He glances up, but looks away again and takes a sip of his beer. “Yeah,” he rasps at last. “Might be. They still can’t decide if I need surgery or not. And I fucked up and went too hard on the strengthening exercises, so my therapist had to knock me back a few pegs. This weekend is all rest and stretching, and we’ll reevaluate when I get back to Seattle.” He holds up the beer bottle and gives it a little shake. “I shouldn’t even really be having this, but what’s the point of life if you can’t drink a beer with your friends at a Christmas party?” Finishing the bottle, he shakes his head. “Fuck. Sorry. I’m shit for company right now. I’ve been doing my best to keep it together, but …”
I hold up a hand. “No need to apologize to me. You just agreed to do me a huge favor. So I’m in no position to criticize.”
He barks out a laugh, and his face relaxes into its usual lines. Chris was always laughing and joking when I knew him. Sure, he could be serious when the situation called for it, but he was never an asshole or generally grumpy. So his behavior tonight is uncharacteristic, as far as I’m aware, and it’s good to see him returning to his normal self.
“Email me some dates and ideas for what you want. I’ll run it by a few other guys, and we’ll see what we can put together, alright?”
“Sounds good, man. Thanks.”
CHAPTER TEN
Elena
My head still pleasantly buzzing from tonight’s drinks, I climb out of the car in my driveway. I can’t wait to get inside and alone with my man.
Layla and Evan seem to have a similar idea if the way they sat practically on top of each other in the back seat on the way home is any indication. When they got in the car, he pulled her into the middle seat and insisted she sit there, one arm around her and his other hand with a possessive grip on her thigh. I heard more than one gasp and giggle from Layla, plus a hushed, “Shh!” and, “Stop it!”
It’s so cute that she thinks either of us care or don’t already expect them to fuck while they’re here. Having houseguests isn’t going to stop me from getting some. I shouldn’t think being a houseguest ought to make a difference either. I mean, it’s not like we’re their parents.
Don’t run around the house naked or spooge on our nice things, and we’re good.
Once inside, I make a show of stretching and yawning as I hang up my coat and set my purse on the console table by the door. “I don’t know about you guys, but I’m beat. Daniel?”
His dark eyes glinting in his cute face, he takes the hand I’ve extended to him after leaving his keys in the bowl on the table. “Oh, yeah. Totally wiped out.” He at least has the decency to spare a glance for Evan and Layla. “Help yourself to anything you need from the kitchen, guys. We’ll see you in the morning.” And then he leads me to our bedroom on the opposite side of the house from the guest room.
“Thanks, guys,” Evan says, his voice vibrating from restrained laughter. “I think we’re heading to bed, too.”
“Mmhmm,” I say, not even trying to disguise what we all know “going to bed” really means right now. “You two have fun.”
Layla’s muffled giggle follows me into my bedroom as well as a muffled, “You too!” from Evan as Daniel firmly closes the door.
He stares at it for a minute. “Part of me wishes there were a way to lock this just to make sure he doesn’t try to fuck with us.”
I snort-snicker. “I didn’t know Evan was into group sex. Kinky.”
Daniel glares at me, but the irrepressible smile on his lips belies his annoyance. “That’s not what I meant, and you know it.”
Stepping closer to him, I layer my arms over his shoulders and around his neck. “They’re going to be too busy having their own fun to interrupt ours,” I say softly, then pull his face to mine for a kiss.
As soon as his lips touch mine, his tongue sweeps into my mouth, claiming me like I’ve been dying for all night. Hanging with friends is fun, and I had a great time, but we’ve both been so busy this semester that we’ve barely had time alone. I finished my last final today, and while I’m still expected in the office where I’m interning this year over Christmas break, I’ll have a little more free time for a few weeks. And once Daniel’s on break too, it’ll be even better.
One of the perks of being with a teacher when I’m still in school is that our downtimes so closely align. Not that there’s ever really downtime in law school. Breaks are consumed by internships and resume builders designed to make you stand out from your classmates so you can land a job once you graduate and pass the bar. And passing the bar is a whole other thing all by itself. For most people, graduation means they can ease up on studying. But for aspiring lawyers? Nope. You have to study even more so you can pass the test and then stay on pins and needles for months while you wait for the results.
But all of those worries and stressors and aggravations can wait for another day. Another time.
Because right now, Daniel’s lips are skating down my throat, and his hands are pushing their way into my jeans, and I can’t wait to feel him inside me.
He growls softly against my skin, and I live for these sounds, these reactions from him. “I love you,” I whisper as he undoes the button and zipper on my jeans and shoves them below my ass.
“I love you too,” he says back, kissing me deeply again as his fingers slide
