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Chapter 35
Anver
Iwas nervous about inviting Nari and Wraythe back to my place. Not because it was small, since they both knew how little space most guardians were given. It was partly because Tishlie lived right across the hall. Then there was the big problem: I only had one bed. It wasn't a large bed. It wasn't the kind of place where I could be a gentleman and sleep on the couch. Them spending the night meant we'd all be sharing.
Nari was fine with that. She'd slipped out an outfit in the middle of the day. That had been passed to me to store in my room so she'd have clothes for the next day. Wraythe went a step further, getting his clothes, their toiletries, and anything Nari might need. It should've been fine. Everything was handled.
It was also my first overnight "date."
When we finally made our way back to my room later that night - after sitting on the balcony and talking for hours - it was easy. Nari started yawning. Wraythe tossed her what she needed and she changed without shame. Once she'd crawled into the middle of the bed, he did the same, opting to sleep in just his underwear. Once they were comfortable, I locked the door, turned off the lights, and followed suit.
But before it was dark I may have looked Wraythe over, because he was a very impressive man. I definitely let my eyes run across Nari. They were both attractive, but in such very different ways, and yet neither of them got me going. I could see their beauty as an aesthetic, not something to be aroused by. However, when I scooted into the bed and Nari snuggled up against me, I finally realized what Wraythe had been talking about.
Holding her against my chest as she fell asleep felt amazing. Protective, comforting, and sensual in a way that I liked. I'd almost drifted to sleep when Wraythe shifted as subtly as he could, and then his arm draped over Nari's ribs to land on my waist. There was no petting or caressing. He just rested his hand on my body and it felt good.
Yeah, I fell asleep with a smile on my face and a woman in my arms.
I woke up the next morning to the metallic clank of my alarm. When Nari sucked in a breath, I scrambled to shut it off. I made it - at least to not disturb her. Wraythe, however, was looking at me. His dark green eyes should've been blurry from sleep, but they weren't. The man was truly made for his Path. He'd woken up like a warrior.
"It's set for grappling," I whispered.
"You going?" Wraythe asked. "Leave me your key and I can lock up." Then he pulled Nari up against his chest. "Or crawl back in here and skip a class for once."
That was all it took to convince me. I reset the alarm, making a mental note to change it later, and climbed back into bed. Nari murmured when I lifted the covers, the cooler air making her stir. But when I slid up against her body, she simply pressed back into me, trying to steal my warmth.
She'd turned to face Wraythe, though, so I took the chance to curl up against her back. My arm went around her, yet he was on the other side. For a moment, I shifted and moved it, trying to find a non-invasive way to hold a woman who was being held by another man. There wasn't one.
Wraythe just grabbed my wrist, pulled my arm across his side, then draped his along my body so his hand rested on my shoulder joint. It was as if we were hugging each other, separated only by Nari's body. So easy. So casual. It wasn't what I'd expected from a man with no interest in other men, but this was Wraythe.
"It's impossible to cram bodies into a bed and not touch," he said, his voice a soft mumble. "Stop worrying, Anver. You're allowed to touch me."
"I just didn't want to be weird," I reminded him.
"Not weird," he promised. "You've watched me jack off how many times? I think we left weird back in seventh year."
And with that, I closed my eyes for two more hours of sleep. I was pretty sure I slid my hands all over Wraythe in the process, because my dreams were pretty good. I knew I'd done a little caressing of Nari, but when I woke up, the lips against my chest hadn't been entirely my imagination. She was kissing the line of my collarbone - and her eyes were open.
"Tease," I whispered before looking to check the alarm.
It had been turned off, the little lever between the two bells pushed all the way down. In the corner of the room, Wraythe was mostly dressed, stepping into my bathroom because of the toothbrush in his mouth. That meant there was no point in rushing, because my place didn't have enough space for all of us to run around.
Nari just pressed her brow against the middle of my chest. "I like this," she murmured.
"You're also not all the way awake," I reminded her.
"Awake enough," she promised. "I used to curl up like this with you when we studied. I like this part. Knowing I can just be held without wondering if I'm giving the wrong impression."
"Well, when those guys get on your nerves, you can always share my bed," I promised. "On the downside, you have to let me go if you want tea before your class."
Her hands immediately lifted from my body. "Yes, please."
"Point me where," Wraythe said as he came out of the bathroom pulling on his shirt. "I'll get that going, then we can let Nari get up and get dressed."
"This has to be easier with more space," I joked, waiting for him to pass at the foot of the bed before heading in to do my business.
As soon as I finished, Nari hopped up and took over the bathroom. Wraythe had two cups of tea made and was working on a third. I needed to get shoes on so I could walk Nari to her class. While there, I'd talk to Roek. Skipping grappling had been a one-time deal, and I hoped he'd understand. Zeal needed me to be the best guardian, and that meant training as hard as I could.
Wait.
