Page 33 of The Riley Effect

“Well, I can’t stay here. You saw what Aaron was doing on that couch.” I point to it for emphasis.

“Sleep in my bed. I don’t mind taking the couch.”

“Are you sure? I’ll need something to sleep in.” Like that is going to change his mind

“I think we can find something that will work,” he smirks.

Jalen wraps my hand in his much larger one and guides me to his bedroom. I sit on his bed as he goes through his drawers, looking for something I can wear.

“Shorts or pants?” he has one in each hand as asks me the question.

“Shorts would be amazing.” I’m not short by any means, but I’d be absolutely swimming in any pair of Jalen’s sweatpants I put on.

He hands me the clothes before telling me, “Indy has a bunch of stuff in the bathroom downstairs if you want to go use any of it.”

Thank god my best friend is dating Jalen’s roommate. Looking like a clown with mascara running down my face in the morning wouldn’t be ideal.

The downstairs bathroom is every drunk girl’s paradise, with everything you need to get ready for bed quickly. Indy hasmakeup wipes, facewash, and a new toothbrush organized in a basket under the sink.

When I finish brushing my teeth, I make a mental note to thank Indy for ensuring my face doesn’t end up all over Jalen’s pillows and promise her I’ll refill the basket.

One more look in the mirror shows the face of a girl who is nervous. Those nerves turn into embarrassment, remembering that Jalen had to come into the girl’s bathroom to console me. I audibly tell her, “Don’t overthink tonight. Just enjoy the rest of the night.” I’ve enjoyed almost every second I’ve spent with Jalen since that first date. He has been so patient with me, and once I realized I had read the situation with Claire completely wrong, he didn’t allow me to dwell on it. The rest of the night, he was glued to my side when he could have been with his friends. By placing a hand on my hip. Pulling me into his side. Sliding his hand into mine. Everyone at that bar knew I was the girl he wanted to be with.

The confidence I tricked myself into believing I possessed in the bathroom is gone when I reach Jalen’s doorway. Even with his back turned to me, I can tell the man in front of me was sculpted by the gods. I take in his broad shoulders and how his gray sweatpants sit loosely on his hips. After taking a moment to gather myself, I walk into the room and set my neatly folded clothes on the desk against the same wall as his door.

“Thanks for the clothes,” I say softly, unsure if he knows I’m back in the room.

“It’s no big deal. I’m just happy you agreed to stay.” His sincere words have me blushing.

He moves toward his bed, grabbing a blanket and pillow to bring downstairs. When he turns, I realize that for the first time, I’m getting to see the full exhibit of artwork permanently etched on his chest. The piece covers his entire upper body, flowing over both shoulders and down his forearms. His collection of tattoosis far more expansive than I realized. I’ve always loved tattoos because they give you a glimpse into people’s stories, telling you bits and pieces you might not know otherwise.

“I feel bad kicking you out of your room.” I start picking at a loose string on Jalen’s shorts.

Jalen runs his calloused hands down my forearms until I look up at him. “I pushed you to stay, so the least I can do is give you somewhere comfortable to sleep.”

“I normally don’t fall asleep right away. Do you want to watch a movie up here with me?” I don’t know who gave the question permission to leave my lips, but there is no taking them back now.

“Yeah, I’d love that,” Jalen says, not needing any time to think it over.

Jalen may not have hesitated when I asked him to stay, but he is now sitting on the far end of the bed against the wall, leaving plenty of space between us.

“Anything you’re in the mood to watch?” A still shirtless Jalen asks, scrolling through the streaming catalog.

It takes a minute, but when it flashes on the screen, I know what we’re going to watch. “Can we watch Grease?”

“You really like musicals,” he states matter-of-factly.

“My sister and I have watched them together for as long as I can remember. We still try to have a movie night once a month,” I tell him as I pull the blanket he was going to take downstairs up my body. “I love it because now her kids watch them with us.” I smile, thinking about Caleb singing along to the one we watched last week.

Jalen settles into his corner of the bed, and he slides underneath his navy blue comforter, the bedspread of college-aged guys everywhere, and makes himself comfortable. It’s a little weird that he couldn’t keep his hands off me at the bar,and now we are sitting on his bed under two different layers of blankets.

It’s not until I look at my phone that I realize we are twenty minutes into the movie, and I haven’t watched a single second. Instead, I am hyperfocused on the man bopping his head along to every song.

“Have you seen this before?” I ask as Rydell High’s annual prep rally starts.

He shakes his head but keeps his eyes on the screen. As this six-foot-five future NHL lottery pick watches this movie with virgin eyes, I feel bad for all the other girls he’s been with who never saw this side of him. The sweet and caring side that followed me into the girl’s bathroom. The one that ever judged me for not asking him if there was anything going on between him and Claire before I reacted. I’m not sure what’s going on between us, but I do know at this moment, there is nowhere else I want to be.

I adjust the pillow behind me, giving me an excuse to move closer to Jalen. Taking the bait, he lays his arm around me, giving me the perfect nook to relax into. If he cares that I impeded his personal space, he draws no attention to it. I turn my body into him to rest my head on his shoulder and snuggle into his side, enjoying one of my comfort movies in Jalen’s arms.

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