I sneered. “Now he’s out of the election completely.”
“He still giving you a hard time?” Drew’s face darkened.
Oh yeah. But those details weren’t welcome in this moment, not in this bubble we created. “Nothing I can’t handle.”
“I got your back. You know that, right?”
“Yeah, I know.”
Drew leaned back against the couch, our bodies pressed together from our shoulders all the way to our feet. He leaned his head on my shoulder, and it felt so good I drifted off, even though I tried to stay awake. I wanted to remember every moment of tonight, but I was just so fucking content and his steady breathing lulled me to sleep.
I didn’t know what time it was, just that it was very late, when he shook me gently.
“Yeah?” I said, blinking up as he leaned over me.
“C’mon, let’s go to bed.”
“Bed?” I echoed. Even half asleep, I was still surprised.
“You’re staying over tonight.” He held his hand out to me, a silent invitation.
I looked between him and his hand, then slowly surrendered mine. He kept hold of me the entire way upstairs and down the hall.
I hadn’t been in his room since that night months ago. But I was totally sober now.
He went in, and I hesitated on the threshold. He glanced back over his shoulder, giving my hand a slight tug.
“I’m not drunk this time.” I cautioned. “I won’t be forgetting anything in the morning.”
His hand slipped away from mine and my stomach plummeted. It was for the best anyway; better to know now before I fell even deeper in love with him.
Drew didn’t move away like I thought, though. He rotated back around, swiveled his hips in my direction, and stepped up close. It reminded me of the way I’d stepped up to him in the kitchen.
His eyes met mine. Neither of us had to look down or up. We stood level, on even ground. Drew curled his hand around my waist. His fingers crawled across my back and rested against my spine. He moved with agonizingly deliberate intent. I remained still and let him approach.
Our gazes remained locked together until just before our mouths touched. His eyes drifted closed first, and mine followed his lead.
Tender isn’t a word I would ever use to describe Drew, but that’s exactly what his kiss was. He fit his lower lip between mine so his mouth enclosed around my top lip, sucking the fullness in and then releasing to come back and do it again. Our lips brushed together, like they had their own personal handshake no one else knew.
It was everything in that moment, his lips, his breath, and the feel of his tongue slowly tangling with mine. His other hand grasped the other side of my waist and our chests came together.
It was the first time our skin touched like this, the first time we were skin to skin.
I loved the hardness of his body, the way his arm muscles flexed when he gripped me tighter. I lifted one arm and wrapped it around his shoulders so there wasn’t even a centimeter between us. Even though this was his kiss, I deepened it, and he growled into my mouth and followed my lead.
I could feel the pounding of his heart against my chest, and I reveled in it. I knew mine likely felt the same, and I hoped he knew it beat so erratically because of him.
Drew retreated from my mouth slowly, like it wasn’t something he wanted to do. Before pulling back completely, he sucked my tongue for one last taste.
His thumb swiped at my lower lip when he spoke. “So you’ll remember that in the morning?”
“I’ll remember that for the rest of my life.”
He grunted like my answer satisfied him. “Good.”
After that, I let myself be pulled into the room. It smelled like him in here, and I took a deep breath. He didn’t bother with the light, and I smacked my shin on the end of the bed.
“Shit!” I growled and reached down to rub the spot.
A small bedside lamp clicked on. “You okay?”
“Fine,” I grumbled and moved around to the far side of the bed.
Drew flung the covers back, and I crawled in. I was drowsy; sleep still had ahold on me. Or maybe it was just the way he kissed.
When my head hit the pillow, I sighed, and he laughed lightly. “Comfortable?”
“This bed is better than mine,” I murmured.
“That’s because I sleep in it.”
“Probably,” I said around a yawn.
The mattress dipped a little with his weight, and the blankets ruffled when he pulled them up and adjusted his pillow. The light clicked off with a distinct sound, and he settled against the sheets.
“Where’s your car?” he asked.
I rolled toward him, seeking out his face in the dark. “At Omega. I took a cab to the bar.”
“Don’t go back there, frat boy,” he whispered.
“Never.” I promised. I lifted my arm, turned onto my back. “Come here.”
He was soundless as he slid across the sheets. His body was almost as long as mine, and we pressed together almost completely. Drew’s head lay on my shoulder; the scruff on his jaw tickled my skin. I tucked an arm around him, keeping him close, and he tossed one leg up over mine, hooking us together.