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“Everett Park, just because you are my husband does not mean you get conjugal rights.” On this point, I’m emphatic, pressing my finger into his firm chest. I draw the line at consummating a fake marriage.
He goes wide-eyed. “That’s not what I meant. I just need to be closer to you.”
I raise my eyebrows.
“Not like that! I meant on the floor or like on that weird couch thing,” he says, pointing to the cushioned window seat. He does his best to sound annoyed, but there’s a telling redness sweeping up his neck. “I would rather be here than down the hall and around the corner if someone breaks in and tries to hurt you.”
“Oh.” I lower my arms from the doorway. Everett brushes past me and as I study his overly-attractive back, before I can slam my hand over my mouth or tell myself to stop talking, I impulsively, stupidly ask, “Out of curiosity, just reflecting over the last few years now that you’re leaving, have you ever wanted to sleep with me?”
Everett halts, then slowly turns towards me, a smoldering grin catching me off guard. My face flushes red.
“Is that the kind of conversation you want to have?” he asks. His eyes are dark and looking down at me from under arched eyebrows.
“Wait, no, I didn’t mean-”
He takes a step closer, closer, until we’re chest to chest and I have to tilt my head all the way back to hold my ground and stare back at him. My legs are wobbly and my lips part as I suck in a breath, waiting for what he’s going to do or say next.
“I can answer that question, if you want.”
His body is heated against mine and my blood is on fire. Any last shred of professionalism or friendship would be incinerated if he said yes. And I’d be devastated if he said no.
“Don’t answer,” I say.
“Are you sure?”
“Positive,” I whisper, weak and wavering.
He leans down, so close that I can feel each word he says as breaths against my mouth. “Then don’t ask questions you don’t want to know the answer to, Laina.”
He has the audacity to give me a rakish grin that makes me desperate to kiss him as he slowly backs away from me.
We need to calm down, take a step back, do something to distract ourselves. Something without beds and sleeping. I can’t even admit to myself how much I want to know the answer, but once I do, either way there will be a ripple effect and so much to unpack. I won’t forget the moment that passed between us earlier, but now is not the time. Tomorrow, I’ll revisit this tomorrow. Right now, we need to lay low, stay firmly in the friend zone.
“You know how you’re leaving soon,” I say. It’s hard to admit, but it’s true and I need to face the truth.
“Yeah?” Everett says, his expression clouding over.
“I was just thinking, we’ve never done anything fun together. We’ve never like gone to an arcade or seen a Broadway show or watched a baseball game.”
“Laina,” Everett laughs and shakes his head. “I’m not the person you have fun with.”
“Who else do I have fun with? It’s not like I have a deep bench of friends.”
Everett’s look is tinged with pity, but I push past it.
“Can we watch a movie together? Mission Impossible? We already have to wait for further instructions, so might as well have some fun.”
“You want to have a movie night?” asks Everett.
“Mmhmm, a comfy movie date, I mean night. Comfy movie night,” I say, biting my bottom lip with anticipation and silently pleading for Everett to go with it. I see the moment his gaze drops to my mouth. I fold my hands under my chin and add, “Please, Everett, I haven’t watched a movie in forever. It’ll be the perfect distraction.”
He looks at me, tilting his head to one side, like he’s trying to judge why exactly I’m adamant about this. Or maybe he just thinks I’ve lost my mind.
“Fine, but I’m going to go change,” he announces. “I’ll meet you in the den in a few minutes. You said the attire is comfy movie night?”
“You have clothes other than white Oxford shirts and dark suits, right?” I tease.
“You’ll see,” he winks at me. I don’t know what that means, but I hope it means he does in fact have other clothes. I’d hate to have things get weirder by Everett waltzing into the den half-naked. I would hate for that to happen.
