I felt the familiar sting — the emptiness of losing our chapter — but it wasn’t nearly as strong as usual. I pushed it aside.
“Yes.”
The chemistry was there again, crackling between us like some unseen energy. Daring one of us to step forward… to be swept up in the electricity of it all.
“Alright then,” Claudia said slowly, like she was reluctant to let go. Maybe she was. “Better get some sleep.”
“Me too,” I said.
“Goodnight Hunter.”
I shuddered. Even the way she said my name was sexy.
“Goodnight Claudia.”
We retreated to our separate rooms, stepped through our separate doorways. Just before hers closed, Claudia poked her head out.
“Hey,” she said, gripping the door frame. “Sorry about your booty call.”
I glanced back at her and chuckled softly. “No you’re not.”
Claudia yawned adorably, before her face cracked into a grin.
“You’re right,” she said before closing the door. “I’m really not.”
Fifteen
CLAUDIA
We sort of fell into a groove as the days wore on, and as far as I was concerned it was a beautiful, wondrous thing. The guys and I grew increasingly comfortable around each other. They still looked out for me, which was cute and endearing, but they also worried far less about scaring me off.
Flirting was suddenly on the table — a street that happily ran both ways — and walking around without shirts or pants was suddenly no longer taboo. Teasing me by using the upstairs hallway as a catwalk to model their underwear became a daily, welcome occurrence. In reciprocation I was a lot less careful about where I left my unmentionables, especially in the bathroom.
Once or twice I’d been snapped at with a towel, which meant whoever had just taken a shower was wonderfully naked for the split-second they tried to swipe me. Though I whipped my head around as fast as I could, I never was able to catch a glimpse.
We snuggled on the couch sometimes too. Played with each other’s hair. One night I traded footrubs with both Colin and Brandon, and when it was my turn they did mine together, both at the same time.
Heaven couldn’t feel like that. Not even close.
Even with all this, there was always a set distance. An invisible line the guys refused to cross. As it had been a long time since Garrett, I began wishing one of them would. I would’ve even been willing to help them along, but I had a really good thing going. I sure was hell wasn’t going to risk screwing it all up.
The weather grew colder as the semester dragged on. Until one day things around the house heated up.
Literally.
It was Halloween, and I came home to find my boys lounging around in even less clothing than usual. Though it was bitter cold outside, the living room was filled with a cozy, flickering glow.
“The fireplace works!” I exclaimed happily.
“Technically it never stopped working,” Hunter shrugged. He was wearing a tight hooded T-shirt that clung to his body, and what could’ve been shorts, could’ve been boxers. “I just had to light it. But yeah, I had it professionally cleaned first, chimney and all. Just to be sure.”
I shed my coat, inching closer to the warm, glowing embers. Oh my God they felt good!
“Let me guess, your uncle again?”
“Yup.”
“He’ll bill me later?” I teased.