“Make yourself comfortable,” I told him. “No jacket?”
“No,” he said, still looking around. “Didn’t bring one with me.”
Didn’t bring it where?I wanted to ask, but I held my tongue.
It was late, deep in the early morning hours, but Skylar seemed too buzzed to sleep right away. I flicked the lights on in the kitchen.
“Do you want some tea?” I asked. “There’s relaxing chamomile, and honey, and all that good stuff.”
Skylar paused and looked curiously at me, like a wild animal wondering if it should take a handful of food or not.
“Sure,” he finally replied. “Tea with honey sounds good.”
I chuckled as I put the electric kettle on.
“What’s funny?” he asked.
“Nothing. I just thought that it’s good you trust me enough to accept a drink.”
Skylar blinked slowly at me, and for a second I thought I’d said something inappropriate, but then he said, “You’re Griffin’s best friend, right?”
“Right.”
“And Griffin is Jake’s mate.” Skylar shrugged. “I trust them, and so I trust you by association.”
I dipped the teabag in the mug. “I’m flattered. How much honey?”
He bit his lip. “Four teaspoons?”
“You have a sweet tooth, huh?”
He frowned in a cute way. “Yeah, and I bite with them.”
“I bet you do,” I agreed, handing him the mug. “Here.”
Skylar took a sip, then sighed into the mug before taking a longer gulp. His expression turned relaxed and his shoulders loosened up.
“Thanks,” Skylar murmured. “You… didn’t have to do all this for me.”
I shrugged. “It’s no big deal. I see a pal in trouble, I help out.”
“So we’repalsnow?”
I smiled. “Aren’t we?”
“I guess so.” Skylar took another sip. I noticed how his eyelashes fluttered shut against his pale cheeks. “And I wasn’t in trouble.”
I leaned my elbow against the counter. “Weren’t you?”
“No.” He furrowed his brows defiantly. “I could’ve gone home anytime I wanted to. I just didn’t want to.”
I nodded, accepting his obviously fake story. “Okay.”
“Well, anyway, you’re welcome to stay as long as you like here. As you can see, I live alone, so no one’s gonna be bothering you. Except me.” I winked playfully.
“Seeing as you haven’t bothered me yet, I’d say we’re on the right track, then,” Skylar said.
I smiled. “Glad to hear it. Here, let me show you your room.”
