slipped past my lips. “I’m being serious.”
“So am I.” His chuckle destroyed any attempt at indignation. “There was no way Luke Skywalker was a better Jedi than me.”
I rested my hands on his. “I wouldn’t fly an X-Wing. I’d want a Bebop.”
“I think that’s the ship’s name. Not what kind it is. But I won’t argue the technicalities of a cartoon. You’d be a space cowboy, huh? Fae?”
I didn’t want to be the sexy hustler in the skimpy yellow leather from Cowboy Bebop . I wanted to be the smart hacker girl everyone underestimated. “Ed.” I adored that he knew what I was talking about without explanation and at the same time hadn’t gone hardcore fanboy about my possible misrepresentation of the show. In fact, nothing about the moment left me wanting.
“Brilliant, lost, independent hacker girl, who doesn’t care what anyone thinks of her. I can see that. Does that mean you need to be found?”
“Depends on who’s looking for me.”
The conversation slipped from one topic to the next. A shared stream of consciousness with seemingly no end in sight. I didn’t know how many hours passed, but light was pushing the dark from the sky when I yawned for the third time in as many minutes.
“We should sleep.” He sounded disappointed.
Or I was projecting. Both, probably. “I suppose.”
He let go of me enough to lead us inside. He studied me again, brows pinched and an unreadable emotion darkening his eyes. With a shake of his head, he dropped my hand. The loss of contact was an icy shock to my system. I tangled my fingers in his before he could fall into his bed. “Don’t,” I whispered, not wanting to wake up Evan.
Trevor raised his brows, and a sad smile flashed over his face before vanishing. “Why not?” His question barely reached me.
I pressed closer. “Because then I have to choose.” The quiet words echoed in my head as loudly as a scream, carrying more meaning than I intended. Far more significance than I wanted them to.
He planted his hands at the small of my back, dipped his head, and brushed his lips over my cheek. “Then choose me.”
Three simple words. We were only talking about where to sleep for a single night. I looked up at him. “Please?” I wasn’t even sure what I was asking, but this didn’t make it any less important he understand.
“Only for you.” Using his entire frame, he pushed me back a step, toward Evan’s bed. I couldn’t help my smile as I slid between the sheets, next to a sleeping Evan. Trevor joined me and drew me close, my back to his chest and his head resting against mine.
A flood of warmth and acceptance blanketed me, singing in my joints and dancing under my skin. I’d never connected with anyone the way I did with Trevor. And while it was completely different with Evan, the bond with him felt just as strong. I was being sucked in by best friends, who were only looking for a random hookup at a convention. Who, as time wore on, made it very clear this was the only time they shared. I needed to lock away my reactions soon, or at the end of the weekend I would be moping over something I had no right to miss.
Evan stirred but didn’t open his eyes. He reached out and covered my hand with his.
Trevor slid his palm under my shirt and settled it on my bare hip. “Goodnight, my amazing Kathryn.” His whispered words sank into my thoughts.
If I didn’t get a handle on this now, my psyche was going to be fucked. I refused to give credence to the ache in my chest, the dull throb telling me my heart wouldn’t fare so well either.
Chapter Ten
“That’s not what I’m saying.” The muffled shout jarred me awake.
I jolted upright, as my surroundings slammed into focus. I sat in an empty bed, and Evan and Trevor stood on the balcony. My fuzzy thoughts told me that was probably Evan yelling.
“It sounds like it to me.” Trevor’s voice was just as loud.
I blinked bleary-eyed at the digital clock next to me. Seven in the
“So am I.” His chuckle destroyed any attempt at indignation. “There was no way Luke Skywalker was a better Jedi than me.”
I rested my hands on his. “I wouldn’t fly an X-Wing. I’d want a Bebop.”
“I think that’s the ship’s name. Not what kind it is. But I won’t argue the technicalities of a cartoon. You’d be a space cowboy, huh? Fae?”
I didn’t want to be the sexy hustler in the skimpy yellow leather from Cowboy Bebop . I wanted to be the smart hacker girl everyone underestimated. “Ed.” I adored that he knew what I was talking about without explanation and at the same time hadn’t gone hardcore fanboy about my possible misrepresentation of the show. In fact, nothing about the moment left me wanting.
“Brilliant, lost, independent hacker girl, who doesn’t care what anyone thinks of her. I can see that. Does that mean you need to be found?”
“Depends on who’s looking for me.”
The conversation slipped from one topic to the next. A shared stream of consciousness with seemingly no end in sight. I didn’t know how many hours passed, but light was pushing the dark from the sky when I yawned for the third time in as many minutes.
“We should sleep.” He sounded disappointed.
Or I was projecting. Both, probably. “I suppose.”
He let go of me enough to lead us inside. He studied me again, brows pinched and an unreadable emotion darkening his eyes. With a shake of his head, he dropped my hand. The loss of contact was an icy shock to my system. I tangled my fingers in his before he could fall into his bed. “Don’t,” I whispered, not wanting to wake up Evan.
Trevor raised his brows, and a sad smile flashed over his face before vanishing. “Why not?” His question barely reached me.
I pressed closer. “Because then I have to choose.” The quiet words echoed in my head as loudly as a scream, carrying more meaning than I intended. Far more significance than I wanted them to.
He planted his hands at the small of my back, dipped his head, and brushed his lips over my cheek. “Then choose me.”
Three simple words. We were only talking about where to sleep for a single night. I looked up at him. “Please?” I wasn’t even sure what I was asking, but this didn’t make it any less important he understand.
“Only for you.” Using his entire frame, he pushed me back a step, toward Evan’s bed. I couldn’t help my smile as I slid between the sheets, next to a sleeping Evan. Trevor joined me and drew me close, my back to his chest and his head resting against mine.
A flood of warmth and acceptance blanketed me, singing in my joints and dancing under my skin. I’d never connected with anyone the way I did with Trevor. And while it was completely different with Evan, the bond with him felt just as strong. I was being sucked in by best friends, who were only looking for a random hookup at a convention. Who, as time wore on, made it very clear this was the only time they shared. I needed to lock away my reactions soon, or at the end of the weekend I would be moping over something I had no right to miss.
Evan stirred but didn’t open his eyes. He reached out and covered my hand with his.
Trevor slid his palm under my shirt and settled it on my bare hip. “Goodnight, my amazing Kathryn.” His whispered words sank into my thoughts.
If I didn’t get a handle on this now, my psyche was going to be fucked. I refused to give credence to the ache in my chest, the dull throb telling me my heart wouldn’t fare so well either.
Chapter Ten
“That’s not what I’m saying.” The muffled shout jarred me awake.
I jolted upright, as my surroundings slammed into focus. I sat in an empty bed, and Evan and Trevor stood on the balcony. My fuzzy thoughts told me that was probably Evan yelling.
“It sounds like it to me.” Trevor’s voice was just as loud.
I blinked bleary-eyed at the digital clock next to me. Seven in the
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