Page 7 of A Sudden Response

“Getting ready for bed. What does it look like?” Eric asked, blinking innocently.

“But...but...” Greg mumbled helplessly as Eric pulled his shirt off, making sure to flex his muscles in the process to put the scrawny little bastard in his place.

“Where are you going to sleep?” Greg asked nervously.

“We’re double-bunking, of course,” Eric said, grinning as he reached over and turned off the light, leaving them in total darkness.

“Ah,” Greg said, swallowing loudly, “that’s really not necessary. I don’t mind taking the floor.”

“Oh, I don’t mind,” Eric drawled, and then, just for shits and giggles, he pressed his foot down on Greg’s mattress and pushed down, letting him think that he was about to have company. Greg actually squealed and in ten seconds flat, he was off the bed and out the door, leaving Eric laughing his ass off.

“That wasn’t very nice,” Joe said, chuckling.

“Yeah, but it put a smile on my face,” Eric said, releasing a heartfelt sigh as he closed the door before he joined her.

“And just what do you think you’re doing?” Joe asked, even as she scooted forward to make room for him.

“Going to bed. What does it look like?” Eric asked, throwing an arm over her waist.

“There’s a freshly vacated bed right over there,” she mumbled sleepily.

“I like this one better. It’s comfy,” Eric said, using his hold around her to pull her closer.

“Eric, we’re not kids anymore. Go sleep in your own bed,” Joe mumbled, even as she snuggled back against him.

“Ah, too late, I’m already drifting off,” Eric said, chuckling when she poked his arm.

“Jerk.”

“Yup.”

“If you snore in my ear, I’m going to kill you.”

“Duly noted,” Eric said, closing his eyes and snuggling closer to her, knowing that she would be pissed if he left. Ever since they were kids, they’d been close. They snuggled, they cuddled, she sat on his lap, and he normally threw his arm over hershoulders whenever they were just sitting around or walking, hell they’d even skinny-dipped a few times.

Every woman that he’d ever dated hated it, but he didn’t care. Joe was his best friend. They were close and he didn’t give a damn if anyone had a problem with it. Joe kept him happy, kept him grounded, and had been there for him for everything in his life without question. Her shoulder was the one he’d cried on when his father died. She was the person who’d cheered him on at his football games. She was the one that he went to when anything big or small happened in his life and she would most likely be there when he took his last breath.

“That better not be what I think it is,” Joe said, making him wince.

It was.

“It’s my pocket light,” Eric said, lying his ass off. He was only human, after all. It wasn’t the first time she made him hard and it probably wouldn’t be the last time. The physical discomfort was a small price to pay to have her in his arms.

“Well, then your flashlight is growing. Jeez, Eric, put a leash on that thing before it stabs me!” Joe teased as she gave her ass a playful wiggle that had him biting back a groan.

“But it likes you,” Eric said, chuckling as he used his hold on her to stop her from tormenting him.

“I seem to remember a certain tenth-grade math class where it liked standing up in front of the entire class,” Joe said dryly.

“That left me traumatized, woman!”

“Uh-huh,” Joe said around another yawn. “I bet it did.”

“It did,” Eric readily agreed, leaning in and inhaled her vanilla scent as he pressed a kiss against the back of her neck, earning a soft sigh.

“Night, Joe.”

“Goodnight, John-boy,” she said, making his lips twitch.

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