Page 70 of Brighter Shades of Light
He collapsed on me, his skin sticky both from sweat and from the mess he’d made on my chest when he came. I put my arms around him and kissed the side of his head. My heart threatened to burst from my chest as I held him.
In such a short time, Cody had come to mean more to me than anything in my life.
“Does this count as extra credit?” Cody asked, turning his head to gaze up at me with heavy-lidded eyes.
“Favors won’t do you any good in the long run, Mr. Miller,” I said, playing along. “Work hard and let your grade reflect that.”
“Damn.” He wiggled and nuzzled my neck. “I thought thiswasme working hard.”
I combed my fingers through his hair and shook my head, amused.
Love wasn’t logical. There was no formula to explain it; everyone experienced it differently. But I loved Cody.
As we lay together, the realization of that love was both soothing and terrifying. I held him closer, dreading the moment I had to let go.
Cody kissed my neck, and I tilted my head back on the pillow. He touched my bare chest, and my fingers glided along the cords of muscle in his arms. Every part of me wanted him. Sexually, emotionally. He not only staked his claim on my body but on my very soul.
I wasn’t sure if I believed in the idea of souls, but if I did, mine would belong to him.
I shut my eyes, concentrating on the way his heart thumped against mine and each breath he took. I was happy. Not content, and not just making it through the day…but truly happy. All because of him.
I must’ve dozed off because when I opened my eyes, the light streaming through the bedroom window was fainter than it had been.
Cody wasn’t in bed with me.
Groggy, I sat up and squinted around the room. Everything was blurry, and it took me several moments to realize why. I wasn’t wearing my glasses. I’d had them on before I fell asleep. My heart fluttered when it occurred to me Cody had taken them off for me. I felt around the bedside table for them and put them on. Much better.
My body ached from the exertion of muscles I hadn’t used in a while, but I also felt less tense than before. I stood and recovered my briefs and pants from the floor before putting them on and leaving the room.
Noise came from the kitchen, pots or pans being moved around and the rustle of something being opened. Coffee was brewing, sending a delicious aroma down the hall. Before I rounded the corner, I heard a sizzling followed by a soft humming.
Cody stood in front of the stove, cooking bacon in a cast-iron skillet. He was wearing boxers and one of my T-shirts instead of his own. Seeing him in my clothes made my body stir, even though I was more than sated.
“Breakfast for lunch?” I asked, coming up behind him.
“More like dinner.” Cody tilted his head against mine as I kissed his shoulder. “You were asleep all day.”
“I apologize.”
“Don’t be sorry.” He flipped the bacon and set the spatula down before facing me. His messy dark hair made him appear even younger, another reminder of our differences. “You needed it. When I tried to wake you up, you didn’t even budge. I take it you spent all night in your study?”
“Possibly.”
“Uh huh.” His eyes narrowed.
“Since I slept the day away,” I said as I slid my arms around him, “will you stay the night with me?”
“Hell yeah.” Cody beamed. After kissing me lightly on the lips, he turned back around to remove the bacon from the skillet. “Have you graded our tests yet?”
“Yes.”
I had been pleasantly surprised at his exam. Cody had done a lot better than he thought—a seventy-five percent. It was still passing.
“What did I make?” he asked.
I laughed and grabbed two mugs from the cabinet. “Now, Mr. Miller. Just because you’ve burrowed your way into my heart doesn’t mean I’m going to give you special treatment.”
“Have I really?”
