Taylor hummed, silently enjoying the way Johnny petted his hair. “Sounds like a drug factory,” he said, extremely aware of how Johnny’s cock was stiffening against his cheek. “The pond must connect to the stream in the shifter woods. I’ll let Isla know.”
Johnny shook his head. “I called her when you were in the shower. She’s jacking up a surveillance team from Falkington. We need help, Tay. This is too big for us to handle on our own.”
“And William?”
“Isla called Kat. She wasn’t happy but said it was better than William running away again. She’s meeting up with us tomorrow. Everything… everything else can wait until tomorrow because I just don’t have the energy to deal with any more shit today.”
Taylor looked up at him, studying his face. “Okay,” he whispered, brushing his lips across Johnny’s stomach before returning to his own seat. “Do you think William’s ever watchedTropic Thunder?”
Johnny laughed, flicking him between the eyebrows. “Not appropriate for an eleven-year-old, pal.”
Humming, Taylor glanced over at the TV. “Lord of the Rings marathon?”
CHAPTER 22
SLEEP OVER
Johnny
William could barely keephis eyes open for more than an hour, and Johnny could tell Taylor was bummed that he’d missed Gandalf’s fight with the Balrog.
Fitting all three of them on the sofa had been a squeeze, and Taylor’s hand had wandered across to Johnny’s thigh more than once.
He could have chalked it up to the lack of space, but somewhere towards the end of the film, Taylor had just slung his arm over Johnny’s shoulders and pulled him against his chest.
Johnny had sat there, barely concentrating on the film, ear pressed to Taylor’s sternum as he listened to his heartbeat and watched the sun slowly sink behind the trees.
Taylor kept dipping his head to sniff Johnny’s hair, chest rumbling with such contentment that it made Johnny’s toes curl in his slippers.
Finding William a spare toothbrush, Johnny watched as he swayed on the spot in the middle of the bathroom. “Make sure you get the back,” he said, leaning against the doorframe.
Taylor was tidying the dump he called his bedroom, because for some God unknown reason William said he’d prefer to sleep in there than Johnny’s nice,tidyroom. Then again, the kid clearly had no idea about personal hygiene, and looked like he was in physical pain as he tried to reach his molars.
“I’m telling Kat you need to go to the dentist,” Johnny said, raising his eyebrows as William spat toothpaste into the sink.
“I don’t need?—”
“No arguments.”
William scowled as he dropped the brush into the sink with a clatter.
Eventually Taylor appeared on the landing, his overflowing wash-basket under one arm, a rolled-up pillow and blanket under the other. They both watched as William drifted into Taylor’s bedroom and all but collapsed onto the bed. He was already out before either of them could say goodnight, so Johnny clicked off the landing light and quietly closed the door.
It was past 10:00 pm, but the last of the summer sun was doing its best to cling to the sky, casting the landing in a glowy amber light.
Letting out a quiet breath, he turned to Taylor. “You aren’t doing washing now, are you?” He tugged the basket out of Taylor’s grip and put it on the floor. Taylor’s eyes darted towards the stairs, a light flush creeping up his pale chest. And that vest… that tight fucking vest clung to every ripple and dent of his torso.
Johnny stared at him, eyes unmoving until Taylor finally met his gaze. His grip tightened around the pillow and blanket as he said, “I’ll… uh… I’ll sleep on the sofa.” He blinked, gesturing towards the stairs. “Let you get your beauty sleep.”
Johnny swallowed, the growing nerves in the pit of his belly crawling their way up his throat. He’d have liked to say it was due to having a non-pack shifter in the house, but he’d only have been lying to himself.
“Goodnight,” Taylor said, holding Johnny’s gaze for a second longer.
“Yeah,” he replied, the word barely making it out of his mouth. “Good… goodnight.”
Taylor gave a small nod, his gaze trailing all the way down Johnny’s body before he turned towards the stairs. The first step creaked, then the second, and Johnny was already across the landing before Taylor made it to the third.
“Tay?” he whispered, reaching for Taylor’s shoulder in the low light.
