Chapter 3
It had been a challenge getting Kai back to Nolan’s and tossed onto the bed.
He’d barely been able to use the bathroom before he’d passed all the way out again.
Now Nolan stood over him, watching him, trying to figure out for the millionth time tonight what it was about the younger man that called to him.
Like, suddenly, he spoke the language of Kai and he intuitively knew the boy needed someone to take care of him.
He just didn’t understand why. All thoughts of leaving him alone had evaporated the second he’d seen Kai slumped on the ground, apparently ditched by his so-called friend.
He’d known he didn’t like that asshole. Anything could have happened to Kai if Nolan hadn’t found him.
Even now his instinct was to strip Kai out of the heavy denim he wore, tuck him into bed and crawl in beside him in case Kai needed something during the night. He had to remind himself that Kai wasn’t his to take care of, but if he had his way, he’d change that soon.
Nolan compromised by gently removing the worn Converses from his feet, pushing a garbage can beside the bed in case he got sick during the night and leaving some water and painkillers on the nightstand for the wicked hangover Kai was sure to have in the morning.
If he stood there for a few extra minutes just taking him in, maybe worrying, just a little, about how Kai’s forehead still looked pinched and his mouth turned down at the corners, even in his sleep, well, that was nobody’s business but his.