Page 73 of Man On

“Where are you going?” I grumble.

It occurs to me that I've made myself at home in Noah's bed. And I'm naked, although he isn't, so maybe that makes it better? I should get up, but my limbs are too heavy. My brain is too heavy. I feel like I need to sleep for a week, and I can't resist the comforting scent of Noah that wraps around me like a second blanket.

There's no answer. Or maybe I fall back asleep. Eventually, the bed dips again, and Noah settles in the space behind me. He doesn’t lie close enough to touch me, but I smile into the pillow that smells like him, knowing he's there.

CHAPTER 23

NOAH

It's hot. So hot. And my right arm is dead. There's something very heavy...

Lane.

My eyes fly open, the faint sunlight piercing my retinas. I can't move.

Lane's giant body is sprawled face down, almost entirely on top of me. His face is nuzzled into the crock of my neck and one of his legs is hooked over mine.

I can’t help but smile at the warmth of his breath on my neck. Despite being incredibly uncomfortable, I kind of love this.

A chiming sound comes from the living room. It must be an alarm, because it doesn't stop. We have an early class today. Part of me hopes the alarm stops so we can doze some more, maybe play hooky. I didn’t get a ton of sleep last night, and I’m not ready for whatever this is to end.

Lane stirs, and I have to roll my lips in to keep the idiotic grin off my face. He's probably going to hate waking up like this. Not just in my bed, but wrapped around me like some kind of marsupial. And, oh fuck, how could I forget he's naked?!

This is going to be good.

I stay completely still while he lifts his head and assesses the situation. He pushes himself up, slowly trailing his disoriented gaze down my body. I'm at least wearing sleep pants, but my I woke up next to a naked Lane Blakely morning wood is on full display.

"W-what..."

"I had no idea you were such a snuggler."

Okay. I know. I'm a massive asshole. But I fucking can't resist.

Lane sits up completely, groggily rubbing both hands over his face. He looks up, registering the chiming.

"How long has that been going off?"

"I don’t know, but it’s ruining the morning I had planned for you. I had a very different type of alarm in mind to wake you up with—What?"

He doesn't look like he's panicking. But he doesn't look amused at all, either. He scoots over to the opposite edge of the bed and goes to stand up, apparently just now realizing that he's stark naked. He looks down at himself, then at the disheveled sheets, and to the basket of wet clothes that's still sitting in the middle of my bedroom floor.

Lane turns his steely eyes to me, looking me over. His glare stops on my neck for a few beats, and then he looks around at the bed again. He bends to swipe something from the ground, then stands, holding the embroidered soccer ball pillow in front of him to hide his massive erection. I roll my eyes so hard, I'm surprised they don't dislodge from their sockets.

“You can’t hide that thing!” I call after him. “And if you poke a hole in that pillow, you’re going to be the one to explain it to Hannah!”

As he walks out of my room, I get another look at his muscular thighs and round, firm butt. I bite my lip and groan, still surprised by how much the view affects me.

He turns back and catches me staring, scowling at me before pulling my door shut. I can't help but laugh, falling back into my pillows that smell like soap and fresh cut grass. Like Lane.

“This day is dragging so hard,” I whine to Miah. We take a seat on the stone wall that surrounds the courtyard outside the student center. The sun is blazing today, but I’m thankful for it, because that means our match tomorrow won’t be canceled. Which is a bright spot on what has otherwise been a very slow and disappointing day.

“You will not believe who I got stuck with as a lab partner,” I say, tossing a balled-up napkin at his face. He’s not paying nearly enough attention to me, and I need someone to bitch to.

Fucking Danny Hastings is in my applied sciences course with a weekly lab that starts next week. Of course, today of all days, Danny had to come sit right next to me, and ended up getting assigned to be my lab partner.

Oh, speak of the devil.

“Hey guys, mind if I join you?”

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