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But they hadn’t seen each other in six years. People changed. Things should have been awkward and uncomfortable last night.
It hadn’t been. Not for a second.
He refused to look any deeper into it. They’d had sex. That was it. Nothing more. Exactly as he’d told Charlie multiple times last night.
Just. Sex.
As his feet hit the cold wood floor, strong fingers wrapped his wrist, trapping him next to the bed. Will whipped his head around to see dark, bleary eyes blinking him into focus. His hair was mussed and his beard was a little scruffy from sleep, but Charlie still managed to appear ridiculously sexy and it wasn’t fair. Will had no doubt that his hair was standing up in every direction, and he probably had red creases on his face from where he’d slept on blankets or Charlie. He was pretty sure he never woke up as sexy as Charlie.
“Where are you going?” Charlie demanded in a rough voice, which, of course, was also sexy.
“To piss and shower,” Will answered, clinging to his grumpiness, because if he didn’t, he’d be crawling into bed again.
Charlie grunted and tugged on his arm, pulling him closer. “Later. Come back to bed. It’s early.”
Will jerked his arm, but Charlie didn’t release him. “No, I have work. I can’t lie in bed with you all day.”
Charlie narrowed his eyes and the hand holding his wrist tightened a tiny bit. “What work?”
“It’s Thursday, right? I’ve got a hospice patient I need to check on today. The visit usually takes an hour.”
“The clinic?”
“Still closed. Will be for at least a week. By then, my replacement is expected in town. I just have to keep up with a handful of hospice and at-home visits. Nothing major.” Charlie continued to stare at him, his fingers not loosening their hold. Will sighed and reassured him, “I’m not leaving, I promise. A shower. That’s it.”
“Do you need anything from your house for your hospice visit?” Charlie’s fingers relaxed but didn’t release him. Instead, his thumb caressed the inside of Will’s arm in a slow sweeping motion, making it hard to think.
“I-I need my bag, but if it’s too dangerous, I can make do without it.”
Charlie grunted and released his arm. “All of us will accompany you to your place, watch your back, and help you pack. I’ll also go with you to your appointment.”
Will opened his mouth to argue but shut it without saying a word. There was zero point in saying anything. Half-asleep or not, Charlie had made up his mind as to what was going to happen next. And in truth, Will didn’t want to return to his house alone. If they’d been waiting for him at night, what was to stop them from trying during the light of day? Not a damn thing.
He showered quickly and pulled on the same clothes he’d worn the previous day. When he left the bathroom, he found Charlie leaning against the wall, waiting for his turn with the shower. The man moved toward him as if he meant to kiss him and Will darted away, banging his shoulder on the opposite wall. Charlie smirked at his obvious skittishness and sniffed the air.
“You smell good,” Charlie murmured, continuing on to the bathroom, shutting the door behind him with a soft snick.
Will stood in the hall for a second, his cheeks burning. He’d showered with Charlie’s shampoo and body wash. The house had one bathroom and one half bath. All the guys kept their shower supplies in the full bath and he’d chosen Charlie’s yet again, as if he wanted to smell like him. As if he belonged to him.
Shoving the thought aside, Will continued to the first floor, where Kairo and Westin were sipping coffee in the kitchen while staring at their phones. Will mentally prepared himself for grins and teasing comments, but there was nothing.
“After we pour some more coffee into Charlie and dump Ed in the shower, we can run to your place,” Kairo announced as Will took his first blessed sip.
The scent of liquid heaven did as much for his brain as the caffeine. A steady supply of coffee had gotten him through med school and his residency. Now he needed it to be human in the mornings.
“Ed still in bed?” Will inquired.
Kairo shook his head. “Morning run. He should be here any minute.”
As if summoned by his name alone, the front door opened. Will leaned forward and peered down the hall to see Ed enter the house, shiny with sweat. He smiled broadly at Will and opened his mouth to say something while Will tensed, his body bracing. But before the words left his tongue, Ed’s eyes widened and brow furrowed. Will looked over his shoulder to see Kairo nearly jump into his cup of coffee, his phone once again intently critical.
