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I shake my head, frowning as I study him. “So, that little quip you made before ... about helping me out in the bedroom. That was more than just a careless joke, wasn’t it?”
“It was . . . a valid offer. But it came out too quickly, before I could really think about what it all meant. How best to say it. So yeah, I’ve dreamed about what it might be like with you. How it’d feel to have it all. And that includes us sleeping together. But I never wanted it to be just a hookup. I just . . . I don’t know, I was willing to have you in whatever way you wanted.”
“I get it. And I only jumped down your throat because of the same reasons. I didn’t wantjusta hookup. But you should know that I thought about it, too. About being with you like this.”
“Good to know. And . . . I, uh, I mean, I’m only assuming—Er,fuck. Okay, let me just ask you this so I can be absolutely certain we’re on the same page.” He slowly threads our fingers together. “Lila, can I please be your boyfriend?”
“Yes,” I say with a soft chuckle, “you can be my boyfriend.”
“Thank God.”
“So, even after we said, ‘I love you,’ after we slept together, you still thought I might say no?”
“You’re full of surprises.”
I throw my arms around him, pulling him tight against me, nuzzling into the warmth of his neck. As I breathe him in—that warm and familiar scent—my body feels utterly at peace.
But then, my stomach growls, breaking the spell.
He chuckles, a deep sound that vibrates through me. “I can cook something for us, if you’d like?”
I pull back, raising a skeptical brow. “You? Cook?”
“Watch and learn.” He grins as he hops from the bed, his confidence back in full swing. And then he pulls me along with him.
In the kitchen, Callum moves with surprising grace, finding his rhythm among pots and pans. I lean against the counter, watching him. It’s endearingly domestic, and I find myself caught up in the simplicity of it all.
That is, before a throat clears beside us, breaking the comfortable silence. I turn to watch as Grady, Callum’s roommate, saunters into the room with a lazy grin. “Smells good, man. What’s the occasion?”
“Breakfast,” Callum says as if it’s the most natural thing in the world.
Grady’s eyes flick between us, a knowing smirk on his face. “Ah, I see. Morning . . .girl that Callum won’t shut up about.”
“It’s Lila. And good morning,” I say, trying to hide the flush in my cheeks.
“So, you two a real thing now?” he asks. “Or just fucking?”
Callum drops the spatula with a loud clang, eyes narrowing in on his roommate. “If you don’t watch your mouth, man, then I’m?—”
“Just messing around.” Grady snorts, plopping down onto a stool at the counter. “You makin’ some for me, too?”
“Suppose I can spare a pancake or two. But only because you can’t cook for shit, and I’m not trying to deal with the fire department again. Not at this hour.”
“That was all just a big misunderstanding,” Grady says.
Callum just gives him an indignant snort, ignoring the muttered protests as he continues to cook our breakfast.
Once the food is ready, the three of us gather around the small kitchen table, the air filled with the aroma of pancakes and the sound of easy conversation. Grady is effortlessly charming, his banter light and filled with ease.
Callum matches him quip for quip, their camaraderie a testament to years of friendship. It’s bittersweet, knowing that I’ve missed out on all this, but I’m happy for him all the same.
Under the table, Callum’s foot finds mine, a secret touch that sends a warm rush straight to my center. I look up to meet his gaze, and there’s an unspoken promise in his eyes. Something light and flirtatious and perfect.
After Grady leaves, Callum and I clean up together, moving in a comfortable sync. “So, what’s the plan for today?” he asks, his hand brushing mine as we put away the last of the dishes.
“You wanna go to Farmer’s Park?” I suggest, picturing the wide-open green space where we’d spent countless childhood afternoons. “You can kick a ball around, and I can work on some sketching.”
He grins, wide and open. “Sounds perfect. I can spend the afternoon impressing you, then.”
