7. Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven

Myles

M y manuscript was mocking me.

At least, that was how I felt as the white screen glared back at me. I was at the midpoint of the book, which was always the bit that dragged, and my characters weren't speaking. Which meant I wouldn't get any more work done tonight.

I glanced out the window. Fuck, it was already dark? What time was it?

I'd sat down at my computer in the late afternoon, had taken a nap, then continued to write again, but time had gotten away from me.

Midnight. It was fucking midnight.

Okay, time had run screaming from me like I was an ax murderer, apparently.

Avery had left earlier, decked out for the club in black leather pants and a tight, shiny silver tee. I couldn't think about that anymore, or I'd lose my mind. He probably wouldn't be back for another few hours, after finding someone hot to dance with at the club. Someone who wasn't me.

Cold water splashed on the heat percolating through me. A few moments I'd caught his gaze lingering, but he was the curious sort. He was clearly just trying to figure me out. Nothing in the realm of my daydreams, where he would corner me in the hallway, kiss the fuck out of me, and we'd tumble into bed together.

I stretched out of my perma-crouch from being hunched over the computer that long. A shower would be the best thing to scour the gross from me. My hand reached the doorknob, and I stopped. I was just wearing boxer briefs, since I'd sprung from a nap to writing, not even bothering with my packer. Striding around my house naked was a thing of the past with a roommate…but Avery wasn't home, so a little jaunt wouldn't be a big deal.

Just a quick sneak to the bathroom to shower. Clothes were annoying anyway.

The floorboards creaked under my feet, and I walked right into the bathroom.

The occupied bathroom.

Avery stood under the spray, clear as day through the glass door of the shower stall. His head was tilted back, light brown hair darkened from the water as he basked in the rush of water. His eyes were closed, his lips slightly parted. The water slid down his body, gliding along the slope of his neck between the curve of his tits. One hand wrapped against his cock as he stroked, the reddened tip peeking out from his grip with each swipe.

Lust scorched through me fast and furious, followed by an icy splash. I stood gawking at him like a total fucking creep while he jacked off. He was going to be furious if he found out. Violated.

I needed to get out. Now.

Silently.

I took a step back and accidentally bumped into the door. It clicked shut behind me, and anxiety rushed through in a fierce sweep.

Avery whipped his head up, his gaze settling on me through the glass door. Those blue eyes were drawn together in concentration, the look fierce, and he didn't stop shuttling his hand up and down his cock. All while maintaining eye contact with me.

He winked, so fast I almost missed it, and my mind dizzied with lust. Sure, I could bolt out as fast as my legs could carry me, but his wink gave me the green light.

I squeezed my legs together as my T-dick grew sensitized. Still, I resisted the urge to reach down and rub it. Avery closed his eyes as the water poured over his sexy-as-fuck body. His olive skin glistened in the bathroom light, and his dark nipples were mouthwatering. I wanted to worship them with my mouth and then drop to my knees to suck him off.

Those lashes grew even darker from the water pouring over his face, and his mouth was open, those lush lips pure decadence. I swallowed hard. He quickened his pace as he jerked off, his grip tight. The peeks I got of his cock tantalized me, a thick length I'd love to ride until I came. Goddamn, this person was the hottest I'd ever seen in my life.

And somehow, he was jacking off in front of me.

Ngh.

His mouth dropped open even wider, and his whole body tightened as his cum splattered on the tiles below. The look of bliss on his features, the pure ecstasy heated my blood to boiling.

My cheeks flushed, and before he could look up and we had to broach what had just happened, I slipped through the door.

My nipples pebbled from the chill in the hall, and I reached between my legs and pressed hard against my T-dick. Holy fuck. What had happened there? Sure, Avery was flirty and sexy and more comfortable with hooking up than me, but I'd never expected all that hotness turned in my direction.

My whole body grew hot as I padded back to my room. I needed to put on some clothes. Maybe bake a cake? Was there a cake for "sorry I watched you jizz in my shower, but I think we both kind of liked it?" I probably didn't have the time to bake a cake. I tugged a pair of gym shorts on and a tank top. Even though I wanted to rub one out, that wasn't an option. It'd be way too obvious what I was getting off over.

As I went downstairs, my head swirled like I was drunk, too many thoughts and emotions whirling together. My steps echoed through the house as I thumped my way to the kitchen. Avery was hotter than I could ever have imagined—and I'd imagined a hell of a lot.

How were we supposed to live with each other now? My fantasies would multiply and get filthier, which would be a major problem.

I put on the electric kettle. It might be too late for coffee, but a cup of tea might calm my nerves or clear my head. Most likely it'd burn my tongue, but that was fine too.

My heart still raced, and I couldn't silence the thump-thump-thump , even though the rest of the downstairs ached with quiet. We could survive this as roommates. Avery was comfortable here. That was all. Cozy and comfortable.

