Unhinged

Chapter Three

You didn't drink last night, so there was no hangover to wake up to which is always nice, but there was a man in your bed which is something. And the moment you spotted all the marks on his chest and neck, you were taken right back to last night. The ache between your legs reminded you of when you both woke up around six with the sun for round two or three. You stilled as he rustled in his sleep, his arm tightening its hold around you, and you cursed yourself for not putting clothes back on after.

"Good morning." His scratchy, deep morning voice had you slowly blinking as you tried to steady yourself and you hummed after he kissed the top of your head, moving to rest your chin on his shoulder as he laid on his back.

His smile grew when your eyes met and his were still lidded with sleep, but he reached up with the hand that wasn't around you to wipe at his face, rubbing it away. You just realized the cool metal was against your warm skin and you shivered at the contact.

"Morning..." You trailed off, frowning when you noticed the chain around his neck, "Um, was that there last night?"

"No, I grabbed it off the floor when I got up to use the bathroom," He explained after following your eyeline, "Came off with my shirt."

"Mm," You gave him a cheeky grin, "Good times."

"Still can't believe you asked if I've ever been pegged last night," He shook his head with a hand on his face and you chuckled as he tried not to smile, "So weird."

"Hey, I was curious," You defended, reaching up to play with his scruff, and squeezing your legs together a fraction at the memory of it being between your thighs, but not stopping yourself in time before you blurted, "God, were you this gorgeous last night?"

You didn't miss the blush that coated his cheeks, taken aback by the compliment, and you smiled as he did, not being able to help it.

"If you don't put some clothes on and let me make you food, you're the one who's going to become my breakfast," He warned playfully and you 'oooh'ed suggestively, making him laugh before he reached back to gently pat your bum with his left hand, a promise, "Later, sweetheart, but we should eat something first."

Later. Right.

"Uh, yeah, okay," You moved to get up so he didn't see your face, wrapping the sheet around you and leaving him with the comforter bunched at his waist, "I should...find my clothes."

"What's wrong?" He called after you when you reached the door, "Did I say something?"

"Just..." You spun to face him with a forced smile, smoothing down your hair, and raised your eyebrows as he sat up with his arms stretched out in front of him, "'m not sure I have food around, let me check."

"We could order in," He glanced over at the clock, "Or go get brunch, it's still early, what time is your shift tonight?"

You carefully approached the bed, getting to the middle of the room before his puppy dog eyes stopped you short.

"James, look, last night was great but..."

"Oh, you gotta be kidding me," He huffed, looking away as the realization set in, his smile dropping, and then he looked back at you in disbelief, "You're serious?"

"Sorry," You grimaced apologetically, "I just don't do the whole breakfast thing or even the staying the night thing." You rushed out the last part in a mumble and somehow, he caught it.

"So, you just do one-night stands?" He wondered out loud, no judgement laced in his tone, but clearly, he was disappointed, and you gave a fraction of a nod, not meeting his eyes, "And what do the people you take to bed think about all this?"

"They usually get it." You told him honestly, meeting his eyes, and he took a deep breath, clenching his jaw as his eyes set hard on you.

"Well, guess you screwed the wrong guy last night," He snap halfheartedly, ripping the covers off and getting out of the bed in only his boxers before he walked past you with a grunt, "I'm stealing a toothbrush, and you owe me breakfast – think last night earned me that."

"Oh, like you did all the work or something?" You yelled back pettily before he slammed the bathroom door closed.

It was true, you didn't have much food in the house. In the fridge was a half empty carton of almond milk, a lime, and a lunchable. In the cupboards there was hardly two bowls worth of coco pops and a box of stale crackers. Other than that, there was vodka in the freezer and a banana on the counter.

So, you usually ate out and were overdue for a shop. Alex usually took care of the shopping, and they weren't going to be back for another few hours when you were expected at work for an inventory delivery.

Did this matter to the scruffy blue eyed stubborn asshole? No. No, it did not.

He plopped down with a grumble after hastily pouring you both some cereal and manhandling you a bit roughly to sit down across from him at the island. He sloppily cut up the banana and evenly split it between your bowls.

While he was in the bathroom, you had slipped on some grey sweatpants and a white cropped tank top before he switched places so you could wash up and he could change into what he had on last night.

He glared at you the whole time he shoveled the cereal into his mouth aggressively and you pointedly ignored him on principle. Hell, he was lucky you didn't call the cops or the bar's bouncer, Carl, to kick his ass for this. He was using his metal hand to eat while his other rested on the island's surface and your eyes fell onto the silver of his fingers as they moved, letting yourself trail up to where it disappeared underneath his short sleeve that had been hidden beneath his jacket when you first met early last night.

"I like plums." He told you gruffly and your eyes snapped to his face.

"What?"

"Bananas aren't my first choice of fruit," He explained as if that was what confused you, your eyebrows furrowing as he continued, "I cry," He paused to glare at you again when you met his eyes at the confession before he continued, "When I watch romantic comedies, I like art – paintings mostly, my best friend's name is Sam, and last night was one of the best nights I've ever had," You cocked an eyebrow at that, "Sleep and..." He trailed off, giving you a slow once over from where you sat as he grew a bit flustered with last night's memories, mumbling to himself, "Otherwise."

"I don't-"

"I like sunny days, but the snow is nice," He continued and you just watched him, still confused as to what he was doing, "I have nightmares, but that's a whole thing, I prefer cats over dogs, wool is too itchy for my skin, it bothers me," He shook his head with a disgusted frown like he was remembering the material rubbing him the wrong way – literally, "I've read the Hobbit and I like Lord of the Rings, I like Belushi – he's funny, I like swing music and jazz, and yes," He eyed you warily, "I'm a Pisces."

He went right back to eating his cereal as you just sat there gaping at him.

"What was all that?" You managed to ask a long moment later and he was still frowning, but he looked plain pissed now.

"It's called getting to know someone," He vaguely gestured to you, "Maybe you should give it a try sometime before you kick the next person out of bed when all they were trying to do last night was build up the courage to ask the cute bartender out all week and were just so," He spit the word venomously, "Happy that she finally noticed them."

You were speechless.

But it didn't seem to matter because with an eye roll, he got up, grabbed the rest of his stuff, and left without another word. The slam of your front door made you jump, snapping you back to reality with a jolt.

What the fuck just happened?