Page 65 of Dirty Martini
He pulls back with an adorably confused wrinkle in his brow. “What?”
“Sleep in my room,” I continue, a ball lodged in my throat as I watch his face transform from confusion to shock. “I’ll join you as soon as I get home.”
“Oh, okay,” he mumbles, almost uncertainly. “You sure?”
Do I want Everest in my bed? Absolutely. Do I want him there when we’re doing nothing more than sleeping side by side, wrapped in each other’s arms, knowing we’ll wake up to be the first thing the other sees in the morning? The answer to that question knocks me onto my ass.
Fuck yeah, I do.
“Yeah,” I tell him confidently, kissing his cheek. “It’s no big deal.”
But the significance of it doesn’t go over my head. We saidfriends. I didn’t want to label it anything else—I still won’t—but I don’t want him anywhere besides with me. Whatever we are consumes me like the weathering of rocks, carving itself into the side of the Earth by sheer will and strength. I’m trapped underneath the hardened surface, not sure if I want to crack through or not, knowing what it feels like to be overcome.
We don’t say anything else as we quickly get dressed. Britt pretends to not know what we were doing when I walk Everest to his ride, but Skylar nearly spills a drink on a customer when he sees our rumpled state. I wait with Everest outside, smokinga cigarette and holding his hand, and kiss him goodbye when he leaves.
And when I come home that night and find him naked and asleep in my bed, I get undressed and crawl in beside him. I don’t actively do it, but my hands find his hips so his warm chest meets mine. Even exhausted, I’m wide awake, listening to the steady beat of his heart and the way my whispered name leaves his lips when I kiss his cheek.
I know, no matter how hard I try to deny it, that I wouldn’t want it any other way.
CHAPTER THIRTY
Everest
“Rhys… I’m trying to study.”
A low chuckle emerges from underneath the blanket, the hot breath of it skating up my cock. It’s taking all my willpower to keep my textbook open when all I want to do is chuck it at the wall and bury myself under the covers with Rhys.
His head pops out, a devilish smirk on his lips as he walks his fingers up my stomach. “You’re the one who decided to study in bed.”
“Because you wouldn’t let me get out,” I say with an eye roll.
He doesn’t look at all sorry as he shrugs. “It’s my day off, and I wanted to spend my day naked with you.”
My stomach flutters at his confession. He’s been doing that more lately over the last couple of days. He’s given me little compliments, sweet words that make me flush. With every secret, it’s like he’s giving parts of himself to me. I love it and eat it all up. I’m growing greedy for his praise and attention. All the things he’s saying and the way he’s acting have me thinking that maybe we’re more than just friends. But I don’t dare say anything, too afraid he won’t feel the same way.
I run my fingers through his hair, smiling as his thick glasses slide down his nose. “I really do need to study,” I say regretfully.
He sighs but nods, then gets out from underneath the covers to sit up next to me. “Fine. Did you want to go see a movie tonight?”
I open my mouth to answer, but my phone buzzes on the nightstand. Grabbing it, I look at my messages, smiling when I see that it’s Knox. I’ve been so caught up with Rhys that I haven’t had any time to spend with my friend. I feel like shit about that and quickly text him back when he asks what I’m doing tonight. Rhys doesn’t look at my phone, but his stare on my profile lets me know that he’s curious and trying to hide it.
“It’s just Knox.”
He stiffens, his jaw clenched tight. “What does he want?”
“Calm down,” I chuckle, soothing him with a kiss on his cheek before showing him my phone. “He decided to throw a party tonight.”
“That’s nice,” he grunts, even though it seems like he thinks anything but that. “Are you going?”
Do I particularly want to give up my Rhys-filled day? Not really, but Knox is my closest friend, and I’m sure he wants me there. “Yeah. I know you’re not a huge fan?—”
“That’s an understatement.”
“But maybe you want to come with me?”
He thinks it over for a second before nodding. “Sure. Why not?”
“Maybe you can even invite your coworkers,” I suggest, trying to sweeten the deal.
