Page 10 of Strip Bare

"I—um, yeah. Sure." He looked to me again and I shrugged. The truth was, Xander was a nice guy and Kit was right. They were both adults.

"There's my two lovebirds," my mom cooed as she stood from our couch and pecked me on the cheek. "I've missed you," she said quietly and I smiled as I hugged her.

"I missed you too." And it was true. As overbearing as she could be, it was good to see her. "How long are you guys thinking of staying?"

"Maybe til next weekend, it depends on how your sister finds the campus. She might want to join in on some of the taster sessions.”

Crap. Almost a whole week of sharing a bed with Kit.

"Well, I mean Saylor could always stay longer if you guys need to head back," I said, twisting my hands together behind my back and feeling grateful when Xander chipped in.

"I could drive you," he suggested with a quick glance at my sister and then me.

My dad grinned. "Nonsense, Leo doesn't mind sharing with his boyfriend."

Xander raised an eyebrow and I interrupted before he could say anything. "Yeah of course, but Saylor might want to look around herself. Spend some time here without you guys."

"Of course." My mom nodded as she stepped back and took my dad's hand. "That makes sense. Well, we'll just see how we go.

I led them upstairs while Kit grabbed some bedding for Saylor to use on the couch and I tried not to think about sharing a bed with him. Waking up with him. Especially after kissing him. Twice.

Once my parents were settled in my room, I walked hesitantly into Kit's and stared at the bed until he walked into the room behind me.

"I don't bite." When I didn't laugh, he sighed. "Leo, we're friends. This is fine, okay? But if it makes you feel better I can sleep on the floor."

"No," I said quickly. "It's fine. You're right. Let's just go to sleep, it's been a long day.

"Sure." Kit unzipped his jeans and the sound of the zipper had heat rising to my cheeks. I undressed quickly and then climbed into his bed sans shirt, but wearing my PJ bottoms. This was fine. I could do this.

The light vanished and Kit got into bed on the other side of me, the weight of his body next to mine an unfamiliar, but not unwelcome, presence.

"Goodnight, Leo."

"Goodnight." I tried to keep the breathlessness from my voice as I battled down the naked want I was feeling, but it was hard. Something about the darkness made his proximity feel electric, like I could reach out and touch him and find him on the exact same page as me. Wanting what I wanted. Craving me the way I craved him. That was what was so dangerous about this situation, sharing his bed, it made him feel accessible. Like he wasn’t just mine for a moment, but could be mine forever and I wasn’t sure if that would ruin me.

As the night settled around us and I attempted to sink into sleep, I could only hope that my heart survived this mess intact.

CHAPTER FOUR

Waking up with Kit was, unfortunately, something I could get used to and would undoubtedly miss once my parents left. I had hoped the reality of morning breath, snoring, and cover hogging might help make this feel less... right. But, annoyingly enough, Kit in the morning was just adorable. And so I knew I needed to call in reinforcements when my mom insisted on the both of us showing them and Saylor around campus and the city. Kit blinked at the sight of his sister waiting outside our door for us and I avoided his eyes as I hustled everyone out and toward the green.

"So, this park runs through the center of town and depending on where you're headed you can choose which trail to follow." I pointed to the center of the converging pathways up ahead, marked by a large statue so weathered I had no idea what it was supposed to be. "So if you head that way," I pointed to the left, "you'll find yourself at the main campus entrance. If you continue straight ahead you'll be closer to the bar we were at yesterday and the other restaurants aren't too far from there."

My mom was nodding seriously like this was vital information while Saylor scrolled on her phone.

"Over to the right leads to the mall and out of town if you go far enough," Bryn cut in and I was relieved to not be the only one talking. We were on the same course and the fact that she was also Kit's sister had made Bryn an easy friend to make. "There's also the sports stadium down that way too."

"That's where you both play?" my dad said, perking up as he looked at me and Kit.

I nodded but it was Kit who replied. "Yeah, I'd say you should come and watch a game but we haven't got any more real matches lined up now until next season. We had our last game a couple nights ago."

"Another time," my mom said and I couldn't help my wince—were we going to have to pretend Kit and I were together every time she visited?

"What are you hoping to study?" Bryn asked my sister, brushing a strand of her long blonde hair out of eyes. I suspected Kit was naturally blonde too but I'd never seen him with his roots showing and his brows were dark.

"I'm not sure I am hoping to study," she replied and I tuned them out, content to just walk and enjoy the warm air.

A hand slipped into mine and I jumped, glancing down in surprise and back up again to find Kit looking at me expectantly. "What are you doing?" I murmured and he chuckled.

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