Lost in Light Read Online Free

faded.
    ***
    I started awake with a jolt, splashing tepid water over the edge of the tub and onto the floor, startling Ansel who had been sitting in the middle of the bath mat watching me inquisitively. Pushing myself up in the bathtub I ran wrinkled fingers over my face to rub away the cobwebs clouding my mind.
    Noticing that the bath water had cooled considerably I couldn’t help wondering how long I had been dozing. Shivering I levered myself up out of the water and wrapped a large towel around myself before stooping to pull the plug. I was pleased to find that the Tylenol and warm bath had helped to ease my discomfort, just as Professor Davis had said it would.
    My cheeks flamed at the thought of my professor and the intense orgasm I had experienced while thinking of him. Quickly drying myself off I brushed my teeth, and feeling rather naughty dropped my towel into the dirty laundry hamper and sauntered into my bedroom naked.
    Ansel, already sitting on the end of my bed, gave me a disapproving look as I strolled into my room.
    “Don’t judge me, Ansel. I’ve seen you lick your ass a thousand times,” I groused, though his look made me feel foolish and spurred me to dig a pair of sleep shorts and a tank top out of my dresser. Ignoring me he extended a leg towards to the ceiling and began to slowly wash himself.
    Turning off my lamp I slid between the sheets, snuggling down into the bed, my limbs feeling heavy and loose with the afterglow of my bath and orgasm. Moments later I felt Ansel lay down beside me, a warm purring mass of comfort against my hip as I slipped down into dreams of cool green eyes and long chestnut hair.

Chapter Three
    Sunlight streamed far too early and bright into my bedroom as Liam flounced into the room and whipped the curtains open. Both Ansel and I moaned in protest and burrowed deeper into the blankets to escape my overenthusiastic roommate.
    “Wakey, wakey, eggs and bakey,” Liam chirped in a voice that made me groan all the more and bury my head under a pillow. He flopped down on the bed beside me, narrowly avoiding jabbing me in the ribs with his elbow, and Ansel went careening out of the room hissing and spitting his displeasure. I sighed in resignation when he laid his head on my shoulder and began playfully tugging at the ends of my hair, all the while singing my name over and over again in sickly sweet tones.
    “Give me a break, Liam, its Saturday.”
    Emerging from the soothing darkness beneath my pillow I frowned at his wide smile and rolled my eyes.
    “Why aren’t you still shacked up with Patrick?” I asked gruffly while trying to smooth down my sleep tangled hair.
    “He’s working the opening shift,” he said with an exaggerated pout as he plucked at a loose thread on my comforter. “So, I decided to come home and spend some time with my bestie!” he added with a brilliant smile that, despite my best efforts, brought a slightly dimmer, but no less genuine smile to my lips.
    Spying my less than enthusiastic response, his eyes narrowed in suspicion.
    Damn his inquisitive nature.
    Redoubling my efforts to appear calm and collected I turned up the wattage of my smile another couple of notches, though his deepening frown told me that I had achieved a maniacal grimace rather than a convincing smile.
    “What happened?” he asked his voice full of concern.
    “Happened?” I parroted back at him. “Nothing, I’m fine.”
    Rather than responding to my obvious lie he continued to look at me with his liquid chocolate eyes. I felt my resolve wilting under his gaze.
    “Jake and I broke up,” I said in a fair facsimile of nonchalance.
    “Oh Rache, I’m so sorry. You should’ve called me, I would’ve come straight home!” he said as he threw his arms around me in a commiserating hug.
    “It’s not a big deal,” I shrugged, hoping my apparent indifference would bring an end to the subject, though I felt the familiar sting of tears in my eyes.
    “This calls for coffee!”