Page 60 of Nightcrawler

“Maybe.” I grinned.

“Well, why didn’t you say so?” He unbuttoned the waistband and shed the jeans before I could even blink. Dressed, Miguel Huerta was gorgeous, but undressed, lying naked and half hard in my bed…he was breathtaking. He tossed the jeans on the floor and drew me into his arms. I went willingly.

He kissed my ear and then my neck, sending shivers running down my spine as he twined our legs together, erections rubbing. I wanted him again but I was also exhausted from everything that had happened today. I settled, melting boneless against his strong body, meaning to close my eyes for just a second.

I didn’t wake up until morning.

Chapter Twenty

MIGUEL

Watching Raven sleep had to be right up there with the most favorite things I’d ever done. He was beautiful, lying next to me. He’d slept in my arms the better part of the night and for some damned reason, I’d stayed awake for most of it. I’d only drifted off a few times after realizing where I was, safe in his arms, before I let a peaceful sleep take me for brief periods. Sleeping in a man’s arms was novel for me. I’d never done it before, so I chalked it up to Raven being the reason. In the past, if a hookup made it as far as a motel room rather than just fucking in the bathroom of a gay bar, I got my rocks off and sent him packing.

So, when the alarm on my phone went off at six-thirty, I was slightly disoriented and definitely not ready to face Cassidy, Mike, Jarrett, and Thayne for an in-depth planning session. I wiggled out of Raven’s arms and reached for the phone to shut off the alarm, knowing we both needed coffee…badly.

He woke slowly and looked over at me, before smiling and possibly forgetting for a moment that he was injured when he grabbed his side and grimaced, rolling toward me. I pulled him gently into my arms and gave him a slow, deep kiss, perhaps needing to remind him, for my own sanity and reassurance, what had happened the night before.

“My ass hurts,” he said as our lips finally parted.

I laughed. I didn’t have the same problem, but the reminder of last night’s sex had me hard all over again. I rolled to myback and spoke to the ceiling. “I hate mornings.” When his hand reached over and began stroking my chest, I glanced back at him and smiled. His normally coiffed hair was messy and sticking up in places and his cheeks were flushed a remarkable shade of deep bronze. He was the most beautiful man I’d ever seen, and I wanted to repeat what we’d done last night, all over again. I covered his hand with his own.

“Please tell me you have coffee in this house.”

“The best.” He grinned and rolled away from me, sliding his hand out from under mine and sitting up. I noticed he held his side as I examined the bandage on his back. It was intact and free of any drainage from what I could tell. I watched Raven stand up and admired his gorgeous ass all the way to the bathroom until he shut the door effectively blocking my view.

I looked back up at the ceiling for a few seconds as I reached for my erection, momentarily lamenting the fact that we had no time for such endeavors this morning. When I heard the toilet flush, I reluctantly left Raven’s soft sheets and pulled my jeans on. He came out of the bathroom wearing a towel and smiled at me.

“It’s all yours.” He gave me an up and down look and smiled before turning and opening a drawer in his dresser. It was empty. He glanced over, looking momentarily embarrassed. “Oh, and I…ah…cleaned out a drawer, just in case you wanted to bring your clothes in from the garage.” He looked up at me, noting my surprised expression. “Temporarily of course…unless—”

I didn’t let him finish as I walked around the bed and closed the distance between us. I pulled him into my arms and kissed him. He sighed into my mouth before I reluctantly broke the kiss. “I can’t believe you did that for me, Raven. It’s incrediblynice of you, but I don’t want to be a burden. I swear after this job I’ll have enough money to find a place and—” He stopped my words with two fingers to my lips as he shook his head.

“I want to do this for you. I want you to know you are welcome here, and you can stay as long as you like.” He glanced at the disheveled bedcovers, before looking back. “I want you to be comfortable. Please treat this house like your own, Miguel.”

He nodded, as if reassuring himself that he was doing the right thing, pulling out of my arms and effectively stopping all further discussion of it. He went to a different drawer in the dresser and drew out a clean T-shirt. He looked over his shoulder. “We’re nearly the same size.” He held out the dark blue tee. “Do you want to wear one of mine since yours are still packed?”

I glanced back at the clock on his side of the bed. “Thanks, Raven. It would save me from unpacking the boxes in the garage this morning. We need to meet the guys at eight.”

He nodded, smiling as I took the shirt. I held it up and realized he was right. It would fit. We were nearly the same height, even if my shoulders were broader. I didn’t really care if it fit a little tight as long as it didn’t ride up. Crop tops like the one Ned had been wearing the day I’d met him, weren’t my favorite thing. “Thank you.” I moved toward the bathroom, but turned back, a little embarrassed. “I don’t…I don’t have a razor or a toothbrush.”

“Oh. No problem,” Raven said. “I got you.” He went into the bathroom and reached into a drawer, bringing out an untouched toothbrush, still in its box. He handed it to me and then grabbed his razor. “As for this, it’s the only one I have at the moment…but I really don’t mind sharing,” he added quickly.

I felt my face heat. “Thanks.” I took it from him and closed the door. The reflection of my face in the mirror proved what I already knew. I had dark circles under my eyes and the stubble on my cheeks and chin had grown out dark. I rubbed my chin. It wasn’t a bad look, so I decided to leave it and clean up my neck a bit. I noticed that Raven had left fresh towels for me, so I grabbed a washcloth. In ten minutes, freshly washed, shaved, and wearing a T-shirt which fit tightly, I walked out of the bathroom to the glorious scent of strong coffee. I smiled as I headed toward the kitchen. Raven was coming down the hall with a mug of black coffee and a tray of pastries. He grinned at me.

“Please don’t tell me those are for me.” I pointed at the tray in his hands as I gratefully accepted the coffee.

Raven laughed. “No, those are for my nana. Her nurse will be here at seven so I’m the breakfast guru this morning. You and me get to eat granola and coffee, stud.” He deliberately took a step back and let his eyes sweep up and down my body. “You look like a stallion in my tee.”

I snorted. “Shut the fuck up.”

He grinned. “Meet you in the kitchen in five minutes.”

“Thanks, Raven.” I turned and headed back down the hall to wait, shaking my head and smiling.

As we were about to leave the house, I got a text from Cassidy to meet us at a restaurant instead of their Brentwood station since he and Mike were hungry. I wasn’t about to argue with one of my best friends even though I’d already polished off a bowl of granola with blueberries that Raven picked from his garden. I texted him back and told him we were on our way.

Raven drove his big Dodge Ram into the parking lot of Porto’s Bakery and Café in Burbank a half hour later. We’d arrived alittle early and since none of our friends were there yet, we asked the hostess to seat us at a six-top table to wait. Since the only table available and large enough to accommodate six big men was a large booth in a back corner, I slid in and Raven sat down next to me. Cassidy and Mike arrived looking all business in suits and ties.

“How’re you doing?” Cassidy asked as soon as he sat down. His green eyes were sparkling as they always did. I’d always thought of him as a father figure even though he was only ten to fifteen years my senior. Even though he was out and openly gay, he gave off the Navy SEAL vibe of power and infallibility. He was in fantastic shape for a man his age, and I often thought he could probably beat me in a foot race if it came down to it. In the water, the man had a definite advantage. He’d taught me to surf after the death of my parents and I’d seen how strong he was in the water, swimming like a fish.

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