Only Gay For You. (Book one of the Midnight In Rome series)

Part 3

Aspen

"How did your band meeting go?" I asked trying to distract myself from the strong body spray and lingering cigarette smell that now surrounded me in the car.

"Yeah, it went well we have a show tomorrow night if you want to come?" he says and I feel his eyes burning into me. 

"oh, where?" I ask my stomach doing a little flutter for a reason I don't understand. 

"Just a little bar down by the beach, it's got like a maximum occupancy of 100 people."

"well if my mum agrees I'm sure I could come, do you need a lift there or?" I ask feeling silly for asking but wanting to make sure he wasn't just inviting me so he could get a lift.

"no, I ride with another band member, thanks though," he says with a genuine smile and what seems like excitement in his voice. 

I'm surprised to find I'm a little disappointed that he doesn't need a ride from me, but then I don't know why I expected he would, I'd seen his friend pull up in the van plenty of times before. 

"Okay yeah, I would love to come, what time?" I say beginning to regret the fact that we are almost pulling into my driveway.

"If I can have your phone number I will text you all the details," he says as my heart picks up speed.

"sure just got to get the damn thing out my pocket give me a sec," I say as we pull onto the drive, we both notice his mom's car isn't there. 

"Shit" he mumbles under his breath. 

"What's up?" I ask hearing his curse. 

"I forgot my keys this morning" as he says this his phone buzzes 

"Ahhh fuck she's still at the garage and will be another hour or two." 

"You can hang at mine till she's back if you'd like?" I say My mouth going dry, but I manage to fumble out.

"Are you sure? that would be awesome?" he says as we climb out and he looks confused for a second as I hand him my phone to add his number.

"yeah no problem, just text yourself when you added it," I say as he fumbles with the device before his phone pings and he hands it back to me, it shocks me for a sec he added his name as 'Nico xx' in my contacts but maybe that's just how he adds his number in everyone's phone. 

"there, all saved, hey uh... I don't want to come across as strange or anything but I kind of worked up a sweat at the band meeting earlier, I don't suppose I could hop in the shower could I?"

"oh yeah no problem, you will have to use the bathroom in a mine or my mom's room though as the downstairs one needs repairing," I say with a blush creeping into my cheeks. 

"I have a spare vest top to throw on after and I think I best use yours it's impolite to enter a ladies' bedroom without permission," he says with a smirk and my stomach drops I thought we would just hang out on the couch, now we were going up to my room. 

a dangerous idea forms in my mind and the words escape my lips before I can stop them, 

"Want me to put your clothes through a quick wash? No point putting dirty ones back on, I have a robe or something you can borrow"

"you mean a dressing gown? yeah sure if you don't mind, not sure about my underwear though," he says with another dangerous smirk but again my mouth acts on its own again.

"Might as well throw it all in" I responded regretting it instantly. 

"if your sure, lead the way," he says gesturing for him to show him where to go, when I hesitate he walks up the stairs in front of me, that same smirk on his face as he makes a beeline for my room. It doesn't even cross my mind as to how he knows where my room is.

"your layout is the same as mine," he says in explanation as he walks over to my window.

"Christ, you can see a lot of my room! I really should remember to shut the curtains," he says and I blush more. 

"I realised that was your room, to be honest, I'm sitting at my desk a lot so my back is to the window," I say dismissively as I rummage through my wardrobe and find my biggest robe since Nico is both taller and broader shouldered than me.

when I turn Nico is pulling his shirt over his head, those abs that seem so familiar tempting me to touch but I resist and swallow thickly, I have to picture other things in my mind, as once again things start to stir in my pants and I'm mortified that he might notice, I hold out the dressing gown in front of me offering it to him.

"I think this will fit, if you want to change in the bathroom and just drop me your clothes out i will throw them straight in the laundry," I say, Part of me wishes he'd finish undressing in front of me and I'm so confused about the feelings I'm having about him.

"Thanks," he says with a smirk walking into the bathroom, a few seconds later his hand comes around the door and drops a pile of clothes, I scoop them up quickly, they smell like nicotine, body spray and the delicious musky undertone of him, I don't let myself focus on that though as I rush them to the laundry room and throw them in with a few of my t-shirts. 

When I return to my room, I notice he hasn't fully shut the door to the en-suite and I can hear him under the water, lathering up with one of my soaps, I resist temptation by clicking the door shut and sitting down at my desk, a few minutes later the water shuts off and he walks in the room, I turn my head and have to swallow heavily, my robe barely covers half his thighs and he is towel drying his hair like I watched him do many times when he looks up his eyeliner is a little smudged on his cheeks but if anything it looks more delicious on him, I look away quickly confused and conflicted by my own thoughts but very glad my now restricted crotch was securely under my desk. 

He plonks down on my bed and I'm sure if I turn around now, everything will be on display, I suddenly feel jealous of my own bed for having him bare on top of it, I quickly flip open my textbook to make a start on my homework, glad to have something else to focus on. 

"You know, you're pretty cool Aspen, not many people would show this kindness to a near-complete stranger."Blushing, but keeping my back to him I reply 

"Well you are my neighbour and our moms are friends, so I don't think it's too strange," I said glancing up at my desk and quickly regretting it as my small desk mirror decides to leave nothing to my imagination and show me a glimpse the full platter on display if I was to turn around and suddenly my mouth was watering for reasons I could not explain or comprehend.

He's sat with his legs partly opened on my bed, and if it weren't for the shadow cast from the gown, I'm sure I'd be seeing everything right now.I know my face must have gone bright red, it feels so hot and I swallow thickly, all the moisture seems to have left my throat.

"Everything okay over there?" he asks looking concerned and I quickly turn the mirror slightly hoping he doesn't notice.