Page 67 of Encounter

Sighing deeply, nowwith only a fraction of the pain, I let the hot water run down my head. I was finally beginning to feel a little bit like myself again. A week or two until the check up, and then, Gregory would hopefully let me get back to work. Any mediocre, petty job he was going to throw my way was better than losing my mind in this apartment.

Turning around in the shower, I reached for the body wash and started spreading it all over. As soon as my hand got anywhere near my crotch, I had to press my lips together and exhale.

Three weeks of not being able to jerk off properly. Did it yesterday, but it could hardly be called anything—definitely not satisfying. I was so damn pent up. Now that I had a planned rendezvous with Larissa for the next day, I wanted to save as much ammo and energy for that, so I restrained myself, and ordering my brain to focus, paid attention to cleaning instead.

Hopping out of the shower, I rubbed my beard and hair before wrapping the towel around my waist. I needed to shave, too—my beard was starting to look messy.

The ring of the doorbell made me twitch.

Who the hell is it? At this time?

I walked out of the bathroom and toward the door, briefly glancing at the gun holster hanging on the coat hanger next to it.

What in the...?

Rubbing my eyes to make sure, I looked into the peephole again, and it really was him. Standing there, nervously painting pictures on the floor with his foot as he looked down. What was he doing here in the middle of the night, without even texting me?

I told him to spend time with people his age, trying to protect him from whatever weird mess I was making this, but I still couldn’t help it and opened the door. “Hey,” I said firmly, looking him up and down. He smelled different. Was he out drinking?

“Hi...” His alluring, calming eyes met mine, and for a moment, he looked strangely open, like he wasn’t scared—like he wasn’t going to escape my gaze as he so often did. A soft smile graced his lips before he noticed I was half-naked and faced away, shyly rubbing his nape.

“You never come without sending a message.” I stepped away to let him in, instead of standing there in the middle of my doorway. “Not to mention it’s... half past twelve.”

Everything inside me was on alert. Not because of danger, but because there was something new and unexpected in front of me. This wasn’t the same Galen I usually saw.

The way he moved as he walked into my living room was different. Still controlled and slow, but... his shoulders weren’t hanging as much, and his head was higher.

“I’m... sorry for turning up unannounced,” he mumbled.

I shut the door and followed him. He looked around the apartment like it was his first time there, curiously staring down every piece of furniture and poster. “It’s fine. I’m not bothered, just— Did ya go out and have fun like I suggested?” I asked with my brows half-raised, dying to understand what happened to make him act this way.

“Yeah.” He finally turned to me with a faint smile, like he was a child doing something he shouldn’t have. Feeling pretty happy with myself, considering my suggestion seemed to be a success, I went to the kitchen and got him a can of soda. “We were passing your house on the way back, so I thought— I don’t really know why I came. I guess I felt weird about skipping that step earlier today.”

My god,Galen looked so damn sweet as he tried to come off all casual and unbothered, even though I could clearly tell how nervous he was.

“It’s fine. You’re alright,” I said, handing him the can. “Just had a shower, so I’m not really sleepy right now. Do you wanna... watch some TV, like always?”

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