Page 5 of Twisted Minds

My fingers itch to reach out and touch him . . . that is until his eyes slowly open, reminding me this guy is a literal stranger and my thoughts are weird. I lose his arm instantly, and sort of feel sad about it. “Oh, shit.” Moving away, he sits up, rubbing his eyes. “I’m sorry. I didn’t uh, realize I was um—”

“Cuddling me?”

“I was not cuddling you!” His face screws up into a scowl that’s cuter than it is menacing, and he combs his fingers through his long hair, somehow making it messier.Okay, stop thinking the stranger you’re in bed with is cute. Stop!

Pulling the blanket over my lap, I sit up, praying he doesn’t notice my morning wood, but now, looking down, I can definitely see his. His eyes graze over me before a hot blush hits his cheeks and he shifts a bit.

“Kind of felt like a cuddle,” I smirk.

“That was my sleepy time death grip. I was thinking about choking you.” I open my mouth. “Don’t make a joke about how you wouldn’t mind that. I literally can’t handle it right now.” I snap my mouth shut and can’t stop the grin that wants to spread wide on my face. He’s just funny, and a bit awkward.

“Well you have a gentle technique. Needs some work.”

His eyes narrow before softening as he begins to laugh. “I’m sorry.”

Yeah, I really should be too, and a lot less disappointed that he’s no longer touching me. I can’t even say this feels awkward. “Oh, shit. Your friend. Here.” As he gets up, my eyes trail the lines of his back, dipping down to his cute ass. Then he turns, displaying that gorgeous stomach.

If I were a better man, I wouldn’t be thinking about how my tongue wants to chase every line and dip of his stomach. How I want to pull those pink nipples between my teeth or bury my face in the blond hair leading down to a place I wouldn’t mind getting real personal with.

I need help. Sawyer must have knocked away my common sense with that elbow.

Shifting again, I try to squeeze my legs together. Time to stop having weird thoughts about the stranger who saved my ass last night. “Yeah, uh, I need to call his sister.” Mark hands me the phone and I call Jane, letting it ring and praying she picks up.

Finally, the ringing stops. “Who the fuck is this?”

“Janey—”

“Hunter? Texting exists for a reason. Why are you calling me at . . . Holy shit, it’s not even seven.”

“Your brother is down at Denton. He got arrested last night.”

“What?! Why is he there?”

“We were at a party, and you-know-who was there. I’m sure you can fill in the rest.” My eyes flick to Mark’s. I’m not going to spill Jane’s business in front of a stranger.

“Holy shit, is Sawyer okay? Derrick didn’t hurt my brother, right?” My heart breaks at the helplessness in her tone. I know she’s done all she can.

I laugh at this, although nothing about the last twenty-four hours has been funny. I look up at Mark watching me.Well, maybe some things. “No, he’s fine. I don’t think he expected Sawyer to fight back so hard. He wasn’t even supposed to be at the party last night or I wouldn’t even have taken Sawyer.”

She laughs. “My badass baker brother.” She’s not wrong. My friend looks sweet and innocent, but fuck with me, Jane, or his mother and you’re in for a world of pain.

“He elbowed me in the eye by accident,” I laugh.

“Oh my god,” she laughs. “Where are you? Whose phone is this? Are you okay?”

“I uh, crashed with a friend. It’s his phone. Mine broke in the fight. It’s fine.” It’s not fine at all. I don’t have the money right now to get a new one, but that’s a problem for later—though I really need one in case Jamie needs me. I really hate to have to do it, but I can always ask Lia for one then pay her back, though even as I think it, I know she won’t accept my money. Still, after all these years, I feel like I take advantage of Lia’s kindness, even if I am currently doing her a favor.

A favor.

I almost snort. I would have done it for her even without the free room and board. When she asked me to stay with her son and watch out for him while he recovered from a devastating accident it was a no-brainer. Bonus . . . Jamie, her son, is also one of my closest friends. Even if lately my friend is a shell of the person he used to be.

I wish I was there to tell Jane all of this in person. She’s been through hell this year all thanks to the dickbag her brother fought. I also wish there was more to be done about her situation, but Jane feels helpless, and I can’t imagine being in her position. She wants to drop it, stop pursuing charges against Derrick, and Sawyer and I both have to respect that even if we want to go to war for her.

We aren’t Derrick’s victim though, she is, and we have to respect her wishes. “I’ll go get him. Do you know whether Mom knows?”

“No, I don’t think so. Sawyer just asked me to call you in the morning to go get him. The last thing I think he wants is your mom knowing.”

She lets out a sigh. “Thank you, Hunter. Seriously.”

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