Jarrod awoke to the dim light coming from the top of the stairwell. He sat up, and as his eyes adjusted to the dark room, he found himself in a huge bed with two bodies next to him, sound asleep.
He recognized Caleb’s shock of white hair on the opposite side of the mattress. Between them, a muscular man with a red-bearded face lay on his back.
Gareth, he thought. He wanted to stroke the red beard and chest, but feared awakening him.
He saw that the space between Caleb and Gareth was just wide enough for him to squeeze into. Taking caution not to wake either bear, Jarrod crawled between them and spooned with Caleb, nestling his nose into the man’s spine.
The white bear stirred in his sleep, settling against Jarrod’s body, but did not wake up.
Jarrod dozed off and on several times befor
