Shit. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to.”
He waves a hand through the air. “It’s fine.” His eyes linger on me for a second, then he blinks and looks away. “I’m gonna go lie down. I hope you sleep well.”
In the time it takes me to process his words, he’s already halfway out of the door. “Wait!” I untangle myself from the blankets, tossing them off and rushing to catch up with him. “I thought you were sleeping in here with me.”
Luca blinks up at me, gray eyes wide but almost a little glassy. “I’ll sleep in the living room. It’s fine.”
What in the hell happened in the last twenty-four hours? “We agreed that you’d sleep with me.”
I almost forgot how stubborn Luca can be, so when he crosses his arms over his chest and glares at me, I barely resist laughing. “And now, I’m gonna sleep in here.”
“No, I don’t think you are.”
“What do you—” Luca squeals as I wrap an arm around his waist and haul him up. He lets out a breathless laugh that has my dick twitching, and I honestly kind of hate that I’m just wearing boxers because it’s not gonna hide much.
I turn quickly, Luca flung over my shoulder like a sack of potatoes, and head back into the bedroom. The pleased giggle he lets out when I toss him down on the bed has me smiling. Stupidly, I let myhand drift up and settle my thumb against his lower lip. His laughter dies off as he sucks in a sharp breath, his lips parting slightly under my touch.
“I really could bottle that sound,” I murmur, watching in fascination as his pupils dilate. I pull my hand away from him before I do something really fucking stupid. “We agreed you’d sleep in here, Luc, right?”
“Right,” he whispers.
With a smile, I step around the bed and climb in on my side, settling under the blankets. “What’s going on with you tonight?”
He lets out a humorless laugh. “Besides you trying to pick up my new friend right in front of me, you mean? Is that why you were upset when you thought Deb was trying to set us up?”
Oh… kay. That isnotwhere I thought this was going. “Um, I’m not trying to pick up Arlo.”
“Sure seemed that way.”
I don’t dare let the petulant tone of Luca’s voice try to convince me this is jealousy or that it means anything. “I wasn’t.” I roll to my side, waiting for him to do the same so I can look into his eyes. “I wasn’t, Luc,” I repeat softly. “I’m not interested in him. And really? I don’t think I’m gonna go hook up with anyone at all.”
I’m not sure why I’m telling him this. The words are just coming out completely against my will—and against my better judgement, at that.
“Really?” he asks, staring at me like he doesn’t quite believe me.
“Really. I’ve got you here. We’ve already missed so many years; I don’t want to miss any more.”
“Okay,” he whispers.
I hold my arm up, inviting him to come closer, and when he does—settling his head against my chest and sliding his leg betweenmine—I can feel my entire body relax.
I let my fingers slide up his back and into his hair. It’s still damp from the shower, but the strands are silky. It’s grown out since he’s moved back home. I’m not sure if that’s an intentional choice or if he just hasn’t had time to cut it yet, but I like it. I like the way it curls over his ears the slightest bit, and how it falls over his forehead when he doesn’t slick it back is even more pronounced than before. Fuck. When did I start finding Luca so goddamn beautiful, and what am I gonna do about it now that I’ve seen it?
Luca’sgotnervousenergyseeping from his pores. He’s bouncing on his toes, eyes darting around. “Hey,” I whisper, careful not to startle him. “Jasper won’t hurt you.”
“No, I know.”
Arlo steps up beside Luca, leaning in close to him. Unlike Luca, he seems energized and ready.
I wasn’t sure that coming to the gym for this would be the best place, but true to Jasper’s word, it’s deserted today. The only person here, who was running on a treadmill, left right after we showed up, and now we have the place to ourselves.
Jasper comes striding out of the locker room, dressed in a pair of basketball shorts and nothing else. Arlo gulps. Actually gulps, and I have to stifle a laugh.
“You guys ready?” Jasper asks, raising an eyebrow.
I glance at Luca. He looks like he’s ready to bolt—fear anddetermination waging war in his expressive eyes. I step in front of him, my hands coming up on instinct to gently cup his face. “Hey, you’re safe.” He nods, eyes fixed on mine. “You can do this. We’re just gonna do a few moves today. Nothing crazy. Just a couple of things to get you out of a sticky situation if you ever find yourself in one, yeah?”
“Okay,” he whispers, nodding slightly.
