Page 14 of Shiver
“Er,” Haines says, staring at me with wide eyes. I don’t miss the way he’s studying the screen as well. Likely trying to determine why Egon’s tutor appears naked and in bed. “Sorry, man. I really thought Wolf was fucking with me.”
I shrug one shoulder. Before I’m tasked with having to consider a response, the phone has been snatched back and Egon reappears. “Sorry.” He frowns at Haines, then looks back at me. “Guess I should go now. Thanks for the help.”
Nodding, I tell him goodbye and hang up before there needs to be any further conversation.
I don’t hear from him again while he’s traveling. But when he shows up at my door on Friday, I can see he’s dead on his feet. His eyes are barely open and he sways. I honestly fear I’m going to have to catch him when he gives me a tired smile and trudges inside.
He drops into his usual chair and starts pulling out his books, which look a lot heavier than they do other days. I take my seat and open what’s in front of me. When I begin talking, I can tell he’s not retaining anything. After twenty minutes go by and Egon is not at all present, I close the book.
I better not have this to contend with moving forward.
Egon blinks at me, then looks around as if trying to determine where he is. He groans. “Sorry, Rake.”
I’m surprised when he stands and begins stripping his clothes. I’m so surprised that I just stare at him as he leaves a trail of clothing while he makes his way towards my bed. In nothing but his boxer briefs, in which I get a fucking sexy view of his tight round ass that has me licking my lips, he climbs into my bed.
Too stunned to do anything but stare at him for another solid minute, I remain where I am. Pretty sure I should be irritated. Or at least offended that he’s being so presumptuous. But I shake it off and stand from the table. However, I’m not sure what to do with myself at this point.
Watching him as he burrows under my blankets, I’m left shaking my head. Guess we’re going to bed, then. I suppose twenty-three isn’t too old for my first sleepover.
Making a quick pass through my bathroom and shutting down my room for the night, I bring my tablet and climb into bed beside him. Egon’s eyes blink open and he gives me a small smile. “I probably should have asked, but I’m too exhausted to walk back to my place.”
“I have a couch,” I say, not that I care that he’s in my bed. That had been my goal all along anyway.
His brows knit together as he looks at me. “If you want to carry me over there, I’ll sleep on the couch,” he says. “I probably should have dropped there. But my muscles have shut down for the night.”
I shake my head. “You need to schedule in more sleep.” Bringing up my tablet, I flick through what’s on there until I find a movie. Then I set it between us. “I don’t care that you’re in my bed.”
“Probably why I didn’t hesitate to climb in. Didn’t take you as homophobic.” His words are slightly slurred with sleep.
Frowning, I say, “You have a girlfriend.” Maybe I read this guy wrong this entire time? That’s so stupidly unlikely, I’m going to be ridiculously irritated if I did.
His confusion is most likely because he’s too tired to think. “Yep, but lots of straight guys get weird if another guy climbs into bed with them. But you’re cool. So I didn’t think about it.”
“Because I’m not homophobic,” I say, amused. He hasn’t figured it out yet. Clearly.
“Exactly.” He pats my arm. He’s out before the movie begins.
SIX
EGON
When I slowly regain consciousness,there’s light burning beyond my eyelids. A moment of panic runs through me that I either missed an alarm or didn’t set it at all. But I’m comfortable. Warm. And so damn relaxed that for a moment I don’t give a shit.
There’s a body against me. At first, I assume it’s Temca. But as I bury my face in her neck and breathe in, it’s not her soft floral powdery scent that fills my lungs. It’s something muskier. Masculine. Slightly sweaty and spicy at the same time. And… fresh linen? Maybe?
The next thing that I register as my sluggishly sleepy mind slowly turns back on is that the weight on me is much heavier and surrounds me far more than Temca’s tiny frame can. Actually, now that I called attention to it, it’s heavy enough that I can’t catch my breath.
My eyes open, and while I don’t move, my heart begins to race. Especially once I realize that my dick is already hard with my morning wood. Hard and aching in a rather unpleasant way. Now that I’m looking into the room I’m in, last night comes back and I realize I basically commandeered Rake’s bed.
Embarrassment settles uncomfortably in my chest. Between that, the way my stomach is flipping nervously, and my cock is throbbing for some friction, I’m really hoping I’ll just disappear entirely before Rake wakes up.
I’m pretty sure when I fell asleep, I was not basically burrowed into his chest. And yep, that’s where I am now. I’m gripping him tightly without realizing it, my arm slung around his waist, my face buried in his neck. His leg is slung over my hip. One of his arms is under my head, so I’m using his hard bicep as a pillow. The other is resting over me.
When I pull in a deep breath, Rake stirs, and I freeze. Fuck. I’ve woken in the same bed as men before, butneverlike this. For some reason, I’m more than positive that he didn’t pull me to him last night. Whether it was a dream or not, I vaguely recall moving into him.
Okay, if he doesn’t kick me out and tell me to figure my shit out on my own, I swear I’m going to worship this guy.
I jump when an alarm finally sounds. Rake grumbles and for some reason, that sound makes my dick leak. I’m horribly mortified when he pulls away, getting ready to see the state I’m in. My face is bright red. Burning.
