Gabriel wasn’t too fond of it either.
“I need to talk to Aldrik.”
“Aldrik is sleeping at Dom’s tonight. When he called earlier, I told him you were sleeping. He told me to just let you sleep and he’d call in the morning. Him and Dom will be coming over for breakfast, and we can all talk then.”
Gabriel bit his lip as he peered up at Chay. He felt like such a wuss. “I’m afraid to go back to sleep,” he admitted sheepishly. He just didn’t think he could stand to run into that terrifying dark presence twice in the same night.
“Do you want to sit and talk?”
“Would you mind?” Gabriel asked hesitantly.
Chay smiled as he patted Gabriel’s arm. “Just give me five minutes to make sure the house is locked up and run to the bathroom, and then I’m all yours.”
Gabriel was good with that. He puffed up the pillows and then scooted back against them. He realized inviting Chay into his own bed was weird, but he just couldn’t go back to sleep. Besides, he really liked talking to the man. He liked looking at him even more.
Gabriel wasn’t sure how he felt about this whole mate business. He knew he was attracted to Chay. The man got him hard just by standing in the same room. It was the rest of it he was having issues with. Gabriel didn’t like the idea that his life had already been decided for him by these mythical fates Chay kept talking about. It felt kind of like an arranged marriage.
He couldn’t say he wouldn’t fall for Chay given time, because he was pretty sure he would. The man was gorgeous, funny, and smart. He checked every damn one of Gabriel’s boxes. But love should come when it did, not be forced upon them.
When Chay walked back into the room, he headed over to his dresser and pulled something out. “You don’t mind if I change into some lounge pants, do you?”
“No, go right ahead.” It was the least he could do for the man for letting him sleep in his bed.
“I’ll be out in just a minute.” Chay sent Gabriel a smile before walking into the bathroom.
Would it be rude to ask if he had a spare set? Gabriel knew he’d be a lot more comfortable out of his jeans and shirt.
He scooted to the edge of the bed and stood before walking over to knock on the bathroom door. “Hey, Chay, do you have a set of lounge pants I can borrow?”
“Look in the dresser,” Chay called out through the door. “You’re welcome to whatever you find.”
Gabriel found another set of lounge pants in the same drawer Chay had gotten his. He set them on the dresser and then quickly stripped his clothes off and pulled the soft cottony pants on. He folded his clothes and set them on the top of the dresser for later. He hated the idea of putting dirty clothes on, but until he got his bag from the motel, he was kind of shit out of luck.
He had just gotten the blankets pulled to the top of the bed and sat down cross-legged on top of them when Chay opened the bathroom door. For just a moment, the light from the bathroom cast a halo around Chay before the man flipped it off, plunging him into the shadows.
That one moment when the light had shined around Chay was one Gabriel didn’t think he would ever forget. It looked as if the man was walking right out of the sun. It was just as eerie as it was beautiful.
“I got us some water.” Chay held two bottled waters up. “Just so you know, I have a small dorm fridge in here under the cupboard. I keep water in there. If you ever need one, you’re welcome to them.”
“Thank you,” Gabriel said as he took one of the bottles. He unscrewed the top and took a deep swallow. Apparently, he had been thirstier than he had thought.
Gabriel replaced the cap and set the bottle of water on the nightstand then turned toward Chay. While he was sitting cross-legged on the bed, Chay had stretched out the full length of the mattress, which was surprising.
“Did you special order this bed?” he asked.
“Yeah, how’d you know?”
“You’re pretty tall, and this bed fits you perfectly.”
Chay chuckled. “Yeah, when you’re as tall as me, you find the different places that cater to men my size.”
“Just how tall are you?” Gabriel knew it couldn’t be that tall because he came to the man’s chin, and he was only six-foot-one-inches tall.
“Roughly about six-five, give or take a little bit depending on what shoes I’m wearing.”
That was tall.
“Too tall?”
