Shawn’s gaze snapped to him. There was no way in hell he could do it in one day.
“Good idea,” Bates said. “One day, Wyatt.”
“But—”
Bates glared at him. “One day.”
Pursing his lips, Shawn nodded and left.
His feet brought him to Rutledge’s office. The door was unlocked, and he let himself in.
Shawn leaned his hip against the desk and stuffed his hands into his pockets.
He didn’t have to wait for long.
Rutledge didn’t look surprised to see him, but he seemed busy, carrying a stack of papers.
“You shouldn’t have done it,” Shawn said. “There’s no way I can get it done by tomorrow.”
“Why?” Rutledge put the papers on the desk and took his seat.
Shawn shrugged, looking at his boots. “I’m dumb.”
“You’re a scholarship student.”
Shawn’s lips twisted. “Yeah. I used to think I’m pretty smart, but… but I’m not. Most of the stuff Bates and you teach goes right over my head. One minute I think I understand thermodynamics, the next, I have no fucking clue what’s happening. I really must be dumb.” Shawn gripped the edge of the desk. “I feel like such a loser sometimes, you know? I can’t find a decent-paying job, I can’t buy the girls the things they need, and now this. I feel so useless and stupid, and—I just—I just… Never mind.”
There was a long silence.
He felt Rutledge’s gaze on the back of his head.
“I’m no good at comforting people,” Rutledge said, irritably.
Shawn turned to him and forced a small smile out. “It’s okay. I’m surprised you haven’t kicked me out yet.”
Rutledge’s lips thinned. He had a very sour expression on his face. “Come here.”
Shawn had never moved so fast in his life.
He climbed into Rutledge’s lap, put his head on his shoulder and closed his eyes. Rutledge’s strong arms tightened around him, and Shawn sighed in pleasure. It felt so good. Just what he needed. It scared him—that he needed this—but he did. It almost felt better than sex.
“You’re going soft, Professor,” he murmured with a smile, breathing his scent in. It was familiar and oddly comforting.
“Shut up, Wyatt,” Rutledge said, sounding even more annoyed, if that was possible.
Shawn brushed his lips against his neck. “Fine. You’re very evil and nasty.” He nuzzled into Derek’s neck. “Five minutes. Then you can kick me out and we’ll pretend it never happened.”
Rutledge sighed. “Show me the assignment.”
Shawn’s mouth fell open. He lifted his head and stared at Rutledge. “Really?”
“I won’t do it for you,” Rutledge said, fixing him with a glare. “But I’ll explain what you don’t understand.”
Shawn beamed and kissed him.
Chapter 20
Usually Shawn was a light sleeper.
But when the door to his room creaked open that night, Shawn had trouble waking up, his mind groggy. He burrowed deeper into Rutledge’s warm shoulder, his hands tightening around Rutledge’s arm.
The voices seemed to be coming from far away.
“Your brother is asleep,” Rutledge said. “Go back to bed.”
“But I had a bad dream! I’m scared. Shawn always hugs me when I’m scared!” It was Emily.
Shawn tried to open his eyes. It didn’t work.
“Emily,” Rutledge said sternly. “You’re a smart little girl. You can’t sleep with Shawn because the bed is too small for the three of us.”
“I’ll sleep with Shawn. You can go sleep with Bee!”
Rutledge chuckled. “I don’t think I’ll fit in your bed, midget.”
Emily pondered it. “I can sleep on you. You’re big, and Shawn likes to sleep on you.”
Shawn certainly did, though he was disturbed that Emily knew that.
“You can’t sleep on me.”
“Why?”
“Because—because… Fine,” Rutledge bit out at last, to Shawn’s surprise.
Squealing in delight, Emily climbed onto the bed and onto Rutledge’s chest.
“You’re very warm,” she said, yawning.
He really was. The room was very cold, but Derek was very warm. So warm.
“Sleep. And don’t pee on me,” Rutledge grumbled.
“I’m not a baby. I’m big. I don’t pee in bed!”
“Good. Now sleep.”
“You have funny hair on your chest. Shawn doesn’t have funny hair on his chest. Why?”
That gave Rutledge pause. “Sleep.”
“You don’t like me,” Emily mumbled. “You like Bee better.”
A heavy sigh. “Why do you think I like her better?”
“You gave her chocolate yesterday!”
Shawn frowned. Huh?
“Because she asked. You have to ask if you want something.”
“So if I ask, you’ll give me anything? Anything, anything?”
“If I say yes, will you stop talking and sleep?”
“Yeah!”
“Fine. What do you want?”
“I want a puppy! Black and fluffy! With a white star on its forehead!”
A pause. “Choose something else.”
“But you said anything!”
Shawn drifted back to sleep, still smiling.
* * *
“So,” Christian said, leaning back and rocking in his chair a bit. “What’s going on with you and Rutledge?”
Shawn looked up from his plate at him. “Huh?”
Christian laughed softly. “Come on. I’m not blind. It’s been going on for weeks. I thought you’d get sick of him by now, but you still look totally fucked out most of the time—”
“I don’t.”
Christian gave him a flat look.