Damien
Her fingers are still cold under my hoodie.
Her breath is warm on my neck.
She smells like strawberries and overpriced perfume she probably stole from her mother's collection, and I should move. I should.
But I don't.
Instead, I let her stay. Let her talk. Let her complain about law professors and being "cruelly awakened before dawn." Let her wrap herself around me like this is normal.
Maybe it is now.
My phone buzzes on the nightstand.
I lean over — careful not to dislodge the human octopus attached to me — and glance at the screen.
Luca:
bro tell ur girl to stop killing boysone of the med guys saw her yesterday n was like "she's so hot I'd marry her"might start a line at this point lol
I stare at the message.
Not because it's surprising. I mean, look at her.
She's beautiful. Ridiculously so. That type of pretty that makes other people nervous. Messy hair, sleepy eyes, in my hoodie — she looks like a dream with opinions.
But reading that?
Your girl.
One of the med guys.
I don't know why I clench my jaw.
She notices.
"What?" she mumbles, lifting her head just enough to look at me.
"Nothing."
"You sure?" She tilts her head. "You're doing the tight-jaw silent thing. You only do that when you're annoyed or pretending not to be annoyed."
I glance at her.
She blinks. Then gasps. "Oh my god. You are annoyed."
"I'm not."
"Did I steal your wrap? I knew it looked too meaty."
"Viv."
"Okay, okay, sorry, don't go into cardiac arrest." She rolls back half an inch, dramatically holding up her hands. "No need for violence."
I roll my eyes but text Luca back.
Me:
tell him to shut upand tell him she's not his type
I lock the phone and throw it onto the nightstand.
She's still watching me, lips twitching like she knows. "Was it something dumb Luca said?"
"Isn't it always?"
She smiles. Leans back in like I'm gravity. "You're grumpy."
"And you're clingy."
"And yet," she purrs, "you're not pushing me away."
Unfortunately, she's right.
Again.
I let her tuck herself back into my side. Let her fingers curl around the hem of my hoodie again. Let her stay.
And I stare at the ceiling.
Totally not jealous.
Just… aware.
Painfully aware.