He huffed out a humorless laugh. “Because I do, but I can’t.”
“We’re back on Cliff again, I see.” I had my answer. It wasn’t the one I wanted, but hell, that was life. “Let’s just get some sleep.” I crawled into the bed and made myself comfortable.
Aaron stood without moving and watched me settle in.
“Problem?”
He shook his head. “Let’s just get this over with.”
“Exactly what a girl wants to hear.”
“You know what I mean.” Showing zero modesty, he shoved his shorts to the floor and kicked them aside, then pulled his shirt over his head. When he was down to his boxers, he turned to crawl into bed beside me.
Ugh, what had I done to deserve this?
His thighs were thick where his shorts had been covering them, his sun tan ending a few inches below his boxer shorts. I’d seen his chest and arms when we’d been swimming, even been wrapped in them, but the sight still stole my breath.
This was going to be a long night.
“Don’t look at me like that,” he whined before dropping onto his back on top of the blankets.
“Like what?”
“Like if it weren’t for your stupid brother I’d be getting laid tonight.” He punched the pillow under his head then settled in.
“I mean, where’s the lie?”
He groaned, and it really did not help the heat between my thighs.
“Look, let’s just go to sleep. You’ve made it clear you don’t want to do anything, in case Cliff gets upset, and that’s fine. I won’t look at you like you’re a chocolate cake. It would help if you covered up all this…” I gestured vaguely toward the broad expanse of naked skin.
“Too hot to sleep with a shirt and blankets.”
I huffed out a breath and rolled so my back was facing him. I pulled the blanket to my chin, despite it being muggy and warm in the cabin.
See.
Easy.
All I had to do was ignore the heat coming off his body, the sound of his breathing, the smell of sunscreen and pine on his skin, the fact that he was so fucking sexy it hurt, and that I hadn’t gotten laid in way too long and I was good to go.
The gentle swish of four little paws landing on the quilt sounded.
Good. Kyle can cock-block for us.
He made his way carefully up the bed, being sure to step on my boob as he moved to the top.
Kyle butted his head against my temple and the soothing sound of his purring filled my ear. He wrapped himself around my head like he always did, and that little piece of familiarity in a situation that was anything but had me nodding off to sleep.
* * *
The dark of the cabin had given way to early daylight when I woke up needing to pee. Aaron was sleeping soundly beside me, having not moved a muscle.
Kyle was down at the foot of the bed, but jumped to the floor and tripped me in the dark as I made my way to the bathroom.
Once I’d done my business, I moved quickly back to bed. The cabin was cooler now, and the wood on my bare feet had me shivering. I slid back under the blankets and pulled them to my chin, rolling so my back was to Aaron again. A moment later, he shifted and his heavy arm wrap around my waist.
I glanced over my shoulder. He was still asleep.
