Worlds Apart

Chapter Twenty Three

“Are you awake?”

Although it was probably pretty clear that I was just that, I kept my mouth soundly shut. And with all the theatrics that were just waiting to be freed I made sure my breathing was deep and loud. One thing was in my favour, though, I had my cheek pressed against the pillow and was facing in the opposite direction.

“Jude?”

The sound of my name just made me squeeze my eyes shut with more ferocity. That was where I lost it, who did that in their sleep?

I would have liked nothing more than have to fallen back asleep. The night before was a long one and some recovery time would have been appreciated. There wasn’t a headache pounding behind my eyelids quite yet, which only lead me to the sensible conclusion that I was still rather intoxicated. In my mind’s eye I could see the bottles that had lined our dressing room while we’d been waiting for The Bends to finish their set, and then we’d all made our way to some party where not only the alcohol was free but everything else you could ask for. My nose was still burning from it, and I could taste all sorts on the tip of my tongue.

And knowing the fact that I hadn’t fallen into a cab until people were beginning their morning commutes made me certain I couldn’t get away scot free. The hangover I deserved was just waiting for a time to pounce.

So I would have very much liked to sleep through it. We didn’t even have a show tonight; I could just sleep until tomorrow morning. It was possible. I’d spent the last forty eight hours strung out on all sorts to keep me going, it was about time for the inventible crash that was coming.

I could be comatose in a hotel room for the next day, wouldn’t that be nice? Well, being in my own room would have been helpful.

All those thoughts were whisked away quite quickly, though, when the blankets I’d been huddled underneath twitched at the same time that the bed gave a groan from movement. Unconsciously my eyebrow twitched upwards, what was he up to?

That was answered rather promptly when I felt a hand slip underneath the baggy shirt I was wearing, skimming up my side casually. I had to grit my teeth to stop my treacherous body from rolling over to him immediately. I was supposed to be sleeping, wasn’t I? It didn’t matter what he did.

And I kept that mindset when he scooted against me, brushing my tangled hair away from my neck while I felt something specific press against the small of my back. I was barely able to keep my mouth shut at that point, the temptation to make some sarcastic comment almost too much to resist. Someone had woken up rearing to go, hadn’t he? I wasn’t sure if I should take that as a compliment or just put it down to being a male in his twenties.

However all that work was ruined when he pressed a kiss to my neck, and I instantly shivered against him. That just proved all his suspicions right. I could feel the lips against my skin curve into a grin. In revenge, I shifted, ready to send an elbow straight into his gut. However that action was cut off when his teeth nipped lightly at the skin and then he kissed it again lightly as if soothing the bite. And I couldn’t manage to grit my teeth enough to catch the moan that escaped.

“I thought you were asleep,” murmured Cam with his lips brushing against me, his lowered voice creating ripples over my skin.

This time I gave a theatrically bored groan as I rolled over, attempting to push him back as I did so. However it appeared Cam had been waiting just for that opportunity when I moved, because he smoothly rolled over me, continuing a rather bruising assault across my neck and collar bone.

It took me a moment of great concentration to be able to speak when he was doing that, and even then my voice came out breathless. “I should be sleeping,” I reminded him, keeping the sentence short. It was a good thing or else I would have let myself down by letting out another moan when he moved, pressing his hips up against mine as if to prove me wrong. I had to bite the inside of my mouth to keep from making a noise.