“What?” I said. “I like the view.”
His cheeks flushed and he scowled, muttering, “I knew I should’ve brought my clothes with me into the bathroom…”
His hand reached for the shirt beside me on the bed. At the same time, I grabbed his wrist. The sudden change in his momentum caused Kass to stumble, and with a quick tug on my end, he toppled forward onto the bed. At the last moment he braced himself with one elbow so that he assumed an awkward position on top of me.
“What did you do that for?” he asked, blinking.
“Slipped.”
The blush on his cheeks deepened. He pulled himself up. “Very funny, Halo.”
But before he could leave, I grabbed his arm again. “Wait.”
Kass waited. He watched me expectantly for an explanation. My throat suddenly felt dry, like the words had evaporated into dust.
“I… I missed you,” I finally mumbled.
Kass’s cheeks turned an even deeper color, and I couldn’t help but smile. He looked the same way he did on our first few dates all those centuries ago - embarrassed, flustered, like he’d rather be anywhere else and nowhere else all at the same time. A small laugh fluttered in my stomach.
“What’s so funny?” Kass muttered.
“You.” I pressed the back of my hand gently to his cheek, feeling the warmth beneath his skin. “You’re acting like a teenager.”
“No, I’m not.” He tried to stand again and this time I let go. I wanted to see if he would return on his own. My eyes pierced his, waiting expectantly. Kass watched me, then sighed. “What are you doing, Halo?”
“I’m laying in bed.”
He shook his head. “You want something from me. And I don’t know if I can give it to you.”
“Oh, really? What exactly is it that I want?”
“I don’t know.” He paused, then raised a brow slowly. “Sex?”
I rolled my eyes. “Get your mind out of the gutter.”
Both his brows raised in surprise. “Youdon’twant sex?”
“No,” I said seriously, and then Kass finally realized I wasn’t joking around. He returned and sat on the edge of the bed. I tried not to be too aware of the fact that he was still naked, except for the towel. Now that he’d mostly dried off, warmth emanated from his body and I craved it.
“Tell me, then,” Kass said.
“I just want…you,” I mumbled.
“What do you want from me?”
I groaned. “You are so stupid. Just come here.”
Before he could protest, I pulled him down so that we fell sideways onto the bed. He let out a slight grunt of surprise but didn’t resist. He still clutched the towel with one hand, but the embarrassment had left his expression now.
“Halo,” Kass murmured. “We shouldn’t…”
“Shouldn’t what? We’re not doing anything. We’re just two guys, laying on a bed together.”
He sighed. “I suppose.”
His breath was warm, just like the rest of him. I shuffled closer to his body heat. Kass didn’t move - not any closer, and not any further away. He simply waited.
“It’s not like we haven’t done anything before,” I muttered. “In case you forgot.”
