I checked the time, surprised to see we’d been chatting for over an hour. Christ, where did that time go? I hadn’t sat and just talked like that to anyone other than Christian for a long while. For someone so young, Jasper was surprisingly easy to talk to. I enjoyed his company far more than I’d expected to. I saw a big fat “I told you so” in my future if I ever let on to Cole.
Which I never would, obviously.
When Jasper yawned again, looking adorably sleepy cuddled into my sofa, I decided it was time to call it a night. I needed the clarity of a clear head to remind myself why he was off-limits. I stood and stretched my arms above my head, grunting at the satisfying crack my back made.
“I’m going to head to bed. Got an earlyish tee time tomorrow.” My T-shirt had ridden up, exposing my stomach and I caught Jasper staring at it before he glanced away quickly.
Even as I reminded myself I had no interest in him like that, I couldn’t deny that sort of attention was nice, flattering. My bruised ego would take every bit of that it could get these days.
“Night,” I said, offering him a smile. “I’ll see you tomorrow at some point.”
“Yeah, night.”
Angus appeared and dutifully followed me up the stairs, jumping onto the bed and settling down with his eyes closed in seconds. Christ, I wish I could fall asleep that easily. I left my door open a crack in case he needed to use his litter tray in the night, pausing when I heard Jasper coming up the stairs.
When the door to his room closed, I shook myself, trying to dispel the weird feeling that had settled in my belly. Having someone else here was bound to take some getting used to after living on my own.
It had nothing to do with a hot guy getting undressed just down the hall from me.
Nota hot guy, I reminded myself.
Cole’s best mate.
I played that on repeat until I fell asleep.
Hopefully it’d sink in by the time I woke up.
My alarm wentoff at 8.00am and I snoozed it with a groan. Golf was something I loved, as well as helping me do my job, but getting up early at the weekend would always suck.
Clearly Angus thought so too if the glare he sent me was anything to go by.
Especially in winter when it was cold.
The heating kicked in at 6.30 but it was no match for the warmth of my bed. As much as I’d like to stay asleep, I was picking Christian up on the way to the course, so I shoved the covers off, got up, and headed to the en suite for a shower.
At least I wouldn’t disturb Jasper.
“Arse.” I groaned at the sight of the empty towel rail. I knew there was something I was supposed to do yesterday. All the towels were in the airing cupboard on the landing.
Being as quiet as possible, I crept out of my room on silent feet to retrieve some towels. The airing cupboard door was a little stiff, but I got it open fairly quietly.
Towels in hand, I turned and ran smack bang into a yawning Jasper.
“Fuck, sorry,” he muttered, blinking sleepy eyes at me and stepping back.
I slept in my underwear, and so apparently did he. And I’d just felt his morning wood up close and personal. Without my permission, my gaze dropped to his chest, which was hairier than I’d expected. A dark happy trail disappeared into his boxer-briefs and, Jesus, it was sexy as fuck.
He cleared his throat and to my utter mortification, I realised I’d been caught.
Ignoring the heat suffusing my cheeks, I met his not so sleepy gaze. “No, it was my fault, I didn’t expect you to be up.”
“Needed the loo,” he said, not bothering to hide his checking me out, which I guessed was only fair since I’d just done the same to him. His open perusal sent a shiver down my spine. My pulse sped up when he licked his lips.
“Yeah, of course.” I gestured in the direction of my bedroom. “I need to hop in the shower.”
Glancing down at my crotch, he smirked. “Have fun.”
God, kill me now. I didn’t need to look down to know that my cock was fattening up nicely, all of which was on display in my snug underwear.
