Page 30 of Love Notes and Late Nights
“You don’t have to pick up a random guy just because you’re lonely. We’re all here, Wolf. I’m here. We can hang out together.”
Wolf squinted his left eye and tilted his head to the side while the corner of his mouth drew back in a half smile. “I don’t want to play a game of poker. I wanted to get laid.”
“Be serious. I know you only want someone to spend the night with because you don’t want to sleep alone.”
“Why can’t it be because I’m just horny?”
Harris stared at his friend for several seconds, while Wolf’s dancing eyes challenged him. But this wasn’t a joke. “I know that’s not what you want.”
Wolf raised his eyebrows. “Harris, you have no idea what I want.”
“Yes. I do.”
“OK.” Wolf folded his arms across his chest and sat back. “What do I want?”
Wolf wanted to be loved. To be held and feel safe. He wanted commitment and to be taken care of. Harris knew that in his heart, but he couldn’t say any of it. Instead, he said, “Stability.”
A small chuckle left Wolf’s mouth. “Stability? Does that mean you think I’m unstable?”
“Of course not. I mean, you don’t want to be alone. No one does.”
Wolf slowly lowered his eyes, and the half smile on his face disappeared.
Now Harris felt like shit when all he wanted to do was comfort this sweet and sensitive guy who wanted nothing more than to be loved. “It’s not that late. Do you want to watch Netflix on my laptop?”
Wolf raised his eyes, the light in them rekindled. “Animal Kingdom?”
“Yeah. We still have three seasons to go.” Before Wolf could say anything else, Harris darted across to his bunk, grabbed his laptop and returned to Wolf, who hadn’t moved.
They sat together, close enough so their thighs were touching, and shared a pair of earbuds as they quietly watched their show. Halfway into the episode, Wolf said, “I didn’t sleep with that guy.”
Harris turned to look at Wolf, surprise making his eyes widen, and he pulled the earbud from his ear. “You didn’t?”
Wolf shook his head and paused the show on the laptop.
“Why not?”
“Because.” He scrunched up his face and waved his hands around. “You got all up in my head with the shit you said at the club.”
Harris had to think back to their conversation because everything he said came out like gibberish, and nothing made sense.
“I started to wonder what the hell I was doing with my life and why I let some stranger into my bed. I started to think, who the fuck is this guy? He could have given BJs to half the guys at the club.” Wolf started shaking his head. “I didn’t want him here anymore. So, I gave him some cash for a ride home and buzzed the driver and told him to pull over so the guy could get out.”
Harris blinked a few times, as if he were still drunk and not hearing correctly. “You didn’t sleep with him?”
“No.”
Harris didn’t know what to say, and Wolf obviously had nothing more to say either, because he pressed the button on the laptop to resume the show and got comfortable. Harris pretended to do the same, but his mind was racing as he micro-analyzed everything Wolf just said and what it meant. While he was still dissecting every word, Wolf snuggled closer and leaned his head on Harris’ shoulder as he watched the episode on the laptop. All thoughts immediately vanished from Harris’ brain, and he couldn’t think about anything else except that the two of them were sharing a bunk, practically cuddling, watching a show in the middle of the night on the tour bus.
CHAPTER NINE
“Get up. We’re here.”
The sound of Ethan’s voice woke Wolf out of a sound sleep. The moment he moved, a crick in his neck announced its displeasure. “Ugh.” He rubbed at the sore spot and realized his face was inches away from Harris’ socked feet. “UGH!” he repeated, this time louder. “Move your dogs, dude.”
Harris moved to a sitting position, hair a mess and eyes barely open. “Ow. My back.” He looked around the bunk. “Where’s my laptop?”
They obviously fell asleep binge-watching Animal Kingdom. “It probably fell on the floor.”
