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I fell back against the couch, heart pounding, worked up, and a little dizzy.

Was this true? All that had happened?

I couldn’t get over it.

But I had to go the bathroom instead of giving in and eavesdropping on whatever Cassian wanted to fill Lee in on. I was guessing it was the whole pep talk he gave me. When I was done, Lee was waiting for me, leaning against the back of the couch. His hands behind him. His feet crossed at the ankles. His thumbs drumming a beat.

He lifted his head and smiled, his eyes warming. “Hi.”

Feeling suddenly shy, and self-conscious, I almost stumbled in the doorway. “Hi.”

He chuckled, lowly, before walking to me.

Was he going to say something too?

He looked at me, from my head to my eyes, my lips, my chest, my stomach, and down all the way before rising once more and meeting my gaze. Holding. His voice dropped low, “You look so fucking sexy and beautiful.”

My heart melted down into my stomach. I was on the edge, and God, if that didn’t start to tip me over… I cleared my throat, hoarse again, “Thank you.” I reached out, took hold of his shirt and pulled him closer to me, until I could feel more of him. “I don’t know how to take compliments. If I get one, do I give one back? If so, you and Cassian are the two hottest guys in town and I really like you.”

His whole face softened. “I really like you too.” He reached for my hand. “Come on. I’m excited to see you in my clothes. Gonna take a picture, if that’s okay with you?”

“Just don’t go sharing it around,” I joked, but I couldn’t lie that my knees were a little unsteady.

He led me upstairs. We stopped in the kitchen. “Do you want anything more to eat before bed? A snack of the food kind?”

I laughed. “I’m good. Maybe water?”

“On it.” He grabbed two bottles from the fridge, before showing me the pantry. “For future disclosure, I’ve grown up in a house where my mom, though my parents are very messed up in their marriage, they’ve always loved when I had friends over. My mom has instilled in the many friends who pop over to treat this home as their own. Saying all that, if you get hungry or are curious or whatever, please make yourself comfortable. Grab whatever. This is why sometimes my friends know what is inside this pantry more than I do.” He was pretending to be aggravated, but I saw the warmth lurking underneath.

“Good to know. I will grab food when and if I please.”

“Good. Now for the bedroom situation.”

We went upstairs, my heart back in my throat. There was a situation?

We went to the third floor and he stopped at the first room but pointed to the door at the end. “My parents know I’m a growing and horny boy so they like to give me the most privacy when they’re here. My room extends over the garage. There’s a faster way to get here, but I took you the longer route because I really enjoyed holding your hand.”

“Lee.” Swoon.

He winked then toed the door open at the room we were standing by. “This is a room that Cassian or Nimrod or whoever uses when they crash. There’s a couple more guest rooms on the second floor, but if you didn’t want to sleep with me but wanted to be near me, I thought I’d offer you this room first.”

I squeezed his hand tight. “There’s an option of sleeping with you?” My heart was back in my chest and starting to pump again. Hard.

“There is.” He led us to his room and it was big.

A huge bed was against the wall. A built-in desk was to the side, next to bookshelves also built into the wall. He had his own sitting room, with a loveseat, two gaming chairs on the ground. A large television. A Nintendo Switch was on the ground. To the side was a closet, and I was guessing it was a walk-in. The bathroom was next to it. There was a door on the far end. “Where does that go?”

“It has its own stairs that go down to a back hallway by the kitchen and if you turn the other way, you go into the garage.”

“Ah.” Yep. He was loaded.

What was he doing with me?

What was Cassian doing with me too?

Breaking away from him, not wanting to let those thoughts simmer, I went into the closet, which was a walk-in one.

Lee went to the doorway, watching me as I ran my hand over some of his clothes, finally pulling out a t-shirt and I opened a drawer to find some boxers. I held one up. “This clean?”