And I’m terrified of losing myself if I stay.
So yeah. I got what I wanted. I just wish it didn’t feel so much like breaking my own heart in the process. I look at him again. I reach out and touch his jaw gently, tracing the edge of his stubble with the back of my fingers.
And then his eyes open. Shit. I freeze. He blinks slowly, eyes still heavy with sleep, and I see the exact second he registers what I’m doing. "Um," I start, panic rising in my throat.
"That’s not—I wasn’t staring, I just—"
Before I can finish that absolute trainwreck of a sentence, his arm shoots out. With one lazy move, he pulls me in. I land on the other side with a soft thump, half sprawled across his chest, and his hand slides around my waist, locking me in place.
What the hell. My heart is thudding like I’ve just been caught stealing something.
Which I guess, technically, I did.
A moment. A little piece of peace.
"You were staring," he mutters, his lips brushing the top of my head. "Creep."
"I wasnot," I mumble into his skin, already melting. I turn, stretching a little, then start to sit up. "I need water," I mumble, my voice still heavy with sleep. Before I can even lift myself off the bed, Gio’s hand lands on my chest and pushes me back down, gently but firmly.
Then he sits up with a grunt, rubbing his eyes, clearly still half-asleep. "I’ll get it," he says, already getting up, wobbling just a little as he moves toward the mini fridge in the corner of the room. "Stay there."
I just lie there, watching him move. He’s not even fully awake, his hair is still a mess, walking like a zombie, but still he’s acting like he’s on some stupid mission. I rub my eyes, trying not to laugh. "You don’t have to be a gentleman in your sleep, you know."
He crouches down in front of the fridge, pulls out two cold bottles of water, and turns to look at me with the most serious face. "Let me live my dream in peace, Rava." That makes me smile. He walks back over, cracks one of the bottles open, and hands it to me without a word.
"Thanks," I whisper. He stretches, lets out a soft groan, then ruffles his hair. "I’m gonna shower," he says, already halfway to the bathroom. "Then I’ll head to the hospital. Gonna visit my mom."
I sit up a little. "Do you want me to come with you?"
He turns, eyebrows raised. "To the shower? Please do. To the hospital? Nah. I need someone to keep Lulu company." He tilts his head. "She finally found a friend. You." I try not to smile, but fail miserably. "You sure?"
He pulls his shirt over his head and tosses it aside. His skin catches the morning light, and it feels freaking unfair how easy it is for him to look like that.
"For the shower? One hundred percent sure." He winks. "And for Lulu? Yeah. She’ll kill me in my sleep if I take that fat ass of yours away from her." I laugh quietly, watching him brush his teeth. I grab my phone. Three unread messages.
All from my father. Shit. I hesitate, then open them.
CHARLES:
-I’m not letting that bastard get away with what he did.
-You think I’ll just sit back and watch you ruin yourself?
-He’s not getting off easy.
My hands clench around the phone. My heart is beating too fast. My stomach twists. But then I breathe. And type.
ME:
-You’re so obsessed with him, I’m starting to think you have a crush on him too.
-Leave him the fuck alone.
I lock the screen and I stand up, walking to the bathroom. The mirror is already fogged, the air heavy, and behind the glass, Gio is a blur of movement under the water.
I brush my teeth, and peel my shirt off slow. My skin prickles with anticipation. The rest follows. Sweats, boxers, until I’m bare.
I slide the glass door open slowly. Gio turns mid-motion, still lathering up his shoulder. The second he sees me, he looks.
