Page 26 of Grumpy Bear

“I’m coming, I’m coming.” I stretched out on my side with my back to him with at least ten inches of air between us.

The whole bed shifted when he moved. With a click and a chain rattle, the room fell into darkness. The rain was a gentle patter on the roof now. I guessed we were waiting until morning to get the rice. I wasn’t going to suggest he get back up.

“Coleman?”

He grunted.

“Thanks for coming to rescue me.”

He was so still I thought he’d fallen asleep, then he mumbled into his pillow, “Don’t worry about it.”

But that is exactly what I proceeded to do.

I should have gotten under the sheet, into the bed, instead of just on top of it.

I’d always heard the sound of rain on a tin roof was supposed to put you right to sleep, but when I closed my eyes, all I saw were things rushing past me. I lay there, ears ringing, heart beating with… shame, maybe? Embarrassment? Disappointment?

Nothing’s going to happen. I can definitely promise you that.

Why? Because I didn’t look like Trey?

It wasn’t like I’d acted like I wanted something to happen. I certainly hadn’t implied it or said anything suggestive. Why was it necessary for him to make sure I knew he was rejecting me?

He’d been so kind to help me set up my tent. He seemed genuinely concerned I was comfortable. Maybe the guys who worked here hit on him a lot or something. Maybe Austin didn’t know what he was talking about. Maybe Coleman was in a relationship with Trey. He had left the dining hall right after him. They probably had some unspoken way of signaling to one another when they wanted to slip away. Coleman seemed like the kind of man who would at least be discreet if he were sleeping with one of his employees.

What the hell was I even doing? Why was I stewing over this? I was only going to be here for a few days.

Austin said I might meet someone here. I might make connections that could lead to opportunities.

But I didn’t think he’d meant ending up in bed with the sexiest man I’d ever met.

Well, he probably had, but that was certainly not my idea of an opportunity, and hooking up with my boss was definitely not on my list of priorities.

For now, I was going to focus on making a little cash, maybe work on getting a tan, then it was back to Edgewood. Back to my music. Please, Jesus, let my guitar be okay.

That’s all I was here for.

Yeah. Who was I trying to convince?

12

Sawyer

I woke up at seven and turned off the alarm I’d set for seven fifteen. The rain had stopped, and the birds were making a racket.

My body was stiff from sleeping in one position all night, scared of rolling over on Surfer Cowboy. My dick, however, was stiff just thinking about rolling over on him.

I sat up quietly and looked down at Luke.

He was flat on his back, hands folded on his stomach, like a king’s statue on the lid of a tomb beneath Winterfell.

Most people looked like little kids when they were sleeping. You could see their baby selves still lurking in their unguarded features. But the opposite was true of Luke. In sleep, without the lively animation of his face and the twinkle in his eye when he was babbling away, he looked mature and serious.

His eyebrows were dark for a blond guy. With his face slack, the lines of his features were strong and masculine. He had an arrogant nose that flared slightly with his slow deep breaths. His lips were slightly parted.

What the fuck was I doing watching this guy sleep?

Nope. Not doing this.