Chapter 16
sixteen
*LEO*
Aspen spends the whole afternoon and most of the evening with me, until I force him to leave and get some sleep. I am okay now. That’s what I told him, and that’s what I am telling myself over and over again now that I am alone in my apartment.
Problems are always scarier at night, and my thoughts tend to run wild then. Somehow, the darkness makes it more difficult for me to think straight. It has always been like that, but even worse now.
Barkley has curled up on his favorite carpet and snores. I silently walk around him and towards my living room. Maybe I can read something or watch some TV. I don’t think I'll sleep well tonight. My phone lights up, startling me.
A call so late at night? Oh fuck, it’s already midnight! When did that happen?
The caller ID, however, makes me almost lunge towards it to pick up. “Soren?!”
“Hey, love,” he says, his gentle voice feels like a blanket around me, instantly wrapping me in comfort. “You are still up. I thought so, the light is on.”
“The light… You are here?!”
“Yes, I just came back.”
“Are you here here!?” I ask hopefully, wondering if my stammering will make sense to him.
He chuckles. “I am in front of your door. Just wanted to see if you are awake or if you just forgot to switch off the light.”
I toss my phone aside and dash towards the door, ripping it open. And then, as if I am the main character in a cheesy movie, I jump into Soren’s arms. “You are here,” I exclaim.
He laughs. “That’s how I like to be greeted.”
“How… how?”
“Well, after your call, I just wanted to get home as fast as possible.”
“But Aspen told you I was okay, didn’t he? I am so sorry, Soren, I shouldn’t have called you.”
“I am happy,” he says to my surprise. “I was the first name you instinctively called. Do you even know how much this means to me?” He kisses the side of my head.
“And Aspen did tell me you are okay, but I decided to do everything in my power to wrap things up faster and come home as soon as I can. I wish it could have been earlier, but this is all I could do.”
“Come inside.” I grab his arm and pull him into the cozy warmth of my apartment.
His glasses are steamed up immediately. Once inside, I can finally kiss him the way I want to kiss him.
His arms are around me, while I smash our lips together, my tongue eagerly pushing past his lips.
Soren responds immediately, his hand on the back of my head to take over the lead.
I love these small, dominant gestures of his.
When my ass bumps against my living room table, he helps me up there, making it easier for me to wrap my legs around him and have him even closer than before.
Our crotches rub against each other. “Fuck,” I groan.
Soren’s glasses are completely steamed up now, and he takes them off, grinning slightly. “You just made this really steamy, you know?”
“I?” I blink innocently. “You were just all over me.”
Soren’s hand moves under my shirt, tweaking my nipple until I squeal. “Was I?” he deadpans.
For an answer, I tug my shirt off and latch onto him.
“Fuck!” Soren groans. “I want to fuck you so badly.”
“What’s holding you back?” I ask. I haven’t even finished my sentence when my head starts feeling lighter, and the room is spinning slightly.
“This is holding me back,” Soren says, taking my head between his hands, gently rubbing his thumbs over my cheeks. “You are obviously exhausted.”
He is right. A wave of dizziness washes over me.
It’s like suddenly all the stress is gone, making my muscles limp.
Leaning my head against his chest, I take in his scent and his presence.
It’s so relaxing. Soren cradles me in his arms. “How about we just go to bed?” he offers. “I can take the sofa.”
“No,” I mutter. “You are definitely not taking the sofa. My bed is big enough.”
I can feel his lips curl into a smile against my forehead.
“Leo, how about we get tested tomorrow?” he says. “Then nothing can hold us back anymore.” He pauses. “Is that okay with you? We can still do it with condoms if it’s going too fast.”
“No, I‘d like to get tested with you,” I say. “Where do we do that?”
“The doctor here does the tests,” Soren explains. “He is a friend. If I talk to him, he will squeeze us in. Do you want me to?”
I nod. “Yes. You know, I always used protection, but you are my first boyfriend, so…” My voice trails off. “That’s weird, isn’t it?”
He lets go of my face and moves back to look at me, his hands brushing over my upper legs. “Why are you saying that?”
“At my age, I should have had a boyfriend before.”
He shrugs. “Why? There is no rule.” He smiles, my favorite goofy smile of his. “And now you have me, so obviously things worked out perfectly, because obviously I am perfect.”
I chuckle. “Okay,” I say.
“You are giving in, just like that?” he teases.
“I am too tired,” I say. “We can argue more tomorrow, if you prefer that.”
Soren chuckles. “I prefer not to argue at all. But you have a point, for tonight, less talking, more sleeping.”
He is right. I am exhausted to my bones.
I just brush my teeth and change into my pajamas before stumbling into my bed.
Soren takes a little longer because he wants to shower after his long drive.
Fortunately, he was prepared to stay the night at the farm, so he brought his spare clothes and pajamas.
I doubt he would have fit into my stuff, though maybe he would have had to be naked then, which has different perks.
When I hear Soren’s footsteps, I turn my head, curiously eyeing the curtain separating my bedroom from everything else.
Blue. I bet he is wearing blue satin. He would totally be the blue satin type of guy.
Dark red would suit him, too. He is tall and sophisticated.
Yes. Oh, or flannel. He could pull it off.
Or—
Soren steps past the curtain, my mouth dropping open. I can’t hold it back, I just double over laughing.
“Is something wrong?” Soren blinks.
“Yes!” I squeal. “You have little chickens on your pajamas. I thought you would look sexy, but now…”
His eyebrows shoot up before he crawls on top of me, straddling my hips. “Are you implying I don’t look sexy?”
I stare at him, taking in his crème colored pajamas with a very prominent yellow chicken print all over.
“I have the same one with a toast pattern,” he says, deathly seriously.
“Oh my god,” I laugh, reaching out my hands, just to laugh more. “It’s fluffy too.”
Soren furrows his eyebrows, glaring at me in mock-annoyance, before his lips spread into a grin. “I already told you once: Be glad that you are cute.”
He rolls off me and onto his back before pulling me into his arms. “If it’s fluffy, it’s going to be perfect for you to cuddle against it,” he says while placing his glasses on the nightstand table.
“I want to see the toast pajamas next,” I say.
“You,” he mutters, his fingers wandering beneath my own pajama top.
I squeal at the touch. “Your fingers are cold!” He pokes my sides, mercilessly tickling me, until I roll over and latch onto him so that he can’t move anymore. “Okay, you won, you are super sexy, even in a chicken print.”
Soren snorts. “Excuse me that I didn’t know you were so much into pajamas. I will make sure to buy a pair of sexy ones.”
“No, I love these,” I say. “If you want to be sexy, just sleep naked.”
Soren pauses, just staring at me. “You…” he mutters. “You are surprisingly good at this.”
“At what?”
“Flirting,” he says. “Who knew! Sure, babe, if you want me to, I will sleep naked next time.” He gently touches my hair. “And now stop thinking about me being naked and sleep.”
Easier said than done. Now all I can think of is how he would look naked. I just saw glimpses of him. This reminds me that he saw my dick already, but I didn’t see his. The realization makes me groan in embarrassment.
“What is it now?” Soren asks in amusement.
“Nothing,” I hurry to reassure him. “Just something I will need to make sure to change soon.”
Soren hums something, but I can’t quite understand him, too drowsy to keep my attention alert much longer. I usually have trouble falling asleep, although my insomnia has gotten better, but this is the first time in a long time that I find myself drifting to sleep within minutes.