I let out a distressed groan, not sure how much more my body could take before burying my face in his chest and just breathing him in.
It had taken a year to get back here. A year to get past all the hunter bullshit, and I wasn’t about to let it go to waste.
Chapter 27
Jack
When I woke up the next evening, I glanced over at Julian, sleeping calmly next to me. For a moment, I just looked at him and took in this moment, a moment I’d been wanting for over a year now.
If Julian hadn’t denied us, then this could have been us every day for the last year. Part of me was still mad that he’d made us waste so much time. The other part was just happy to have him, any part of him, for however long it lasted.
One thing I had to note was the lack of nightmares I had with Julian asleep next to me. I hadn’t had a nightmare free night in over a week. Not since...
I swallowed. Not since Kyren and Tate used to sleep with me.
I slipped out of bed carefully and grabbed my clothes as I made my way around the room. I pulled Kyren’s shirt back over my head and quietly walked out of the bedroom.
Once I was far enough away from the bedroom, I went to my bag and pulled out a new pair of underwear and pants. As I dragged them on, I shot glances back toward the bedroom, like Julian was going to come stalking out at any moment, wanting to talk about us. What this was.
Fuck. What was I going to say to Tate? I mean we weren’t exactly back together, but I couldn’t say in good faith we were apart either.
I sighed, changing my shirt before grabbing my school bag. Walking toward the door, I lingered by it, glancing back to where Julian was,
The urge to crawl back into bed with him was strong, but not as strong as my need to have a moment to myself. To think things through.
Opening the door, I jerked to a stop when I found Tate there once again, waiting for me with a to-go coffee cup for me.
“Oh, hi.” I ducked my head, brushing my hair behind my ear.
Tate smiled slightly and offered me the cup. “Good morning.”
I took it and focused all my attention on it as I closed the apartment door behind me. I started walking toward class. I didn’t wait for him, but I knew he’d follow anyway. I sipped from my cup, savoring the coffee rather than thinking about what had happened the night before.
“So...” Tate started. “How was it?”
The coffee went down the wrong pipe. I coughed and glanced over at him my eyes watering. “What?”
“Sleeping over at old stick in the mud’s place, of course. What did you think I meant?” He took a drink from his own cup, eyes twinkling as if he knew something but didn’t want to say.
I swallowed, clearing my throat. “Uh... it was fine. We ate dinner and went to bed. He slept on the couch.”
“Uh-huh.” Tate nodded, before adding, “And was that before or after you had sex with him?”
“Wha—what?” I almost choked again, and my head whipped around to see him grinning from ear to ear. “I... We didn’t... I should have showered first,” I muttered, staring down at my cup.
Blowing out a breath, I lifted my gaze. It was better to be upfront and honest about it.
“It wasn’t something we planned. And I know we haven’t exactly talked about whatwewere anymore but...”
“Princess, relax.” Tate cupped the side of my face. “I’m not mad. You’re right. We never did say if we were together again, though I would like to clear up right now.”
I swallowed and blinked up at him. “But Julian...”
Tate chuckled. “I wouldn’t have left you there with him if I wasn’t okay with something happening.”
“You are?”
“I admit, I was jealous at first. Mainly because he got to have you when I couldn’t. But he’s proved he knows you and wants to keep you safe just like I do.” He shrugged. “And you might not believe it, but that man is madly in love with you.”
