Page 56 of Golden Ruin

Taking Jax back to school.

The doctor clearing me to work.

Paparazzi everywhere.

Lunch with Sterling.

I swear I’ve only closed my eyes for a brief second, and the first thing I see is us in his smoke-filled dorm room.

High, sweating, breathing each other’s air.

I sigh, rejecting the memory as I flip onto my side. But the sudden movement calls attention to the other reason I can’t sleep.

My arm stings like a bitch.

I meant to use the ointment after my bath but somehow forgot. Now, it’s all the way in Sterling’s bathroom on the counter.

Pain meds have knocked the edge off a little, but not enough to take my mind off it. Hence the reason I’m currently eyeing the door, considering something I probably shouldn’t be.

Going to Sterling’s room.

“Damn it.”

It hasn’t hurt this bad in a while but bumping it on the shelf while reaching for dinner plates probably didn’t help.

I can’t do this. If I don’t get the cream, I’ll never fall asleep, and I’ll be a zombie in the morning when it’s time to get Jax ready.

Tossing the cover aside, I climb out of bed, being careful not to wake Jax as I creep into the hallway. My plan is to knock on Sterling’s door, ask for the cream, then hightail it back to bed.

It should be simple, clean, and quick.

But when I reach his room, the door’s partially open, and dim light filters out into the hallway. My timing’s perfect. If he’s stepped out for something, I can slip in and out without him even knowing, which will be much easier than facing him tonight. Having spent nearly the entire day together has already made things between us weirdly tense, and if I can avoid more of that, I’d be eternally grateful.

I pause, listening for a moment. No sound. No movement. He’s probably in the kitchen or maybe the garage, but it honestly doesn’t matter. I just need to get what I came for and get out.

Fast.

I push the door open a little wider and take a step inside, but I immediately regret being so relaxed.

I’m frozen, seeing Sterling there, standing at his dresser with a white towel on the floor near his feet. I can’t even fully process what’s happening as my brain scans him, scans everything, in the fraction of a second.

Tan skin stretched taut over solid muscle that’s somehow more defined than I remember. Colorful ink staining his arms, chest, and part of his abdomen. Then, my eyes do the wrong thing, trailing down his body despite internally shouting at myself not to.

Because… fuck… he’s completely naked, and there’s no pretending I didn’t see all of him.

Every inch.

My breath catches as I jerk my gaze away, but not before something low on his pelvis steals my attention. Black script dangerously close to his dick, trailing the curve of his V.

My name. Tattooed into his skin like no time has passed at all.

“Shit.” I turn immediately, heat rushing to my face as I take a step back. “Sorry, I didn’t… I thought–”

“Lex.” His voice stops me. It’s calm and steady, no trace of anger or embarrassment.

“I didn’t realize you were in here,” I say quickly, taking a step to put distance between us. “I just… I needed something for my arm, but I can come back later. I–”

“Lex,” he says again, still sounding unnervingly relaxed, considering. “You’re good. It’s nothing you haven’t seen before.”