Page 8 of Changeling
She wassodead.
Chapter 4
NathanacceptedAlex’scompromiseof not killing her if he got a look at the picture she had taken on her camera phone, though she refused to delete it.
“Evidential proof,” she had said.
Nathan did have to admit that the picture of him and Sasha intimately connected in the hallway was pretty hot, but it wouldn’t stop him from plotting something of Alex’s demise later, even if she had been kind enough to forward the picture to his phone.
Jim and Sasha, both still shirtless and paint speckled, were enjoying a final drink at the bar before heading up to bed. Nathan made his way to the jukebox.
“You break it, you…” Alex trailed, tilting her head. “Actually, you break it and I’llkill you. So have fun.” She flashed Nathan a smile before continuing the conversation she had been having with Jim and Sasha.
Nathan resented the idea that he couldn’t handle new age technology. He just wasn’t very fond of it, or used it all that much aside from his own camera phone and the wonders of Google. Besides, it was a touch screen. He couldn’t break it. Peering at the screen, Nathan considered his choices a moment before even attempting a search. He felt like something fun. Then it clicked. Just so long as this hunk of junk had the Blue Swede version and not just the B. J. Thomas or—God forbid—REO Speedwagon.
A grin spread over Nathan’s face as he found what he was looking for and clicked the song title, the familiar a capella part he loved so much sounding gloriously over the speakers.
From back at the bar, Nathan heard Alex laugh. “Of course you likethisversion,” she said.
“It’s not ‘Hooked on a Feeling’ without the Ouga Chakas,” Nathan said in his defense, and then proceeded to bob his head to the music and sing along as the first verse began.
He started advancing on the bar toward Jim and Sasha’s stools, both of whom looked varyingly amused. Nathan continued bobbing his head and singing loudly, mock-dancing as best he could in his current state of injured.
Sasha joined Nathan as the song broke into its chorus. Nathan was so caught up in the song that he wasn’t really thinking about the words he was about to sing, looking adoringly at Sasha while he did so, until,“That you’re in love with me,”passed his lips. Sasha looked so genuinely happy though, and not because of any signals getting crossed but because Nathan was getting them to goof around and finally, really relax.
Nathan decided to go with it and grabbed both brother and friend by the arms, almost causing Jim to drop his drink, and pulled them out onto the floor.
Sasha got the message and more than happily started moving his hips to the music and gesturing Nathan closer. Jim was morereluctant and looked unsurprisingly awkward until Alex came out from behind the bar and grabbed his hand.
Loosening up wasn’t something Jim did any more often than he danced, but Nathan saw the genuine smile on his brother’s face as he spun Alex around in a twirl. Nathan looked forward again to meet brilliant blue and had to smile, as warm hands rested just at the sides of his hips and the incubus danced his own hips closer. They deserved to be ridiculous more often. All of them. And if none of the others were going to instigate things then Nathan would always more than willingly pick up the slack.
A loud laugh broke free from Sasha as he glanced at Jim’s less than coordinated attempts at dancing. Sasha’s hands left Nathan’s hips, and the redhead danced his way over to Jim, getting between him and Alex and grabbing Jim’s hips instead. Jim looked so startled, Nathan had to laugh, watching as Sasha tried to get across to Jim that moving your hips and dancing to the beat should not look like you’re having a spasm.
In turn, Alex and Nathan danced their way over to each other. Soon, all of them were laughing as the chorus repeated yet again—Jim especially, with Sasha’s attentions on him—and before long it wasn’t really clear or important who was dancing with whom.
At one point Nathan grabbed Jim’s hand and spun him around, calling over the music, “You even twirl like a girl!” to which Jim scowled and immediately spun Nathan to twirl right into Sasha, who gladly caught him.
IttookNathansometime to remove himself of his shirt and jeans, leaving just his boxer briefs as he waited for Sasha to get out of the shower. None of Nathan’s bandages had bledthrough since Jim reapplied them, but he was not oblivious to how sore he was and how slowly he was moving. He imagined his scars would be worse now with how the healing process had been interrupted, but he didn’t care much about vanity. He was grateful for the pain pills he had taken before they left the bar, and thought the new dose might finally be kicking in as he lay back on the bed.
Nathan did feel a little groggy, but he couldn't imagine dozing off, especially not after Sasha came out of the bathroom in nothing but a loosely draped towel.
The incubus’ hair was wet and it clung to his cheeks and forehead. He looked flush from the hot water, which matched his heated expression. Nathan didn’t have time—or desire—to protest before Sasha came straight for him on the bed just as he was, clad in only the towel. Of course, it was a very damp towel, so Nathan grabbed the corner where Sasha had folded it closed as the incubus leaned over him for a kiss.
“Dude, you’re all soggy,” Nathan managed around mouthfuls of Sasha’s lips. “Let me help with that…” He couldn’t help grinning within their lip-lock as he tugged the corner of the towel free and tore it from Sasha to the floor.
Nathan had been looking forward to this. He could admit that as much as it sometimes still pinched his gut with anxiety. He just couldn’t care about fear when everything Sasha did to him, every kiss, every touch, felt so good. Besides, their first encounter had ended far too unfairly thanks to Gabriel. This time Nathan wanted to fall asleep and wake up again with Sasha beside him.
He had been lying on top of the covers, and Sasha was crouched over him now, a knee on either side of Nathan’s hips with telling heat that pressed against Nathan’s thigh and twitched as they kissed. Nathan hated that their chests were sofar apart and reached his arms around Sasha’s back to pull the redhead down.
Realization hit Nathan before he could complete the act. “Damn it,” he cursed.
“What?”
Nathan looked up into the blue eyes staring down at him, so bright, so beautiful. “I wanted to…” He ran his hands over Sasha’s back and raised his hips a little to express what he meant.
A chuckle fell from Sasha’s lips. “We can work around this,” he said, touching a hand to Nathan’s chest gently and tracing his fingers over the bandages and around Nathan’s ever-present necklace. “Besides, I have plans for you, Mr. Grier. I want you to enjoy yourself. So lie back…and let me do all the work.”
“Sounds pretty kinky,” Nathan said, his eagerness returning. “You’re not going to tie me to the bed, are you?”
