“I’m just moving these around so I am closest to the opening,” Nikolai said, fluffing up the pillow he had just moved.
“Opening?”
Niko pointed to where he was standing.
“The opening of the tent?”
Niko nodded.
“Why?”
“This way, if anything tries to come in, I can kill it before it gets in. Come. You sleep here.” He pointed down at the sleeping bag that Reid had borrowed from Niko for their camping trip.
“I don’t think that Lucas will try and break in during the night and kill me,” Reid replied, rolling his eyes at the idiotic thought the man was having. He knew the guys were joking earlier—or at least, he hoped they were.
Pulling off his shirt, Niko began removing his jeans as he stood hunched over, next to his sleeping bag.
“No, not Lucas. I’m talking about bears or snakes. Judging by those puny arms of yours, you wouldn’t even be able to offer a black bear a sandwich.”
Reid chuckled. It was sweet that Niko was worried about his safety. He had always been like that, ever since they first met. Protecting him from Mikhail whenever he got mad, protecting him from other hustlers and gangbangers who thought they ruled the streets of New York.
Niko had always been his protector.
Except for when he was sold.
But what could Niko have done? Mikhail came for him when he knew Niko wasn’t around, not there to protect him or stop him.
Reid lifted his arm and flexed. He had always been in shape with nicely defined muscles. Okay, he wasn’t the beast that Niko was, but he still had the body of a kickboxer. He could handle his own if he needed to.
“Have you seen these pipes?” Reid asked, pulling his friend’s attention.
“Oh… yes… big muscles for American. Puny muscles for Russian.” Nikolai let out a half chuckle, then resumed fixing their bags.
The guy was an idiot, but he still loved him.
Reid slid over to his sleeping bag and began removing his clothing as well. It was a little chilly, now that the sun had gone down, but if Niko was sleeping in nothing but his underwear, then so was he.
Once they were both in their sleeping bags, they turned to face one another.
In the dark, Nikolai’s soft blue eyes looked like two dark orbs piercing into his soul. The man was handsome. He was one of those people who seemed to grow more good-looking as they aged.
He really missed having Niko in his life—his smile, his laughter, even his dry sense of humor. All of it.
Perhaps he didn’t have to leave when all was said and done. Maybe he could stay… here… in Baton?
Eyes locked on Niko’s, he yearned to be wrapped in his friend’s big, muscular arms. Held close and never let go.
But Niko wasn’t gay. He wouldn’t exactly appreciate cuddling or holding someone in his arms while he tried to sleep. So instead, Reid tried to distract himself.
“So, is everything alright?" Reid asked, watching Niko’s face to see if there were any signs that might give him away.
Nikolai’s brows furrowed.
“What do you mean?”
“You seemed a bit quiet toward the end of the night. Did I do something wrong?”
Niko lay there for a few minutes, just staring into his eyes.
