Page 75 of Havenfall Harbor
I mean, that has to be what it is. Evan and Griffin couldn’t be serious about…well, about us becoming more than friends, right?
Griffin heads into the kitchen as if he didn’t just turn my brain into mush. I want to look over at Evan, but I’m not sure if my face will give away my every thought. For all I know they are both just super friendly. That thought dies before it can even truly form. That sentiment could be true about Evan, but not about Griffin. Grumpy Griffin is as prickly as a cactus. He doesn’t strike me as the overly friendly type, never has. But he could also just be being nice to me for Evan’s sake.
Still utterly confused, I toss my purse on a little table near the door. This place is becoming more familiar than my own room. “You guys have a lot of sleepovers, huh?” I toe off my shoes while pretending the offer to share a bed isn’t a big deal. I feel like I set myself up for this, maybe I took the little challenge of the trifecta too far.
“I usually end up crashing here a few nights a week.” Evan leans in to whisper conspiratorially, “Griff’s room is much nicer than mine, not to mention his bed.” He cocks a brow at me.
“He does have a great bed,” I concede with a twist of my lips.
Griffin retreats farther into the house toward his room. I bite my lip. Am I really going to do this? I take a quick glance at Evan. His light hair and dark eyes can’t be described as anything other than ruggedly handsome. I thought he was attractive from the first time I saw him. Not to mention he’s so damn sweet.
Hell yes, I’m going to do this! How often are you invited to sleep between two gorgeous men? It’s not like I don’t already have a crush on them, who knows if this opportunity will ever present itself again. Might as well live out a little fantasy while I have the chance, right? Plus, it’s not like I’m in danger of getting my heart broken here. We’re just getting to know each other.
My left brain tries to warn me about Griffin being my boss, and having to work with these two every day, but I shut that shit down real quick. Why shouldn’t I have a little fun? It’s not like we’re going to have a threesome tonight. The teasing and flirting are fun though.
Evan peeks at me from the corner of his eye. I wonder if he thought I’d protest sleeping with them and now he’s regretting his offer. Playing it cool, I say, “Is it okay if I grab a water?” It’s not really a question, nor is it his house, but I feel like I should say something.
“Help yourself.” Evan waves his hand toward the kitchen.
“You want anything?”
Evan pulls at the collar of his shirt slightly. “No, no. I think I’m good. Thanks.” I don’t bother calling out to Griffin, he was already in the kitchen, plus that feels a little too presumptuous.
I hide in the kitchen for a few minutes, unsure what to do with myself. A yawn overtakes me so quickly I barely have time to cover my mouth. Of course, that would be when Griffin steps into the room.
“Wore you out, have we?” He tilts his head to the side and watches me. I feel like I’m overthinking everything they say, because that somehow came out sounding dirty. Maybe I shouldn’t sleep with them. I glance behind him and see the corner of the couch. Just as I’m about to open my mouth to decline the offer of his bed, Evan enters the kitchen too, wearing a plain white t-shirt that’s a little too tight, Griffin’s maybe, and soft black pants.
“Bathroom’s free if you want to change.” Evan passes me and heads to the sink. He pulls open the cupboard and grabs a glass, showing me how familiar he is with this place. He seems completely relaxed. If me staying with them was a big deal, surely I would be able to tell.
Griffin leans against the wall, crossing his ankles. “Did you need something to sleep in?” He’s super casual too, unlike me.
“No, I brought enough yesterday.” I set my drink next to the sink and flee from the room, a giddy type of anticipation making me want to burst into a fit of giggles. I make quick work of grabbing a pair of leggings and a t-shirt from my bag. I’ll need to go back to my room tomorrow. This is the last of what I brought, not to mention I need to sort out some laundry for next week. Let’s hope we can get the lock taken care of tomorrow so I can gain some normalcy before the start of the school week.
Evan and Griffin are still in the kitchen when I close the bathroom door behind me. I take a few seconds to peer around before changing into my comfy clothes. I flip the light switch off before I open the door, and that’s a mistake. The room is pitch-black, so not the way I left it. “Uh…” I hum while I run my toe across the carpet. I’m not sure if the guys are already in here, or if they just forgot about me and shut the bedroom light off.
“Climb in, you’re in the middle.” I can hear the smile on Evan’s lips. I have a mini fit, making all kinds of faces. Crap, how the hell am I supposed to know where the middle is?
“Human here, I can’t see in the dark.” I lift my hand in the air to further identify myself, as if there was a question.
“About six steps forward.” Griffin’s voice comes out of the dark, and it sounds oh so different than Evan’s playful tone. I swallow and take six smaller than usual steps straight ahead. “Two more,” he adds. I do as I’m told. “One bigger step to your right.”
My breathing is getting heavier as Griffin’s tenor lowers. “Lean forward, palms on the bed.” That comes out more like an order than a direction, but I do it and I’m rewarded by feeling the thick blanket under my hands.
I lift my knee and slide my hands farther onto the bed, trying to climb in, but hit a barricade, or should I say a body. “Sorry,” I mutter, and pull my hand back, but fingers wrap around my wrist.
“Just climb over.” Griffin makes the offer sound tantalizingly simple. I spread my arm down and the bed feels empty there, so I redirect myself in that direction. However, after I’m fully on the bed, I encounter him again.
I let out a nervous laugh. “You need a night-light.” Slowly patting forward, I feel what I think is Griffin’s lower leg. Before I can crawl over him, hands reach for me and snag me around my waist and drag me half over Griffin’s prone form, releasing me to a small, hollowed out place between them.
“Thanks, Evan.” I snicker nervously and pull my arms into my sides, making myself even smaller. I foolishly believed I had thought this through, but I was so wrong. Now here I am, trapped between them with my heart beating like it’s about to pound out of my chest and feeling as awkward as all get out.
The bed shifts a bit on Evan’s side. He’s heavy enough that his weight ends up making me roll a little to the left. I readjust so I don’t end up plastered to his back or side, and in doing so my butt ends up hitting Griffin. “Oops, sorry. Maybe this bed isn’t as big as you thought.” My voice is a little breathy, I’m still breathing way too hard.
“It’s plenty big enough.” Griffin’s voice is gravelly, already sleepy. And why not? He probably didn’t sleep well on the couch last night, and he doesn’t seem to be freaked out at all about having a near stranger sleeping next to him. He shifts this time and I feel the presence of his body closer to mine.
I blow out a breath and force myself to close my eyes, chastising myself for ever thinking this would be my own little fantasy. This is more like an embarrassingly bad dream. I feel like a virgin on prom night, all nerves and excitement for no reason at all.
I haven’t even tried to get under the covers, not that I would need them anyway. Lying between them is creating enough heat to keep me warm. Hell, I don’t even know where the covers are at this point.
