Page 94 of The Last Guy On Earth
Thatsoundspromising, but the look on his face is all business. “You don’t text me anymore,” I blurt out. “Not like you used to.”
He deposits me on the bed, then pulls my socks and shoes off one at a time. “You wanted space, and a good professional relationship. So I’m giving you space. The professional part is a work in progress, seeing as I enjoy watching you lift weights in the gym. But I guess nobody’s perfect.”
“Oh.” I make a mental note to use the gym at work more often.
He pulls off my sweatpants. “Where do you keep your medicine?”
“Kitchen drawer,” I mumble, pulling the comforter up. I’m cold from lying around on the playground like a dummy.
“Stay put,” he says.
I don’t, though. I stagger to the bathroom and pee, then brush my teeth. When I return to the bed, he’s fetched me a glass of water and two pills, which I swallow carefully. My stomach still hates me a little.
Jethro leaves the room again without saying goodbye. I hear him bumping around downstairs, probably checking the lock on my back door and turning out the lights.
Come back, my heart whines.
Surprisingly, he does. Five minutes later he kicks off his shoes and sits down on the bed beside me. He leans back against my upholstered headboard and catches his knees in his hands. “How worried should I be about you right now?”
“I’m not going to barf.”
“That’s not what I mean,” he says quietly. Then he reaches down and runs his fingers through my hair. “Not like I’m one to talk, but you’re kind of a mess, Clayzy. You seem really down at a moment when another guy would be on top of the world.”
His hand in my hair feels so good that I almost forget to answer. “I’ll be okay. I always am.”
He peers down at me before flattening himself on his belly, still watching me like I’m a puzzle he can’t quite solve. Then—and maybe I’ve actually begun to hallucinate—he kisses me. It’s a real kiss, too. Slow. With soft lips that make me shiver.
I arch up off the bed and let him know how much I need more of that.
Miraculously, he tilts his head and kisses me again. And again. But each one is a little softer and a little briefer than the one before.
Then he stops, leaving me panting and hungry for his mouth. “Are we going to fool around now?” I ask as my body yellsmore more more.
He shakes his head.
“Then what was that for?” I demand. “Just…torture?”
He runs his fingers through my hair again and cups my face. “We can’t fool around.”
“Sure we can. You’re not taking advantage of me.”
“No kidding. Even drunk you’re better at making decisions than most people. And I’m not trying to be patronizing. But you told me we weren’t doing this, and I’m following instructions. I don’t want to be another regret of yours, okay? That’s not fair to me.”
Shame burns my neck. “You’re right. I’m sorry. But you started it.”
“I wasn’t trying to start anything.” He gives me a soft kiss on the chin. “But you’re in kind of a dark place. I need you to know that I care about you. Don’t forget that.”
“Yeah, I won’t. And neither will my dick.”
He smirks. “I’m counting on it. And if we ever go to bed again, it will be when both of us are all in.”
“Parts of me are all in right now. I must not be very drunk.”
“Sure you’re not,” he says with another smirk. Then he flops onto his back beside me. “Now go to sleep, Clay.”
“Are you staying?” I ask greedily.
“For a minute,” he says. “Close your eyes.”
