Page 34 of Quiet Longing

“You can get in. I’ll just be a minute,” I said, a bit stiff.

“Oh, no, I’m not sleeping next to Tristan. He looks like the type to starfish and steal all the blankets.” I almost smiledbecause I’d shared a bed with Tristan once or twice over the years, and he was exactly that type.

Charli looked away, giving me some privacy as I stripped down to my boxer briefs and T-shirt. I moved past her, our arms brushing as I climbed into the bed. She followed suit, sliding me a pillow, which I took silently as she reached over to turn off the lamp.

Then we were in darkness, and all I could focus on was her soft breathing. She was on her side, turned away from me, her hair tumbled across her pillow. My eyes wandered over the shadowed curve of her neck and shoulder, the rest of her body hidden under the duvet.

Lying there, I was even more surrounded by her scent. It had engrained itself into my memory like my brain had decided it was important somehow. Being around her made me forget about all the things I should have been worrying about like my parents, the house, how we were going to arrange our lives now that Mam was determined to leave Dad. I expected she’d want a divorce, but I also knew getting him to sign the papers was going to be near impossible.

I must’ve been lost in my thoughts for a while because Charli’s breathing had evened out, her shoulders rising and falling as she slept. I wasn’t likely to get much rest since Tristan was snoring like a foghorn behind me. It was a miracle Charli had managed to drift off. I closed my eyes, trying to clear my mind of stressful thoughts, when, suddenly, she shifted, turning over to face me. She was still asleep, just closer. I’d had my arm raised above my head, and I froze when she cuddled into me, resting her head on my chest.

Ah, hell.

This was awkward.

I stared at her, my eyes adjusted to the dark. Her thick, silky hair brushed my chin, causing my pulse to spike. I’d only beenthis close to a girl once or twice in my life, and I was panicking a little. Charli moved again, making a cute little noise in her sleep as her arm came to rest across my stomach.

Great, I was getting a semi.

I squeezed my eyes shut and tried to think of un-erotic things, like mouldy fruit or wearing wet socks. It worked a little, and I managed to keep my dick at bay, but my nose was still full of her scent, her breath fanning across my neck.

My arm started to ache so I lowered it. Charli immediately snuggled in deeper as though drawn by my warmth. She was so fucking pretty it hurt. Sosoft. If this was all I ever got, that was fine. I could live with being her friend.

I hoped.

With how edgy I felt, it was a miracle I managed to fall asleep. I wasn’t sure how many hours I was out for. When I woke up, I was drowsy, having momentarily forgotten where I was until I became aware of the warm body nestled in my arms. Fuck. Charli and I had moved while we slept, but it was me who’d gravitated towards her. I wasspooningher, my hand splayed out across her stomach, my front flush with her curvy backside. I needed to move, preferably without waking her.

Because I was also sporting some serious morning wood.

Then, before I had the chance to untangle us, she shifted, and I hissed in a breath when her arse rubbed against me. I remained still, staring at the back of her head, frozen with indecision. Then she turned just enough to look at me, her beautiful hazel eyes confused and sleepy as she took me in though she didn’t move away. Our gazes locked. She seemed … oddly fascinated, her focus wandering over me. I drank her in, the way a few loose strands of hair framed her face, her smooth, olive skin.

For the briefest second, my eyes lowered to her breasts but I quickly dragged my gaze away.

“Sorry,” I finally managed, swallowing the thick lump of arousal wedged in my throat.

“It’s okay,” she whispered then finally shifted away before slipping out of the bed.

I was unsure how to feel as she went into her bathroom. She hadn’t seemed bothered about our position waking up, but I also couldn’t read her thoughts. There was no way she hadn’t felt my cock eagerly pressing against her arse, and I was so fucking embarrassed I didn’t want to think about it.

Tristan was still out cold. I heard water running and expected Charli was taking a shower. That was the last thing I needed to be visualising. I climbed from the bed and quickly dressed. I’d rather deal with Derek’s wrath than face Charli again. I’d just end up rambling more apologies and making myself look a fool.

I found Derek in his room, looking like he’d been up all night fuming. His eyes narrowed as soon as he saw me.

“Where the fuck have you been? And where’s my brother?”

“Hiding from you,” I replied. “Shit, Derek. I’m sorry. I never should’ve gone along with Tristan’s plan, but it was meant for Aidan.”

“Yeah, well, Aidan wasn’t the one who got drenched in fucking ice water. Milly was left shivering and humiliated. I had to beg her to let me walk her home. She barely leaves the house outside of going to school as it is, and the first time I manage to convince her to come hang out at a party, this happens. It’s unforgiveable.”

“I know it is. And Tristan and I both feel like shit about it. We’ll go to her house today and apologise in person.”

“No, she’ll hate that, just …” he trailed off, and I saw his worry etched into his features.

“You really care about her, don’t you?”

For a second, he looked a little bit helpless. “Things have been tough for her lately. Her Dad’s been sick, and her mother has to work two jobs to keep things going. Milly’s been taking care of her father and her two little sisters for months. I thought the party would be good for her. She could take a night off and just relax.” He cast me a cloudy look. “Obviously, it didn’t end up that way.”

“Fuck,” I swore, dragging a hand down my face. “I feel terrible. There must be some way we can make it up to her. Maybe Tristan and I could do some work over at her house, mow the lawn, dig out weeds, power wash the driveway,” I suggested.

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