Korie settles against me, hands sliding up my chest beneath my shirt.
“Aris would love your plant shelves,” they say idly.
I can’t hold back my laugh. “Think so?”
“Definitely.”
I pull away, searching their eyes. Korie told me that sometimes they need a push. Maybe this is one of those times?
“Well,” I murmur, fingers slipping beneath the hem of their hoodie, “you could always bring her here too, you know. Test it out. See if she likes it here.”
They freeze.
“You’ve basically already moved in, anyway. I’m sure she misses you.”
Their eyes widen instantly. There it is. There’s the panic I expected. Only, it never fully arrives. Instead, Korie glances toward the hallway, then to the living room, and finally to my bedroom, like they’re mentally inventorying all the stuff currently spread across my apartment.
“Oh,” they say after a second.
I laugh softly. “Yeah. Oh.”
A slow blush creeps across their cheeks.
“I didn’t mean to.”
“Mm-hmm.”
“I swear.”
“Korie, you have six different hair products in my bathroom.”
“They all have different purposes!”
“Terrifying information.”
They snort, shoving lightly at my shoulder.
I catch their hand before they can pull away, pressing a quick kiss into the center of their palm. Their breathing catches a little. There it is. Still my favorite thing in the world—that tiny shift when all their focus suddenly narrows onto me.
Makes me feel like the luckiest guy in the world.
I tug them closer until they’re standing between my legs properly, chest brushing mine.
“You staying tonight?” I ask quietly.
Korie gives me a look. “I’ve stayed the last four nights.”
“So that’s a yes?”
Their smile turns soft around the edges. “Yeah. It’s a yes, dork.”
Something dangerously fond twists through my chest. I tilt my head up just enough to kiss them slowly. Korie melts immediately, fingers sliding into my hair while I pull them flush against me.
I could live inside this feeling forever.
The kiss deepens lazily, familiar in a way that still makes me dizzy. Korie tastes like strawberries stolen from the fridge. Strawberries and joy and every wonderful thing.
“Thief,” I murmur against their mouth.
