Page 59 of Raise Me Up

Would I have been ready for this seven years ago if I’d known how it would feel with him? Or would I have hurt him, regardless?

How would it feel to let him touch me? Hold me? Comfort me?

I reflect on how Stasi touched me in her apartment. The tenderness in her movements. Thecare. I’ve rarely accepted that kind of affection. I didn’t even know it existed until I witnessed other kids at school receive it. Hugs and kisses from their parents when they came to school events. “I love you’s” at drop-off.

I was allowed to exist to provide for my deadbeat dad, forced to become an adult too early. Even when he’d overdosed and I’d been placed with a foster family until I turned eighteen, I didn’t let my guard down. Icouldn’t.

But now…

Something’s still missing. Another pretty human in my bed with blonde waves and pouty lips.

Sitting up, I reach for my phone to check my messages. “What the fuck?”

Beau jolts upright, wide-eyed. “What?”

Was he pretending to be asleep?

“It’s after eleven.”

“Oh.” He blows out a breath. “Is that all?”

I’m working up a glare when he suddenly leaps out of bed.

“What the fuck?” I repeat.

He rushes into my bathroom and starts up the shower. “You agreed to a date. We have to meet Stasi somewhere by one. It’ll take an hour and a half to get there, so get that sexy ass up.”

Suppose he thinks he has permission to trespass everywhere in my house now since he crashed in my bed. Wonder if he found my collection of toys…

He’d definitely be asking to use them if he had.

Sighing, I roll out of bed and join him in the shower.

Eyes wide, he backs against the tile. “What are you doing in here?”

“My bathroom,” I remind him, cocking a brow.

“Yeah. Sorry. Trying not to get distracted.” His eyes drag down my naked body, counting my abs and tracing the V leading down to my half-hard cock. “Nope. Not sorry at all.”

“Keep looking at me like that and we’re gonna bereallate.”

Beau fumbles out of the shower, and I chuckle as I scrub shampoo over my scalp. I sneak looks at him as he tugs on a fitted black t-shirt and cargo pants.

He looksgood.

I kind of want to tie him up and keep him forever.

“Keep on the route. Keep pace with the group. No stragglers. And last rule…everyone have fun!” Jacob, our cameo-clad UTV tour guide, smacks his hands together, dismissing us to our assigned mud-coated off-road vehicles.

I see Beau mouthing athank youat the young guy and instantly bristle. Leaning closer, I murmur, “You know him?”

Beau glances at me with a smirk. “You jealous?”

Grimacing, I’m surprised to find that Iamindeed jealous of the way the guide is looking over at Beau. And yet, I don’t feel anything but a rush of excitement when Stas and Beau look at each other like that.

“Does he think he’s gonna get your number or some shit?” I ask defensively.

“Jacobwas kind enough to sneak us into this time slot when they’re booked up for weeks,” Beau explains.