He moans my name, desire and need laced in the strangled sound.
Oh my God.
Did he just... masturbate to me?
I clamp a hand over my mouth, trying to hide my ragged breath. My lungs burn as I stand there.
Then the water shuts off, and I move, sneaking down the stairs as fast as I can, clinging to the railing so I don’t fall.
With every aching step back to my room, I beg my throbbing ankle to hold up until I make it to bed. Because collapsing in the hallway and having him discover me... yeah. Not a good look.
I climb into bed and pull the covers up to my chin like I just did something bad.
Which, I kind of did.
I invaded his privacy... and heard something I never expected.
I lie there, staring at the ceiling, the way he moaned my name echoing inside my head.
And then I hear it. The refrigerator door opens... and then closes.
My ears strain for the sound of his footsteps retreating.
Instead, they come closer.
My heart pounds faster.
Is he... coming back here?
A floorboard creaks right outside my room.
I squeeze my eyes closed, then relax my face so it looks like I’m sleeping.
Then I feel his presence in the room.
He stands there for a short time before moving closer.
I do my best to pretend I’m sleeping, my pulse pounding as I wait to see what he’ll do.
He stands there for several long moments before he finally retreats.
I don’t open my eyes until I hear his footsteps in the distance.
Why did he come into my room?
Did he know I was awake?
That I snuck upstairs to his loft?
I lie there for a while, wondering if he’ll come back.
But my eyes grow heavy.
I fall asleep before he returns.
15
PEYTON
