Page 61 of Felix

“No. Would it bother you if I were the big spoon?”

I huff a laugh, part disbelief, part giddy nerves. “That’d be fine.”

Christian hums, a sound I’ve gotten used to hearing from him. The next second, he’s rolling me onto my side and slotting into place behind me as if it’s the most natural thing. His arm comes around my waist, our legs fitting together like magnets, and then he lets out a breath, his nose brushing the back of my head.

Slowly, I cover Christian’s arm with my own.

“I think I like this,” he says.

“Yeah,” I whisper.

It feels as if his lips press a soft kiss against my hair. “Night, Specs.”

“Goodnight,” I say, my pulse skidding along as Christian breathes quietly behind me.

What does it mean that we’re sleeping together? That Christian says sex with me doesn’t feel casual?

I don’t know what to make of it, but my heartbeat settles, my eyes slip shut, and I sink into the same sense of calm I feel anytime I’m in Christian’s arms.

As I drift to sleep, I can’t help but wonder what parts of my brain are lit like Vegas lights.

Chapter 16

Christian

It takes a fuzzy moment as I wake to remember where I am. But the sight of Specs sprawled so casually in front of me clears up the confusion fast.

We’re not tangled like we were when we fell asleep. Emil is on his back now, his head turned gently to the side, but my arm is slung over his chest, as if I wanted to keep him close, even in my sleep.

I watch him for a moment, feeling a strange—but not unwelcome—sort of disconnect. For once, I’m not across the alleyway while my neighbor is sleeping. I’m right here with him.

I don’t dare move, don’t dare shatter the moment, but Emil shifts before long, letting out a soft sigh. I pull my arm back, wondering if… Yep. Emil raises his arms above his head, stretching and letting out a soft groan, his hands flexing into fists.

I bite my lip.

He pauses mid-stretch, and I can see the moment he realizes he’s not alone. His eyes fly open, and his head turns my way slowly.

“Hey,” I practically whisper.

Emil tugs his arms down, instinctually reaching for his face before seeming to remember he’s not wearing his glasses. He grabs them off the nightstand, sliding them onto his nose before blinking at me a few times. “Um, hi.”

“Told you,” I say lightly. “Just like a cat.”

He blinks again before snorting. It feels like a lifetime ago that I called him out for his feline behavior. Back then, I didn’t even know Emil’s name. He was my kinky neighbor, my sorta friend, but not more.

“I, uh,” Emil says, clearing his throat. “I need to use the bathroom.”

When he doesn’t make a move, I ask, jokingly, “Do you need a hand?”

His eyes widen before he huffs a laugh and throws back the covers. They smack me in the face, and I pull them down, catching the side of Emil’s smile before he’s out the door.

Sassy kinky neighbor.

As Emil takes care of morning necessities, I get out of bed and find a shirt. Hopefully, he won’t mind. I take a whiff of the collar, humming happily when I find it smells like him. Clean laundry, mostly, but also something that’s simply Emil.

Dressed, I head into the living room and sit down in front of Arthur’s terrarium. It takes me a minute to find the crab, but eventually I see a tiny peek of orange among the fibrous material at the bottom of his tank. A leg, maybe.

“I don’t have an extra toothbrush,” Emil says from the hall, startling me somewhat, “but you can use my toothpaste if you want.”

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