An inscrutable expression darkens his gaze.
“What’s wrong, Sir?”
He slowly shakes his head. “Not a damn thing, boy.” His voice sounds…hoarse, though. Choked up.
Emotional?
He disappears into the bathroom, though, so I can’t ask him about it.
When it’s time for bed, I go over to Carter’s bed and drop into Devotion. He touches the top of my head.
“Come here, boy.” When I sit up, he’s patting the bed.
I climb in and he spoons against me, on our sides. “Thank you, boy,” he says.
“You don’t have to thank me, Sir. Besides, you’re the one I should be thanking. You and Susa, both, for taking me this weekend.” And I have to admit sleeping like this isn’t the worst thing ever. It’s kind of nice sharing a bed with someone. Even with Carter.
Although sharing one with Susa this weekend was even better, having both of them there with me.
Not feeling alone.
* * * *
Our PT resumes the next morning. Carter sets a blistering pace, which surprises the hell out of me because I know he was moving pretty damn slowly when he got up.
He’s also not very talkative this morning. I do my best to keep up, which has been getting incrementally easier every week. Not saying I’m in nearly as good of shape as he is, but I’m not embarrassing myself, so that’s something.
Our morning shower—joy for me, and for him—and then on to class.
Commando, no toy.
Yay.
It means I can focus on the lesson.
It’s after class where my world unexpectedly tilts sideways.
Once we’re alone in the room, Carter isn’t looking at me as he grabs his backpack. “You’re going to spend the night at Susa’s,” he says.
“Sir?” I’m certain I’ve misheard him.
Now he looks at me. “You heard me. She’ll pick you up from the dorm after your last class and you’ll go with her. Go back to the dorm as soon as your last class ends, pack, and text her so she can get you. Make sure I receive a good report from her. Be my good boy.”
I turn to Susa, who’s wearing a playful smile. “When did this get decided?”
“We talked about it over the weekend.”
“Where was I?”
“At your dad’s.” She reaches up and ruffles my hair. “Unless you don’t want to spend the night with me.”
I turn to ask Carter about this, but he’s already gone, and it honestly takes me a moment to process that.
That he’sleft.
My heart races, and not in a good way. Part of me wants to chase him down and ask him what thehell?
I even take a step toward the door, except Susa reaches out and catches my arm. “Owen.”
