My interest sparks immediately, and I forget the idea of sleep entirely.
Slowly, I inch closer, carefully worming my way across the vast distance like I’m approaching a wild animal.
I lift the covers just a little, and—wow!
He’sreallyglowing. It’s bright enough under the covers that I can see everything. Colten’s back is toward me, his body shrimped up and clearly trying to hide.
I grin. How did he think he could hide when he’s glowing this brightly?
He shifts, sensing movement, turning toward me—
Before he can say anything, I dive under the covers toward him. He lets out a shriek, bringing his hands up, but I manage to cage my arms on either side of him before he can get the leverage to push me off.
“Hey,” I whisper, leaning over him with a feral grin. His hands land on my chest, keeping me from pressing fully against him. “What’cha thinking about?”
“Nothing,” he says immediately, gaze averted. In the glow surrounding him, I can see how his cheeks are dusted with red. “Ignore it and go to sleep.”
“I cannot ignore it,” I tell him, stoically shaking my head. “That would be irresponsible as your best friend.”
“Patrick, best friends don’t usually fuck,” he says, a warning in his voice.
This again? “So we’ll be best friends that do,” I easily reply, before helpfully adding, “I can’t rest knowing you’re like this and I’m not helping.”
He exhales sharply through his nose. “Go to sleep,” he repeats, still avoiding my gaze.
There’s that flush on his cheeks, trailing down and drawing my eyes to his pajama neckline, just past his collarbones. I suddenly have the urge to bite them.
Instead, I flutter my lashes, smiling at him in the brilliance of his glow.
“I’ll be good,” I say, my voice barely more than a whisper. “I’ll do whatever you want. We can make this quick, and then get an easy eight hours of sleep. Isn’t that more efficient than blue-balling it?”
His gaze sharpens and lands on me. There it is again, that look.
A shiver goes down my spine, all the way to my toes, making them curl against the bed sheets.
He moves fast. I barely realize what’s happening until after he’s flipped us around and pushed me onto my back, pinning me there with a precision that makes my brain go static.
“Oh,” I say, very intelligently.
His hands press my wrists into the mattress, and his face is close enough for the warmth of his breath to sink into my skin with every exhale. I swallow hard.
“Your version of ‘good’ is deeply questionable,” he murmurs.
“I can improve,” I offer. “Tell me what to do, and I’ll do it. Just for you.”
He huffs a quiet, disbelieving breath, likeI’mthe one who’s being unreasonable, before swallowing me whole.
This kiss isn’t as mean as the one in the exercise room or as sweet as the one in the field, but it’s still just as hot and desperate. Being in a bed this time also helps add a certain…extra factor to it, as well.
The mattress is soft beneath me as he presses his weight against my body, his mouth burning and perfect against mine. I eagerly return his kiss, heart pounding and body humming in anticipation.
But his hips aren’t against mine. Instead, he’s keeping his hips rudely away from my own, his chest pressed into mine while his feet hook around my calves to keep them in place.
Honestly, I could probably get out of his half-hearted judo-ish hold since he doesn’t have his full body weight against me. But I said I would be good, so I stay right where he has me.
Colten pulls back just enough to look at me, his eyes swimming with light. I realize that I’m glowing as well, the reflection of it making Colten’s eyes sparkle. My stomach clenches, heat trickling through my veins.
“You really want this?” Colten asks, those shimmering eyes narrowed at me.