I licked my lips. Fuck, I wanted him to get way more comfortable with me. Like that thick cock up my ass comfortable.

The kettle spurted steam and clicked as it finished. I poured the boiling water into a mug and plunked a bag of Earl Grey in.

The stairs creaked from heavy steps, and my shoulders tightened. I should've run out of the bathroom the second I'd walked in. I'd messed everything up or misinterpreted the cues or something heinous that would require me to change my name and go undercover with my new identity.

"Do you have enough water for a second cup?" Avery asked.

I jumped, almost dropping my mug. "When did you get down the steps?"

He pulled a mug from the cabinet, one with Harmony Point, his acupuncture practice, on it. His wet hair was slicked back, and his tee was plastered to his chest. A pair of fuck me booty shorts highlighted what a peach-perfect ass he had.

"Sorry about up there." Avery grabbed the kettle and poured water into his mug. "I was so close, and I really wanted to finish, but I should've waited until you left."

My heart thumped hard. "So you didn't want me in there?" Fuck, I knew I had imagined his wink. Clearly, I'd misread that, and Avery would flee Boston entirely and be eternally pissed with me.

"I mean, a hot guy watching me shower? I'm not sad at all," Avery said with an impish grin. "But only if it's reciprocated. I hate thinking I made you feel uncomfortable."

"Reciprocated like you want to watch me shower?" My mind was stuck on the words hot guy . Holy shit, he thought I was attractive? Me? He could have freaking anyone on the planet with a crook of his finger, and yet…

Heat slowly rolled through me.

"Only if you're offering," Avery said, waggling his brows. My cheeks would be permanently flushed at this point.

"Oh god." I scrubbed my face as if that could make my blush vanish. "I am far too single and lonely for you to be saying that kind of stuff to me. You're…you."

"And that is…?" The sensual note to his words had me close to panting.

"Stop fishing for compliments," I shot back, trying to scrape my dignity off the floor. "You know you're gorgeous."

"Okay, let's start fresh." Avery extended his palm. "You watched me jerk off in the shower, and I liked it, and that's completely fine. We're adults, and if we're both feeling all right about what happened…?"

"Yeah, I'm all good, but isn't that the hand you jerked off with? I'm not going to shake it now," I said, crossing my arms.

Avery rolled his eyes, but the smirk tugging at his lips eased some of my nerves.

"Why are you home from the club so early anyway?" I grabbed my mug of tea and walked into the other room. The couch was comfy, and it was late.

Avery settled beside me. Even with the respectable distance he kept, I was acutely aware of his body. "I got a decent amount of dancing in, and I planned on hooking up, but no one jumped out tonight."

Yet he'd let me stay and watch him in the shower. My heart thumped hard, and I had to fight the urge to dissect what that could mean into microsized bits.

"Better question is, what were you doing up?" Avery asked. "I mean, I know you keep odd hours and all, but you weren't working on an article this late, were you?"

Right, Avery thought I was a journalist. The correction was on the tip of my tongue, but I swallowed it back.

"You mean you aren't taking midnight acupuncture clients?"

Avery lifted a brow. "Like you'd trust a place that offers to stab you at midnight."

"Well, when you put it like that…" I took a sip of the tea, not minding the slight scorch of the liquid as it traveled down my throat. How Avery got me talking this easily was a mystery. Even with the earlier situation with the shower. If I'd rushed out after closing the door on myself or even if he hadn't point-blank brought it up for discussion, I'd still be freaking out, anxiety taking the wheel. However, he launched into social situations with an effortlessness I was jealous of, as if he didn't overanalyze every last thing.

"Though maybe if I make my business sound splashy enough, people will show up for my event next month," Avery said, staring at the ceiling. "God only knows my family won't."

My heart squeezed tight. "What's the event?"

"I'm running a wellness bazaar with a bunch of the local businesses, and Harmony Point is going to be in a prominent spot. This is my first time trying to pull off something so big, and I'm terrified. I'm also dumping my baggage on you unasked, so feel free to tell me to shove it."

I shook my head. Weird as it was going from lusting over him in the shower to connecting with him over tea in the middle of the night, our jumps felt more natural than they had any right to. "This, I'm comfortable with. The whole ‘how's the weather' shit is where you lose me."

"I knew you were a good sort, Myles Nelson," Avery said, nudging me with his elbow.

I swallowed hard, trying to ignore the swell of emotion those simple words evoked. Truth be told, I didn't figure I was useful to anyone most days, but within a few weeks of meeting Avery, he made me feel appreciated, like I mattered. Somehow, somewhere along the way, I'd lost my sense of that. It wasn't until he'd shown up on my doorstep that I'd gotten the reminder.

"Back at you," I murmured, even though the bit of vulnerability splayed me wide open. When I glanced up, Avery's blue eyes sparkled with an intoxicating glimmer I didn't want to draw away from.

I didn't know what tonight might mean for the future, but I was beyond grateful Avery had been the one to answer my ad.