Breaking Boundaries (5th in Breaking Series)

Chapter Ten

Chapter Ten

'Drip drop. Drip drop. Drip drop.'

The steady sound of a hard falling rain roused Nick from his deep sleep. He squeezed his eyes shut tighter against the pain in his pounding head and moaned when his stomach churned. Swallowing hard against the nausea Nick struggled to remember where he was without opening his eyes.

The scent of soap filled his nostrils as he pulled the warm body he was wrapped around closer to him and hair teased his nose.

Warm body? Hair? Teasing?

Nick's eyes flew open and then he squeezed them shut once again, this time fighting against more than pain and nausea. This time he was fighting against regret.

Wrapped tight in his arms, feeling as if his warm body had been made to be nestled right against Nick's hard chest, was Aiden. What the hell had happened last night?

Quickly Nick cracked one eyelid just long enough to ensure that both of them were dressed and he breathed a quick sigh of relief at the sight of their fully clothed bodies. Lord knew he wanted Aiden but not like that... not when he couldn't remember a damn thing this morning.

Thunder rumbled in the distance and Aiden whimpered, his voice muffled against Nick's chest. Was he afraid of storms? A small smile curled Nick's lips and he held the other man a big tighter.

Nick has spent so long; six lonely years, keeping everyone around him at arms-length and building up the walls around his heart. He had never once believed that anyone would come along to chip away at those defenses and yet slowly but surely Aiden was doing just that.

Nick wondered what had happened last night to end with him here in Aiden's bed but he was glad for it. Holding this man in his arms was the best sensation that Nick had felt in a long time.

Aiden mumbled incoherently in his sleep and snuggled closer to Nick, his hand brushing against Nick's hip. Nick's pulse kicked up to a faster rhythm and began pounding against his ribs so roughly that he worried it would cause Aiden to wake up.

Nick glanced down and saw that a lock of Aiden's shaggy brown hair had fallen across his face. Slowly, tenderly, Nick raised his hand and gently moved the stray hair away from Aiden's cheek. He took the time to caress Aiden's freshly shaved skin with his knuckles. His skin was soft and smooth beneath his touch.

"Nick?" Aiden whispered, never opening his eyes.

Instantly Nick stiffened as unease and nervousness settled into his gut. He was vulnerable just now—too vulnerable. The last time he had laid in a bed like this with a man, a posse had kicked their door down and dragged them both away. Nick couldn't go through that again—he wouldn't.

"Aiden," he ground out tensely as his headache intensified. "What am I doing in your bed?"

"You were drunk," Aiden replied quickly, his eyes still closed. He raised a hand and began to rub it against Nick's chest as if it was the most natural thing in the world to be caressing him. "You passed out."

"And your response to that was to curl up to me like a damned woman?" Nick grumbled as he shoved Aiden off of himself and stood quickly. Too quickly. His head swam, his legs wobbled and his stomach churned. He nearly fell and reached out for the footboard of the bed.

Nick was surprised when Aiden was out of the bed in a flash and helping to hold him up, "You should probably sit back down, Nick," Aiden warned, his voice tight and quiet.

Nick did as he said and then glanced at Aiden from the corner of his eye as the other man slid his feet into his boots. "Where are you going?" Nick asked.