WHERE TO NOW? (M/M) 18+

Chapter 43

When Silence Speaks

I woke slowly, the weight of sleep clinging to me like a heavy fog, thick and unshakable. My limbs were tangled in sheets that felt unnaturally warm, like they'd absorbed the restless heat of my dreams. My body resisted the pull of consciousness, craving the comfort of oblivion, but something was wrong.

A faint pressure tugged at the hem of my shirt, foreign and invasive, the sensation snapping me further awake. My body tensed, confusion bleeding into unease. Then I felt it—a hand on my thigh, warm and deliberate.

Dread seeped into my stomach like ice water, chilling me to my core. My breaths came shallow and quiet as I forced my body to remain still, my mind racing.

I blinked slowly, carefully, the light behind my closed eyelids burning an angry red. My lashes parted just enough to take in the scene, though my vision blurred with the sharp sting of sunlight. All I could make out was the outline of a figure, looming too close, their presence heavy and suffocating.

Adrenaline kicked in like I'd just chugged a triple shot of espresso, and my muscles coiled tighter than my grandmother's grip on her bingo winnings. Without thinking, my hand flew out.

Thwack! It connected right with their throat—solid as a rock!

They let out a strangled choke as they doubled over, clutching their neck like they'd just bitten into the world's spiciest jalapeño. A raspy cough escaped, and honestly, I was quite impressed by how hard I'd managed to karate chop someone without being able to actually see.

I scrambled upright, my heart pounding as I prepared for whatever came next. But as the sun shifted and my vision cleared, I froze.

Brown hair, tousled and familiar, framed a face I recognized immediately. Stubble dusted his jaw, and his features twisted between pain and something I couldn't quite place.

"Oh my god," I gasped, panic flaring hot through my chest. I lunged forward, gripping Damien's shoulder like it would somehow un-punch his throat. "I'm so sorry!"

He held up a hand to stop me, still trying to catch his breath, his expression caught between pain and sheer disbelief. "Well," he rasped, his voice hoarse, "I was going to ask if you wanted coffee, but maybe I should just stick to notes from now on."

Guilt hit me like a tidal wave, sharp and unrelenting. I shuffled closer, my hands flailing like I was trying to fan away the damage as I scrambled to figure out how to fix what I'd just done. "I thought you were someone else—an intruder!" I stammered.

He coughed, straightening slightly as his head swung to look at me. When his eyes finally met mine, they weren't angry like I'd expected. Instead, they glinted with something else entirely—amusement, disbelief, and, much to my confusion, maybe even a hint of admiration. An almost-smile played on his lips as he rasped, "Well, that's one way to stop an intruder," he said. "Although I have a feeling you've been wanting to do that for a while now."

Before I could even think of a response, his hand dropped, his lips curved into a smirk, and he leaned in closer, his voice dropping lower slightly.

"But the next time you go for my throat.' His gaze softly flicked down to my lips. "Don't rush it."

Heat shot through me like a spark catching dry kindling, a slow-burning fire that licked up my spine. My breath caught, my pulse hammering so hard I swore he could feel it from where he sat.

His voice, still rough and gravelly, carried a teasing lilt beneath the hoarseness that sent heat climbing up my neck, intensifying my embarrassment.

I stared at him, speechless, mortified—and yet, something in me twisted at the way he said it, at the weight behind his words. Images flashed unbidden, searing themselves into my mind. My fingers curling around the base of his throat, feeling the flex of muscle beneath my touch. His head tipping back, lips parting in a quiet exhale. His hands firm on my hips, guiding me, dragging me down onto him, over and over, until I couldn't think of anything but the heat of him, the length, the way his breath hitched every time I moved just right.