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A lot of thoughts bounced through Jeremy’s mind as he used the bathroom, washed his face, and brushed his teeth, but he was too tired to process most of them. Front and center was that memory of Reg combing his fingers through Jeremy’s hair. Deciding he wanted to relive the experience, Jeremy ducked his head under the sink and rinsed all the product out.
He toweled off his hair and then walked out of the bathroom. “It’s all yours,” he called to Reg, who was digging through his bag.
“Thanks.” Reg grinned as he hurried into the bathroom. “I won’t be long.”
True to his word, Reg was out of the shower by the time Jeremy had his hair brushed and was dressed in his sleep shorts and long-sleeved T-shirt.
“As tired as you were, I thought you’d be asleep already,” Reg said as he walked into the room wearing cutoff sweats and a T-shirt that would have been baggy on anyone else but practically clung to Reg’s wide chest.
The shirt sleeves were cut off, and the sides were open to midwaist, so Jeremy could see his whole tattoo. He wondered if Reg would ever consider going shirtless so he could look at it more carefully. Knowing how open Reg was to anything and everything, Jeremy thought he probably would. But he’d wait to raise it. Asking the man to share his bed was probably pushing things enough for one night.
“I just got into bed,” Jeremy said. “You take the fastest showers known to man.”
“It doesn’t take long if all I’m doing is getting clean.” Reg climbed onto the right side of the bed and slid under the comforter. “So are you always on the left side, or do you switch around?”
“Oh, uh, I don’t think about it.” Jeremy shrugged. “Switch around, I guess.” When Reg scooted toward the center of the bed, Jeremy started wondering if discussing which side of the bed to sleep on was expected in these situations and he had been rude by making the decision on his own. “Do you want me to move?”
“Nuh-uh.” Reg rolled onto his side in the center of the bed. “I’m good here. I usually take the side closest to the bathroom because of how much water I drink.”
Chuckling, Jeremy said, “You really do. Never met anybody who takes hydration more seriously.”
“Hey, if having your thirst quenched is wrong, I don’t want to be right,” Reg said while waggling his eyebrows. “Okay, superstar, how do you want to do this?”
“What do you mean?”
“You want to back up, and I can hold you from behind?” He opened his arms wide. “Or do you want me on my back, and you can rest on my chest?” He patted his chest.
“Uh.” Jeremy darted his gaze from Reg’s body to his face. “I’ve never done either of those.”
“No?”
Shaking his head, Jeremy said, “Uh-uh. You’ve seen the women I dated. They’re small. It wasn’t like I could climb on top of them.” Jeremy’s cheeks heated. “That came out wrong. I already told you about the sex, and after that there was some cuddling, but sleeping on them would have squished them, which would have been bad, and most people don’t like being touched when they’re sleeping. But sharing the bed is good enough. It’s still warmer than sleeping alone, and sometimes I can reach out and—”
“You’re rambling.” Reg reached out, curled his hand over Jeremy’s back, and pulled him close. “Which is cute, but it’s time for you to go to sleep.” He held Jeremy against him, chest to chest, tipped onto his back, and took Jeremy with him. “I’m not easily squished.” He wrapped one arm around Jeremy’s neck and the other over his waist, holding him tightly, so they were connected from thigh to head. “Is this good?” he asked. “Or is it too much?”
“It’s good,” Jeremy rasped, amazed at how true that was. He felt enveloped in Reg’s strength and warmth. Cuddling closer, he shoved his leg between Reg’s thick thighs, used his muscular chest as a pillow, and sighed contentedly. “You’re sure you don’t mind?”
“I’m sure.” Reg kissed the top of his head. “You feel perfect.”
“Not perfect.” Jeremy shook his head. “I’m needy.”
“No, you’re not.” Reg massaged the back of Jeremy’s head and softly rubbed his lower back.
“I made you get in bed with me.”
“You didn’t make me do anything. I volunteered because I wanted to do it.”
“Only because you’re the nicest guy ever.” Jeremy wiggled a little, trying to burrow closer to the hot, hard body beneath him. “Nobody else would put up with this.” He let out a deep breath and mumbled, “You’re the perfect one,” as he closed his eyes and finally fell asleep.
JEREMY COULDN’T remember ever having felt warmer, inside and out, than he had the past few nights. Though his travel schedule had been rough and there’d been various hiccups with the venues and he had been forced to smile pretty for too many cameras, he felt happy and at peace deep down. Based on his history, Jeremy knew that at any other time in his life, he would have been yelling and throwing things and probably starting to come down with some ailment. He also knew the change was due to Reg.
