deep breaths. I gulp a few lungsful of air also, trying to get my breathing and heart rate under control.
“Did you need to get ready?” Ares asks huskily, his voice deep.
I open my eyes. I’m not even sure how much time has passed, but it didn’t feel long enough. “Yes, we have school,” I answer dejectedly. I’d much rather stay here all day. He smooths his hand over my hair, giving me a kiss at my temple before pulling away. I can’t keep my eyes from following his back as he fiddles with the black towel at his waist. The fabric pulls tight over his butt as he opens the sides, and then tucks them together, keeping his back to me. My mouth goes dry, and I wonder, if he turned around would I be able to see his mark?
“I’ll let the others know you’re getting ready.” Ares pushes out the door, closing it behind him. My head falls back on my shoulders, and I let out a low groan. How can he seem so unaffected? My legs feel like jelly, and my lips are all puffy, but he’s as cool as a cucumber.
I use the bathroom and wash my hands and face. I’m still a little flushed, so I keep the water cold to pull the heat from my cheeks. There’s a knock on the door as I brush my teeth. “Come in,” I call out around a mouth of foam.
Milo pushes into the room, his eyes sleepy and his hair all disheveled, looking terribly cute. “Almost done,” I announce as he walks over to me and leans his shoulder against the wall. Holding my hair at the back of my neck, I put my mouth under the faucet, taking in water so I can rinse and spit.
When I stand up, Milo is watching me through the mirror as I use the washcloth to clean my face and wipe my mouth. “Everything okay?”
His lips turn down in a slight frown. “You were in here a long time.” The heat I was hoping to erase from my cheeks flares back to life.
“I was? Sorry.” I look away, unable to meet his eyes.
“It’s okay.” Milo shrugs, his frown disappearing, but his lips form a hard line instead. When I turn to leave, he stops me by placing his hand on my arm. “I don’t mind.” Milo’s voice is soft. “Sometimes I get jealous, though.” My head snaps up, and I see he isn’t looking at me, he’s looking at the floor. “Ollie and Ares make it look easy, but I never know if you want me around, or if… if I could touch you the way they do.”
I get a pang in my chest. Reaching out to grab his hand in mine, I reply quietly, “This is all really new to me. I don’t know what I’m doing most of the time. But I always want you… I mean, I always want you around, Milo.” I want to slap my hand over my mouth for the slip. I didn’t mean for it to come out so forward, but in truth it’s what I meant. I want him to touch me, to be as close to me as the others—Dante, too. I just don’t know how to show him that, or if it’s acceptable to feel that way.
I think I have an understanding of what our relationship will be like, but it’s so foreign to me I don’t know how to deal with it yet. So, I just pretend that we’re all just friends, even though I know it’s more.
“You do?” Milo glances at me from the side, his head tilted.
I nod eagerly. “Always, Milo. I hate it when we’re at school, and you guys barely talk to me. I feel so much lonelier than I ever did before, and back then I really was lonely,” I confess. He’s showing me a piece of himself and I feel like I should do the same in return.
Milo places his other hand over our already joined ones. “I don’t like it either. I think we should just claim you.”
My brows furrow. I’ve never heard any of them use the word ‘claim’ before regarding me. What does he mean?
“I mean, I know we haven’t found your mom yet, but I bet Ares is close. He’s been working on it every day. I don’t think if the others knew we found you that it would make a difference at this point.”
Wasn’t I thinking the same thing