Page 88 of Becoming Selfish

I stay silent as Eli changes. I don’t want him to know I can see him, mostly because I don’t think we will get any sleep if we start something again. Eli needs to sleep. He has to be up in just a few hours, and I’m worried he won’t get much the rest of the week.

I wait until Eli is fully dressed before I walk into my room. When I do, he pulls me into his arms and kisses the tattoo on my collarbone, even though his shirt is covering it. He’s formed a new habit of kissing me there.

“That looks good on you,” Eli says, referring to the shirt of his that I’m wearing.

Lifting his tee up and over my head, I place it next to his discarded briefs. He’s going to need to take it tomorrow on his trip, and if I sleep in it, he won’t be able to.

“And you look even better in that,” he adds, eyeing my matching gray set.

I blush as I try to hold back my grin. “Sleep,” I remind him, glancing down at the time on my phone.

When we climb back into bed, he pulls me on top of him, so I’m lying with my head on his chest and my body fully on top of his. He holds me with his strong arms, making me feel small as he places a gentle kiss on my forehead.

“Night, Logan,” he says, his lips pressed to my hair.

“Goodnight.” I memorize his tone and inhale his scent, trying to lock them into my memory to get me through the week without him.

When I wake up the next morning to an empty bed, my heart instantly sinks, remembering that Eli is gone. I now fully realize how terrible he must’ve felt all those times I left him alone in bed. I let myself loath in self-pity for a few minutes before reaching for my phone to check the time.

A sudden rush of adrenaline hits me, remembering that I forgot to set my alarm for class. I have a huge Econ test this morning that I cannot be late for. My heart rate quickens until I find my phone and read the time— seven forty-five. I would’ve needed to wake up at eight, so thank god for my internal clock waking me up in time.

I have fifteen more minutes I can use to mope around in bed before I need to get up. I roll over to find a more comfortable position but spot a note sitting on Eli’s side of the mattress when I do. It’s just a little piece of paper resting on a folded item of clothing, but as my eyes scan the words, my stomach fills with butterflies.

Miss you already.

You look better in my shirt than I do.

P.S. I set your alarm for you.

-E

I quickly grab my phone and check my alarm. Eli set it for eight.

What the hell did I do to deserve him?

My heart flutters at his thoughtful gesture as I grab his shirt and inhale his masculine scent that lingers. I rest my head on it and close my eyes, hoping to capture those last fifteen minutes of sleep as I imagine that Eli is lying next to me.

Chapter 54

Logan

“Is that from lover boy?” Ali teases, glancing over my shoulder to look at my phone before walking around the table to sit across from me.

“Yes, it is,” I tell her proudly.

“They’re done playing? How did it go?” Marc asks between mouthfuls of chow mein noodles.

With the hockey team on the road, Friday night on campus was surprisingly quiet. Marc, Ali, and I decided to get away from the dorms for the night and head to Marc’s parents’ house just off campus. His parents are flying in from Indiana tonight to watch Eli’s game tomorrow, and Marc wanted to come by and get the house ready for them. We had been talking about getting Chinese takeout all week and finally gave in tonight as we all sit around the dining room table, digging into the takeout boxes.

“Good. They won,” I inform Marc, glancing down at my phone as Eli’s texts flood in. “4-3.”

“Awesome, that’s a big tournament for them to win, even if it is just preseason.”

My phone dings again, and I feel the smile form on my lips from just seeing Eli’s name on my screen. I thought about adding a little red heart emoji next to his name, but I think I would be too embarrassed if he ever saw it.

“He wants me to tell you that Zanders got a five-minute major at the end of the third, Eli scored the game-tying goal, and Cam scored the winner.” I read Eli’s text aloud to Marc.

“Whatever that means,” Ali chimes in before taking a massive bite of Kung-pow chicken.

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