owen’s chest.

He closed his eyes.

This isn’t helping.

It wasn’t that he didn’t like waking up with Matt warm against him.

The problem was that he liked it too much.

Owen took a deep breath.

Enjoy the moment. Don’t read anything into it.

Then Matt opened his eyes and smiled. “Morning.”

Owen couldn’t help smiling back. “Good morning.”

“Did you sleep okay?”

He laughed. “I should be asking you that, seeing as I stole your bed.”

Matt’s warm smile felt like cream in his veins. “I invited you, remember?”

A reminder that it hadn’t been a mistake, no excuse of excessive alcohol, no misunderstanding…

Then he stretched, and Owen lost himself in the view of long limbs bathed in warm sunlight. “I need coffee. And bacon,” Matt added with a grin.

He gave an internal smile. Here’s me determined to keep things in perspective, and Matt comes away from it wanting caffeine and breakfast.

They were on different tracks, and Owen had the sneaking suspicion they were already moving in different directions.

“I don’t know about you, but I need a shower before we eat.”

Matt sat up. “Then I’ll check out the coffee machine and have a cup waiting for you when you’re done.”