Page 59 of Except You

“I mean, yes?”

I chuckle at that as I walk out and grab us some clothes. I set them on the bed and then make my way to the laundry room, chucking our stuff into the wash.

When I return, Beau is already in my boxers and oversized shirt.

“You have very soft clothes.”

“I like comfort.”

“Apparently,” Beau says and then crawls into bed and snuggles under the covers. I tug the towel off and change into my boxers before sliding in next to him. He inches closer and closer until his knee is pressed against my side.

“Okay, I’m really damn tired. So if you have a freak out in the middle of the night, wake me, yeah?”

I nod and hear him rustle around until he’s buried against my side.

He smells like me, and I think I like it more than I should. I like everything about Beau more than I should.

I stare at the ceiling, shifting slightly so that Beau is cuddled up against my side, his face smooshed right into my armpit.

He sighs and throws his leg over mine, and my hand slides up into his hair, feeling those damp strands against my fingers. Everything about him is cozy and comfortable.

And just as I lie there, my mind conjures up a moment in time so long ago with Magnus.

He was with one of his friends from high school, the two of them on his bed, studying and sitting a little too close. If I remember correctly, their feet were linked, and I thought that was so fucking weird. I’d peeked my head in and told him that they were gay, a joke to me, but I could see the hurt laced across my brother’s face. He unlinked his ankle from his friend’s and scooted over to sit by the headboard. In that moment, I chose to tease and shame him over something so harmless.

He has every right to hate me. Because here I am, the most hypocritical asshole, snuggling in bed with Beau.

And he feels so damn good against me.

I grab my phone from the bedstand, trying not to wake up Beau in the process, and type out a message to Magnus. I think I need to start listing out the shit I’m sorry for.

Every time I remember something, I’m gonna apologize for it.

I shoot him a long-drawn-out message, telling him how fucking sorry I am for being an asshole, and then click my phone off before clicking it on once more.

Me:

Also, sleeping next to a guy, the right guy, isn’t so bad.

Then I turn my phone off and set it down, feeling slightly better. It’s only when I turn fully into Beau that my eyes slip closed, and I finally fall asleep.

Beau wakes me, his body stretching out against mine, his face still pressed into my pit. My arm is asleep, but I didn’t dare move it last night. I liked the feel of him next to me too much.

“Morning,” he says as he runs his hand up my chest, making my entire body tremble.

“Morning,” I reply. My brain is slightly foggy, and I could probably sleep another two hours, but Beau is wiggling next to me so much that there’s no way I could manage that.

“Ugh, I have to work today,” Beau says, tucking his face into my neck and inhaling.

“Same. Want me to make you breakfast before you go?”

“Yeah. And some coffee with that fancy espresso machine you bought me.”

“I didn’t buy it for you. I bought it for me.”

“Lies,” Beau says, making no move to actually get up. So, we just lounge there for a while more until he finally rolls over and sits up.

“Okay, I’m ready.”