She exhales in frustration, then moves to a different spot in the room and raises the phone higher.
I can’t stop myself. I’m speaking before I fully realize what I’m saying. “It’s really late, and you aren’t dressed for an Uber. You can just crash here, and I’ll drive you to the parking garage in the morning when it opens.”Bad idea. Bad fucking idea.
This entire night has been full of bad ideas.
She bites her lower lip as she seems to mull the offer over.
Say no, Summer. Just make the smart decision, put me out of my misery, and say no.
“Are you sure?” she asks, looking anywhere but at me. “I really don’t want to put you out.”
“It’s nothing, really. You can have the bed, and I’ll sleep on the couch.”
“Oh, no, I can’t impose on your personal space and then kick you out of your bed. Let me sleep on the couch.”
“My mother would whack me with a wooden spoon if I made a woman sleep on the couch while I took the bed. Seriously, one night on the couch won’t kill me. It’s no big deal.”
“Only if you’re sure,” she says, clearly still hesitating.
“I insist.”
I grab a spare pillow and blanket from the closet and try to give her a reassuring smile. She’s chewing on her bottom lip, tugging at the edge of the shirt she’s wearing, looking nervous as all hell.
As I walk past her, I get a whiff of my shampoo, and knowing my scent is all over her threatens to give me a hard-on all over again.
She stiffens as I pass by her, and I feel bad that she’s obviously so uncomfortable.You should’ve called her an Uber the moment she set foot inside your apartment, asshole. No shower. No T-shirt. No sleeping in your bed.
“There’s a lock on the door,” I offer, hoping it’ll put her more at ease.
“What?” she asks, startled.
“The door locks, if that’ll make you more comfortable.”
“Oh, no, it’s not that,” she says hurriedly. “I just feel awkward,” she finishes in a murmur.
“Well, I’ll let you get to bed, I’ll close the door, and then in the morning we can get you to your car, and it’ll be like none of this ever happened.” I smile at her before doing exactly what I told her I would. I walk away from her. Close the door. And make my bed on the couch.
It isn’t until I’m lying on the black leather of my sofa that I realize I didn’t grab any comfortable clothes to change into. I’m still in my button-up and dress pants. I can’t go back to my room to grab something else. Seeing Summer in my bed might just undo me completely and decimate the sliver of self-control that I have left.
I debate sleeping in my briefs, but I picture Summer’s shocked face if she comes out here for a glass of water or to use the restroom and sees me practically naked on the couch. Would that be weird? I mean, it’s my apartment, but I’m trying to make things as least awkward as possible.
And so far, you’re failing miserably.
So the clothes are staying on.
I toss and turn in the living room, hating the fact that she’s so close, and I can’t do anything about it. Knowing that she’s in mybedroom, sleeping in my bed, in my clothes. Is she naked under my shirt, or did she put her underwear on? Would she be a good girl and put wet panties back on, or would she be dirty and sleep in my bed with practically nothing between her and my sheets?
She could be naked under my T-shirt, practically naked in my bed, and it’s killing me.
I can’t fucking take it.
Against my better judgment, I push myself to my feet and stalk toward my bedroom.
I just want to see her, I tell myself.I’ll just open the door to confirm that she’s sleeping, and then I’ll turn right back around and get some shut-eye myself.
Who the fuck are you kidding?
I open the door, and she’s standing right there in front of me, hand outstretched toward the doorknob.
