Page 23 of Full Body Hit: Part 2
It was when the meal was practically over that Auston sobered up, shoulders tensing. “Hey. I wanted to apologise again. About how I acted the last few months.”
Chase shook his head. “You don’t have to keep doing that. It wasn’t that bad, anyway.”
“I—”
“Auston. It’s cool. Seriously.”
Their gazes stayed locked for a few seconds. “Okay. I just wanted to make sure my number one fan didn’t feel disillusioned. Remind me. How many posters of me did you have?”
Chase sat back, stiff spine relaxing. “Shut up.”
Auston laughed, and there it was again—that look, so tender it was out of place.
It made Chase think of that night in the hotel. Sharing a bed with Auston. Waking up with the Alpha hot against his back. The way that heat and weight had felt.
How good it’d been.
How wet Chase had gotten.
He stared at Auston, a sudden sense of vertigo taking over him. He was falling forwards, the room spinning. Only Auston stood still, a rock in a violent river.
Auston’s face lost the smile, focus sharpening, piercing through Chase right where he was pinkest.
Chase opened his mouth. The air was locked in his chest.
He wanted to—
No.
The moment cracked, Chase blinking down at his hands.
What the hell was he doing? This wasn’t something he’d ever want Aunix to do with someone else. To feel with someone else.
Chase didn’t have to cross any lines to know he was treading far too close to them.
“The food was really good,” Chase murmured, stacking his cutlery on his plate.
“Thanks. I have ice cream if you want—”
“No.” Chase winced. “Sorry, I just meant that I should go.”
“Oh. Yeah, okay.”
There was no way that sounded disappointed.
Chase helped clean up at least, but he kept the conversation safely in the arena of hockey. For the first time that afternoon, Auston acquiesced, quieter than he’d been all day.
“Well,” Chase said as he put his shoes on, crouched by the front door. “That was really nice. Thanks.”
He stood up, catching himself as he almost bumped into Auston, the Alpha was so close.
“Oh. Sorry.”
Auston steadied him with a hand on his arm. It felt like fire. “No problem.”
This was when Chase took a step away. When he pulled away from the contact searing his skin. There was too little distance between them, chests brushing, Chase looked up at Auston, the air between all breath.
Chase swayed.
