I open my mouth to tell him to call no matter what time it is, but Ares interrupts me. “We really need to go. Ollie, Milo, go put on a movie for her or something.” I think that’s his way of telling them to put me to bed, he knows I never make it through a whole movie. But that’s when I have all fourof themwith me.
“I miss you, the way you smell,” Dante blurts out, leaning closer to the camera. It’s like he couldn’t stop himself from saying it, and he wanted to say it before Ares cut off the call.
“I miss you too, both of you,” I whisper back, meaning the words so much.
A wave of sadness washes over me once the screen goes foggy and the red phone icon pops up. I thought I would feel better after talking to them, but I don’t. Milo wraps his arm around my shoulder and tugs me to his side. “They won’tbe gone long, another day or two tops.”
I give Milo a sad, but grateful smile.
* * *
Even though I didn’t think it would happen, I fell asleep before the movie was over. Ollie took Ares’s usual side of the bed, while Milo tucked himselfreallyclose to my other side. It was different having him so near me. He doesn’t put off the same level of heat Ollie does, but it was a close second to Dante.
I slept with Ares’s pillow under my head, and in one of Dante’s black t-shirts, keeping them as closeto meas possible.
I woke early before the sunhad a chance to rise, but I remained cocooned between them for a long while, just thinking. The phone never rang last night, unless they switched the ringers to vibrate, I would have heard it. So, there’s a good change the guys never called.
Not wanting to wake Milo or Ollie I slip out of bed, and neither of them stir. Grabbing the first pair of jeans my hands touch and snagging a pair of panties from one of my designated drawers, I head to the bathroom for a quick shower.
In my absence, Ollie has scooted closer to Milo. I grin at the picture they make. Ollie’s nose is almost touching Milo’s chest as they lay curled facing each other.
I pick up Ollie’s phone. The time stamp disappears as his home screen pops up to replace it. The phone automatically unlocks once my face is visible to the camera. Ihaven’t used any of their phones often, there’s not really a reason to when I’m always with one or more of them. Locating the green icon with an empty text bubble is easy, and I click on the square. It opens to a conversation between Dante and Ollie, but the most recent message came from Ollie, and that was around eleven o’clock last night, well after I was sleeping. Dante has yet to respond.
I type out another quick message.
Morning, it’s Laura. Everything okay?
I watch the screen for a few moments, hoping to see the three dots pop up when someone is typing, but the screen dims before anything happens. Hitting the back button, I find the text thread with Ares’s name and click to open that conversation, which is several days old. Still, I type out another message.
Hope everything is going okay. Miss you. Call again when you guys can talk.
I havelittle hope of him responding since Dante didn’t either, but I keep the phone in my hand anyway, just in case.
“What are you doing?” Milo calls from the bed, his voice raspy with sleep.
Turning in his direction, I wave the phone still clutched in my fingers and whisper, “Just checking to see if the others called.”
“Did they?” Milo runs a palm over his face and blinks a few times, before focusing his attention back on me.
I fold my arms over my stomach and shake my head, “No, I sent them a message, so they’ll know we’re awake now though. It’s stillprettyearly there, they might not be up yet.”
“Did you already shower, what time did you wake up?” Milo slides so his back is resting against the wall.His golden-brown hair is mussed up on one side and I can see a few lines on his cheek from the pillowcase. He looks so boyish and sweet, his shoulders have a slight slump, and his green t-shirt has stretched out while he was sleeping, effectively hiding his bulk.
“I’ve been up a while, but I fell asleep early. How late did you guys stay up?”
“Not too late actually. I think I fell asleep before Goldie Locks though.”
“I heard that,” Ollie mumbles, without moving.
“I used your phone Ollie,” I confess, setting the device back on the small bedside table.
“I don’t care. Dante call?”
“No, not yet. But I left them text messages.”
Ollie lets out a low moan, and he arches his back in a long, languid stretch. I pretend not to notice the bulge tenting the sheet as he turns over, so I focus on Milo instead. “I have to work again for a few hours, what are you guys going to do?”
“Same as yesterday I guess,” Milo peers at Ollie, “right?”
