“Jay?” Aaron whispered.
“Yes?”
“Why am I in your bed?”
“I waited until you passed out and dragged you into my bed for some cuddles, to see if I should buy one of those giant body pillows shaped like a human.”
“What’s the verdict?” There was amusement in Aaron’s voice.
“It’s very nice. I’ll commission a pillow in your likeness.”
“Glad to have been of service.” Aaron chuckled, then his voice turned somber. “I should probably get going.”
It wasn’t clear whether Aaron had plans or if he was uncertain about staying. Just in case, Jay wanted there to be no confusion. He turned around, looking straight into a pair of adorably sleepy eyes.
“Stay.”
Chapter 29
AARON
Jay’s face took up his entire field of vision, and wasn’t that a great metaphor for his feelings and the way Jay overwhelmed his entire life?
Aaron vaguely remembered falling asleep on Jay’s chest, yet now he was the one wrapped around Jay. Clearly, his body knew what he wanted even when he was unconscious. He loosened his hold and rolled away before the urge to lean in and kiss Jay became too intense.
“Okay, I’ll stay. What should we do?”
“Let’s start with breakfast.”
“Sounds good. I just need some eyedrops first. Sleeping in contacts always makes it feel like there’s sand in my eyes.”
Jay showed Aaron into his bathroom and presented him with a bottle of contact solution and an extra toothbrush, then paused and asked if he’d like a shower. Aaron nodded emphatically, desperate to get out of the sweaty fabric clinging to his skin, but he didn’t have anything to change into. Jay promised to take care of it and disappeared.
Aaron stood under the hot water, staring at the blue tile. What was happening here? He’d slept next to Jay, their bodies tangled together, and woke up with a certainty that he was exactly where he belonged. Their cozy night on the couch cemented what he’d already suspected—their relationship was so much more than sex.
When he’d showed up on Jay’s doorstep, too drained to function, he’d expected nothing more than a few slices of pizza and some company before dragging himself back to his messy apartment to spend the rest of his night alone, spiraling over his CEO canceling their check-in. David had offered no reason for the cancellation in his curt email, no offer to reschedule. It made Aaron wonder if this was the beginning of the end.
He wasn’t worried about losing the job—he could easily find something else before his substantial savings ran out—but he was starting to like it. The mission. The people. The sense of belonging. He could see himself staying there for a long time.
But he couldn’t let himself get used to it until he felt like he belonged. Like he was accepted. Like he had a place at the table. And so far, he hadn’t felt any of those things.
Aaron hadn’t expected Jay to take that weight off his shoulders with his easy smiles and gentle doting, yet, within an hour of his arrival, Jay had managed to replace the growing sense of dread with something warm and steady. Something that should have scared Aaron with its intensity.
Except he was done running from his feelings.
Sure, falling in love with Jay hadn’t been a part of his plan. At all.
But maybe it was time for a new plan.
When Aaron got out of the shower, a small stack of clothing sat on the floor by the door. Jay had made it a point to respect Aaron’s privacy by setting the items down and leaving. Aaron loved that.
The T-shirt and yoga pants fit him perfectly. Surprising, since Jay’s clothes would have been three sizes too large, but not unwelcome.
“Do you have a separate wardrobe for twinks that you bring home or something?” Aaron asked after finding Jay in the kitchen. Despite his joking tone, part of him wondered why Jayhad the outfit on hand. Jealousy gnawed at him at the thought of Jay bringing someone else to his house.
“Are you calling yourself a twink?” Jay laughed without turning around, his attention on the stove. A delectable aroma of fried eggs filled the air, causing Aaron’s mouth to water.
“I’m not. I just happen to be a similar size.” Aaron huffed and sat on a stool by the counter.
