Reality || L.H.

Chapter 32

When I wake up, Luke's still asleep. I lean over and fix the blankets over him, smiling to myself as I carefully slide out of bed and walk into the hallway. Ashton's banging around the kitchen, making something that I was pretty sure was pancakes, while Calum sits on his phone at the table. Michael's probably still asleep. Sometimes he sleeps so long that I wonder if he's still alive.

I ruffle Cal's hair as I take a seat beside him. "Who you texting? A girl?" I tease.

"Yeah," he shoots back, "my mom. She wants to know if I'm still alive since she actually believes I'm dumb enough to walk home when it's snowing so much."

"So do the rest of us," Ash mutters as he stirs whatever he's making in a bowl. He has flour in his hair, turning his curls powder white. If he knows that it's there, he doesn't care.

Calum flips him off, scowling.

"How's Luke?" Ashton asks, ignoring Calum. He throws a few of the measuring cups he's not using into the sink where it joins the dishes from last night I didn't clean up. There was too much going on to remember to clean up the mess from mac and cheese.

I trace the edge of the table with a finger. "He's still asleep. I didn't want to bother him."

"Aww, such a good girlfriend," Calum taunts with a smile.

I roll my eyes at him, scowling to hide the blush on my cheeks.

"I guess only Luke knows her nasty side," Michael says with a smirk as he walks into the kitchen, his red hair sticking every which way. He tries to steal some of the pancake batter from Ashton, but the other boy smacks his hand with the spatula.

"Thats for being a dirty little boy and for trying to steal my pancakes," Ash grumbles and Michael scowls as he tries to take it again.

Calum grins, flipping his phone over when it buzzes with a new text. His brown eyes light up with mischief and excitement as he turns to all of us, motioning for Ashton to stop beating Michael with the spatula. "Guys! A guy I play soccer with is throwing a keg stand tonight. Sounds like it's going to be the party of the year. Are you down to crash it like the sweet, badass little motherfuckers we are?"

I grin, but stop, biting my lip. "I don't know if Luke's going to be up for it..." I trail off uncertainly. "But you guys should go, at least. I can stay here with him."

"Going to be up for what?" Luke echoes as he walks down the hallway. He frowns as he hops up onto the counter. A little life's back in his eyes, but he still looks exhausted. He looks over at Ashton and gestures toward his own hair to tell the other boy about the flour the rest of us ignored.

I bring my legs up onto my chair and cross them, turning to face my boyfriend. "Calum's friend's throwing a party tonight and Cal wants to crash it." Seeing the look on his face, I rush to add, "But we don't have to if you don't feel up to it. You and I can stay here."

"But don't you want to go to the party too?" Luke asks softly, a crease forming between his eyebrows.

"I don't mind," I say quietly.

Michael smirks as he looks back and forth between us. "Usually this is the kind of stuff that leads to you fucking on the kitchen table. Watch out, or this conversation might turn into a fivesome."

"Wait, why are the rest of us involved in this?" Calum asks.

Mikey just grins at him. "I never miss out on hot sex, Cal."

Ashton makes a face, clapping his hands over his ears.

Luke rolls his eyes at his friends, crossing his arms over his chest. "Well I'm feeling better, so we're all going to go to that party."

"Yes!" Calum cheers, high-fiving Michael.

I frown at him. Getting to my feet, I grab the thermometer and hold it out to him. He just looks back at me. "You're not going unless you truly don't have a fever. And take a nap, because you look exhausted." I reach out to brush away a strand of his blond hair that had fallen in his eyes, looking at the dark bags hanging under his eyes.

Sighing, Luke puts the thermometer under his tongue. It beeps and he takes it back out, handing it over to me.

98.3

I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. Luke notices and his expression softens.

"Party's on?" Calum asks hopefully.

I nod, smiling at all my friends. "Party's on."

"Yes!" Calum jumps up from his chair and hugs Ashton so tightly that the other boy slaps him with the spatula to get off so he can breathe again.

My smile turns mischievous as I take another step toward Luke, sliding a hand behind his neck to bring him closer to me. "And as for you," I say in a low voice, "now that you don't have a fever, I can think of a few ways to pass the time."

"Aaand here we go," Michael says, leaning back to watch the show.

Luke flips him off as his mouth crashes against mine, his hands tangling in my hair. I press him up against the counter, smirking as I run my tongue along the seam of his lips. He opens them for me and pulls me closer to him. I groan as he gently bites my lower lip, backing him up until there's no way we can physically be any closer. It's still not enough. I will never be able to get enough of him.

"Oh, they got the tongues into it," Michael's voice says.

I want to chuck a pillow at his face to shut him up, but I don't want to stop kissing Luke. I don't think I can stop kissing Luke.

"Watch out, Cal, they might need the table," Mikey jokes.

Luke pushes off from the counter and I immediately know what he wants. I jump up and wrap my legs around his waist. Probably just to spite Michael, Luke stumbles toward the table and lays me down on top of it, still kissing me like he needs it to live.

"Oh my god, I think they really are about to fuck on the kitchen table," Calum mutters, getting up from his chair.

One of Luke's long fingers slips into the waistband of my pants, his skin warm against mine. I clutch him closer, needing more.

"There goes my innocence," Ashton mutters.

Calum shields his eyes with a hand. "Can you please go in another room? We kinda need this one to cook pancakes. I'm really hungry, guys, don't make me starve just because Michael's an asshole."

"Hey!" Michael exclaims.

"No swearing!" Ashton complains.

I break away from Luke with some difficulty, breathing hard. "Let's go," I murmur in his ear. He nods and moves to let me get up. I lock eyes with Ashton. "Those better be good pancakes, Irwin. I want some when we come back."

"Oh, trust me, you won't be hungry anymore," Michael says, winking at me. "Luke's more than big enough."

Now it's my turn to flip him off as we close the door behind us.