Page 51 of Watch Over Me

"How long?" he asked as he squeezed the back of Eddie's neck, wishing to hear that quiet moan…

There it was.

James smiled, proud beyond measure.

"Embarrassingly long." Eddie hid his face in James's neck and nosed at the skin there before sucking on it, gently at first, then harder.

Laughter threatened to bubble out of James, but he pushed back on it, kissing Eddie's ear instead.

"No such thing," he whispered, breathing over Eddie's ear and watching him shiver in response.

Then Eddie pulled back to meet his gaze, biting his lowerlip as he stared at him.

And James let him look. Whatever Eddie was searching for, James hoped he'd find. He didn't feel the need to hide anything anymore. Now that they'd crossed the line from friendship to this, there was no reason to hold back. No reason to be afraid.

It was as if all his earlier worries had dissipated into the thin air, and now that the two of them were here, James was ready to go all in.

This could be the endorphins talking, of course, but he didn't care.

He was happy. That was the important part.

Beaming at him, Eddie brushed his fingertips over James's brow.

"Worth the wait," he whispered.

James caught Eddie's hand and dropped a kiss onto his wrist.

"Definitely worth it."

Reluctantly, they made their way to the bathroom and crammed into the shower stall together. Eddie's movements were getting slower and James could feel himself getting tired, too, so he hurried them through a quick wash to hopefully get to bed before the adrenaline ran out.

They didn't quite make it, though.

After leaving the shower, Eddie stood there, blinking slowly and dripping water on the floor with a towel in hand, as if he didn't know what to do with it. James dried himself quickly and tucked his own towel around his hips before taking Eddie's and running it over his body. Then he turned Eddie around and led him straight to the bed.

Eddie melted into the mattress, closing his eyes as soon as his head hit the pillow, but he still reached out towards James, beaconing him closer.

"I'll be right back," James told him as he dropped a kiss on top of Eddie's head and, because he couldn't stop himself, on his exposed shoulder.

He turned all the lights off and rechecked that the front door was locked, then hung the towel in the bathroom before coming back to the bedroom and slipping under the covers.

Eddie slid closer immediately and James pulled him flush against his body.

He didn't care that it was still early, or that he was probably going to stay up half the night later on if he slept now. He had Eddie pressed against him, naked, pliant, and already half-asleep. They were safe, and they were together.

Safe…

And together…

He drifted off with a smile on his face.

CHAPTER TWENTY

Eddie woke up when he felt somebody shifting under him, but it took a few seconds before he recognized it as unusual and his eyes flew open.

James.

For a moment, Eddie thought he had to still be asleep—he'd had quite a few dreams featuring James in his bed, after all—but then the memories of the day came back in a rush, leaving him cold and shivering.

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