Page 67 of Code Word
He inhaled deeply and put the containers in the sink. “You need to sleep.”
I slow-blinked. “Yeah. It just hit me all of a sudden.” Then I remembered something. “Oh. I brought nothing with me. No clothes, no toothbrush.”
His smile was warm, as was his hand on my arm. “You really boarded a plane with nothing.”
“Phone, wallet, and passport, that’s it.”
He took my hand and threaded our fingers. “We’ll go shopping tomorrow.”
I nodded before he led me up the stairs. “Go through myclothes. Pick what you want. And you can use my toothbrush. I don’t mind.”
I wasn’t sure what was worse. Using someone else’s toothbrush or not brushing my teeth.
He showed me to the bathroom, and my heart skipped a beat when he scratched my three-day growth. “Not sure about this.”
“I was going for the homeless look. Helped with the anonymity when flying commercial.”
He grinned. “Well you nailed it.” His eyes met mine, searching for something, before he went to the door. “Do what you gotta do and get yourself into bed. I’ll just go clean up downstairs.”
“Uh . . .”
His gaze locked with mine. “My bed, yes. We’ve shared a bed hundreds of times.”
“I know, it’s just... I didn’t want to assume.”
He smiled, his eyes sparkling with humor. “Won’t be long,” he said, then left me to it.
I used the bathroom and decided that using my finger with toothpaste would have to do. I had a quick shower, scrubbing away the remnants of the last week, and I did shave. Feeling half human, I found a pair of Luke’s boxers and all but fell into bed.
I tried to keep my eyes open. I was nervous, but the lack of sleep over the last week was winning a battle I just couldn’t fight.
I closed my eyes, just a blink, and stirred when a warm body slid in next to me. I pulled him in close, like I always did. Held him, like I always did.
This was familiar, this was my safe place. But it felt new too.
And so fucking right.
He was everything I needed.
Like coming home.
He was where my soul felt at ease.
There was no doubt about crossing lines, about best friends, or even the fact he was a guy. None of it mattered. I loved this person. His heart, his mind.
His smile.
And even as I courted sleep, as my brain logged off, as he snuggled into me, I kissed the side of his head.
Like I’d done a hundred times.
So natural.
“Tell me this is real,” he whispered.
I sighed and pulled him closer into my arms, my heart full, my eyes unable to open. “So fucking real.”
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