Page 48 of I Wanna Text You Up

“What did you think I was sleeping on?” he asks. “Honestly I figured you’d be in here snooping around with me gone all thetime.”

“To do what? Read your oh-so-enticing comicbooks?”

“Are you hating on my epiccollection?”

“Never.” He huffs out a sound that tells me he doesn’t believe me. “Okay, maybe a little. I figured you had an air mattress orsomething.”

“Nope. Just me, my blankets, and mypillow.”

“Why don’t you come sleep with me? I’m not going to be able to sleep knowing you’re on the floor in here. You’re an ass for not telling me youwere.”

“I amnotsleeping in your bed with you.” He’s quick on the decision, and I have to wonderwhy.

“Because you’re afraid you won’t be able to keep your hands toyourself?”

“Yes.”

I lift myself up until I can see into his eyes. “Are youserious?”

He peers back at me with a serious stare, unblinking. “Yes.”

I simply nod and return to my previous position, head resting on his shoulder, our lower halves wrappedtogether.

We don’t talk. We don’t move. We don’t overthink the position we’rein.

We lie there,together.

Because deep down, we both know there’s no denying the attraction betweenus.

And there’s no denying we can’t do anything aboutit.

Nine

“Riddle me this,roomie: it’s the first Friday night we’ve both had off since you moved in and you’re sitting on the couch…why?”

He glances away from the TV and up at me. “That’s not ariddle.”

“No, it’s not, but itisa fairquestion.”

Caleb grins, shaking his head and slouching farther into the couch. I curl my legs underneath me and take a seat, staring athim.

Moments tick by and I don’t move. Neither doeshe.

“Are you going to do that for muchlonger?”

“Do what?” I askinnocently.

“Creep onme.”

“Excuse me, I do notcreep.I…admire until I’mnoticed.”

“So youcreep.”

“Sure. We’ll go withthat.”

He aims the remote at the TV and presses pause on the episode he’s watching. He makes a show of setting the clicker on the table before settling back into the couch, turning myway.

Huffing out a sigh, he says, “What do you want,Zoe?”

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