“You know I don’t know how to use a washer!”
“Noah.” I blink up at him.
“Uh . . . yes, sweetie.”
“Get the fuck out.”
“Fine, but bring those blankets with you. I may need to bleach them after what they’ve seen last night.” Noah leans in, kissing my forehead, and I can’t help but smile. Then he whispers in my ear. “You go bestie.”
The door thankfully closes, leaving us in silence, and I roll over, seeing Cam’s head stuffed under his pillow. “Are they gone?” Instead of answering him I smooth my palm over the wide expanse of his back. His skin is warm, and I can’t help leaning in and kissing his bicep, dragging in the sweet, sleepy scent of him. Slowly he pulls his head out of the cocoon he’s built. The erratic set of his curls makes me smile. There’s some drool pooling across his cheek, which he quickly wipes away. “Bobo.” He beams.
My chest ignites. “I love making you smile.”
He pulls me against his warm body, kissing the top of my head. “You’re the reason I smile.” He kisses me again, this time on my cheek, before cupping my jaw and running his thumb along it. “We should go downstairs. I’m starving.”
I’m sure he is. Cam pushed the limits of his stamina today, and my body is happily sore as a result of it.
“Noah’s going to tease us. He doesn’t have inside thoughts, he just jumps over boundaries like he’s running high jump in track.”
I laugh. “He’s harmless, and if he makes you uncomfortable, just tell him. He’ll stop. He just likes to play around.” A slow smile spreads across my face. “I kind of like it. I think I kind of love him.”
“Well, as long as it’s platonic, that’s fine.” Cam nods. “It took me nearly twenty years to get my head out of my ass. I won’t give you up now.”
I hug him tight. I know we should go downstairs, but I love this. I love this feeling. “I don’t want to move. You’re warm and you smell so good.”
Cam holds my face in his hands, leaning down to kiss me, and the warm hum of his kiss is felt in every molecule I have. It wakes me up and holds me still. “This is how it will be every day. I mean it. I’m not going anywhere, Bo. I always find my way back to you.
This is my dream, but still there’s something I need to ask. “Do you want to find another apartment? Closer to your job?”
Cam looks at me a moment, something flashing behind his golden eyes. “Bowen, I’ve waited all this time to be with you. I’ll be sleeping in your bed every single night. Naked. Some nights buried deep inside you. I told you I’m clingy as fuck. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. My love language is hugs and kisses and the opposite of whatever personal space is.”
I laugh. “I just mean it’s small, even for two people. I think we need a bigger place, so we’re not tripping over each other.”
“I would love to trip over you.” He kisses my neck.
While this all sounds amazing, I place a hand on his chest, pushing him back slightly. “Don’t break my heart, Cam. Please. No more flings. No more dating.”
Shaking his head, Cam leans in and kisses me hard. “There’s only one person for me. And maybe everyone else I dated could sense that my heart was somewhere else. There’s only ever been one person, Bo, and it’s you.”
Voices erupt the second we step off the stairs and into the living room. Everyone is sitting on the couch in various types of Christmas pajamas. The room is dim, but the Christmas lights on the tree are glowing brightly and a fire is roaring in the fireplace.
“Look at them! They’re glowing.” Noah swoons.
“Let them breathe.” Jamie tugs Noah onto his lap, arms instantly going around his waist. Jamie’s wearing a large ugly Christmas sweater and boxers. Mark and Hunter are wearing Christmas pajamas bottoms, but while Hunter is shirtless, Mark is wearing a white T-shirt. Bri’s wearing another one of her creations—I assume—of Christmas-light pajamas that actually light up. Xavi has a matching pair. And Noah is . . . well, Noah’s wearing a pair of red Santa-themed shorts and a white crop top that saysI put out for Santa. “Sorry about waking you guys. We were thinking of opening presents tonight because Bri has to be back early tomorrow for a client.”
“This close to Christmas?”
“They’re hosting a party and want me to do their makeup for them and their guests. It’s too much money to pass up. Sorry, guys.”
“No worries.” I look at Cam’s present under the tree. I’m excited even more now to give it to him.
“Yeah, that’s fine with us.”
“So . . .” Noah grins.
“Noah, come on.”
“What? Please, we all heard them.” Noah turns to us. “I don’t even know how Bo is walking after all those noises that echoed around the house.” My face burns.
