hairy beast fits….”
Caleb laughed and tried to adjust himself again on the bed. “When I get better, we should go see one at a theater or something.”
Andrew almost responded with a contrived answer, some flip comment that he would use on any other random guy who tried to pick him up. He resisted the urge and met Caleb’s hopeful expression with a small smile. “We could do that. When you get better.” When Caleb was no longer his patient.
He went behind the bed and raised Caleb up a little so he wasn’t lying flat. Caleb grabbed his arm when he passed back by. Andrew couldn’t help his flinch and checked to see if Caleb’s claws were back again.
Caleb released his hold and seemed to shrivel up inside himself. “I forgot.”
“It’s fine, Caleb. Just a few scratches. You startled me, is all.”
“I don’t want you to be scared of me.”
“I’m not.”
Caleb snorted in disbelief. “Right. I saw your face. You were scared that I was going to hurt you.”
Andrew sighed and moved closer to the bed. “Scoot over.”
Caleb slid to the side a little, with a slight wince. Andrew sat down beside him and held Caleb’s wrist to check his pulse. He kept time on his watch as he counted the beats per second. When he finished, instead of placing Caleb’s arm back on the bed, he put Caleb’s hand in his.
“Okay, brutal honesty. I’m a little scared. Can you blame me? This is all new to me. You’re forgetting that part. And, let’s keep it real, you did claw my arm up not too long ago.” Andrew smiled down at him and ran his thumb over the top of Caleb’s hand. “But I know you won’t hurt me. I don’t know how I know that. Maybe it’s that ‘crazy’ thing I seem to have. Hell, maybe this is all some big delusion that I’ve gotten because of stress. Actually, that makes a lot more sense than thinking werewolves are real, and I’m sitting here beside one.”
Caleb pushed himself up. Andrew pressed his hand to Caleb’s chest to stop him, but Caleb covered it with his own and leaned in. “I promise I won’t hurt you.” Caleb’s hand brushed over part of the bandages that covered Andrew’s scratches. He stared down at the gauze and frowned. “I won’t hurt you.” The words became a mantra of sorts. Andrew wondered if Caleb was trying to convince Andrew, or himself.
He couldn’t think of anything else to say to help Caleb not feel guilty. Part of him needed the reassurance, needed to know Caleb would do everything he could to keep the earlier accident from happening again. The moment stretched between them. The gentle thump of Caleb’s heart beat steadily under his hand, and the heat of Caleb’s body warmed his skin where they touched.
Caleb’s heart sped up, the beats soft against Andrew’s palm. He stared down at his fingers where they rested on the bright white of Caleb’s T-shirt, covered by Caleb’s too pale hand. He still held Caleb’s other hand, and his gaze drifted between the two.
Caleb leaned closer, slid his hands from Andrew’s and up to cup Andrew’s face. His palms were soft, slightly damp. Andrew wiped his own against the blanket. He was nervous too. His heart began to beat more quickly, his breath coming in soft pants.
Caleb’s thumbs traced over Andrew’s cheekbones. They were calloused. Andrew wondered how he’d gotten them, what Caleb did for a living, what he did for fun.
“I really want to kiss you,” Caleb whispered.
He closed the distance between them and brushed his lips over Andrew’s. The barest touch, then he leaned back and checked Andrew’s face. Andrew couldn’t think. He brought his hand up and laid his fingers over his mouth. It tingled. He dropped his hand and met Caleb’s eyes with his own.
Caleb must have found whatever answer he sought because he leaned in again, and kissed Andrew a bit harder this time. He guided Andrew’s head to the side and pressed closer. Andrew parted his lips. The stubble on Caleb’s face scratched at the skin around his mouth, tenderizing it for Caleb’s soft touch as he nibbled his way around Andrew’s lips and over his jaw.
He let Caleb set the pace, the slow exploration perfect. Caleb’s breath came in hot bursts against his mouth, and when he traced his tongue over Andrew’s lips and dipped it inside, Andrew parted for him and teased with his own.
One of them moaned. Andrew didn’t know