I grind my teeth, my cock swelling in my boxer briefs when Arkin grinds against me. He smells good too, like lazy Sunday mornings in bed and faint woodsy cologne.
Arkin notices my erection and shifts his weight until his cock rubs up against mine through our briefs. When the knife nicks me, I grow light-headed because of how hard my heart beats. This shouldn’t be as arousing as it is. But when he rolls his hips again, an involuntary grunt escapes me, and he stiffens, growing as still and silent as the night. Seconds pass—heavy, suffocating seconds. Arkin barely breathes, and the knife begins to tremble. Finally, he rolls off me.
For a moment, I focus on the ceiling as I will my cock to calm the fuck down. What just happened? What the hell was that about? I glance at Arkin, but he faces the wall. Should I say something? But what?
With a tight chest, I leave his bed and return to mine. After fluffing my pillow, I try to get comfortable, but my thoughts are racing, and my heart still hasn’t calmed the fuck down after that encounter.
Is this what it’s going to be like? Walking on eggshells around him? Worried that he might pull a knife on me? Still, I can’t deny the adrenaline rush or how strongly my body reacts to him.
I try to listen for Arkin, but his breathing is too silent. Rolling over, I peer at him through the darkness. Is he asleep already? An odd tug urges me back, but I stay where I am, safe on my sideof the room. He’s still facing the wall, but I think he’s awake and aware of me.
Minutes extend into hours. I don’t know when it happens, but I eventually drift into a restless sleep.
CHAPTER THREE
Liam Neeson pulls his weapon on the TV, eyes cold and steady. When we knocked on Harrison’s and Ryan’s door earlier, they were already ten minutes into Taken.
Amy snuggles closer to me on the couch, and I fight the urge to shrug her off, but she’s like a damn koala bear.
Ever sincethatnight last week, I haven’t felt right. Meals at home are awkward, to say the least. Arkin eats without looking at anyone while I keep stealing glances like a pubescent teenage girl with a crush, which is unsettling as hell.
Our takeaway arrives, and Ryan gets up to answer the door. Minutes later, he returns with stacked pizza boxes, sets them down on the coffee table, and hauls his jeans back up.
The guy needs a belt.
“I’ll grab the beer.”
While he disappears into the kitchen, I use the takeaway as an excuse to disentangle myself. The food smells fantastic, though, and my mouth waters as I open the lids.
“Chicken?” Harrison asks as he reluctantly drags his attention away from the TV. He tries to reach for a slice, but Amy slaps his hand.
“Ladies first.”
Pouting, he glares at me. “Did you have to bring your girl to movie night?”
I almost scoff. Let’s be honest—Amy has a way of inviting herself. I didn’t have a choice. If it were up to me, she wouldn’t be here.
Before I can say anything, Ryan returns with the beers, and we dig into the food. The pizzas are red hot, the cheese threatening to slide off. I catch a piece with my mouth just before it drops.
As I try to focus on the movie, my attention keeps sliding to my phone on the armrest. Mum programmed Arkin’s new number earlier today in case I need to text him about anything.
Apparently, we need to have a way of communicating now that he’s staying with us.
The background music grows more intense as Liam Neeson performs some pretty impressive stunt that makes my enraptured friends lean closer to the TV. I glance at my phone again, jiggling my knee.
Snuggled into my side, Amy rests her head on my shoulder with a content sigh, but I’m barely aware of her as I give in to the urge to pick up my phone.
Swiping the screen, I bring up his number, struck by the intense desire to shrug free of Amy.
What would I even say to Arkin? Would he respond?
These thoughts have my heart thudding harder. No, I won’t message him. I put the phone down.
That done, I focus on the movie again but struggle to concentrate.
When my phone vibrates with an incoming text message, I swipe it up with lightning speed and unlock the screen.
There’s a new message.
