He laughs.
When he lifts his arm, I curl against his side, arm across his middle. We stretch our feet out on the ottoman, but he doesn’t bother with the TV. Instead, we talk, legs tangled together and arms around each other like we’ve done this a thousand times.
“You know,” Holden says after a while, voice lazy, “I’m a little surprised you haven’t taken my poster down yet.”
I turn my attention to the hideous Black Eyed Peas poster on his wall and groan. “One of these days, I will.AndI’m going to burn it. You’ll thank me for it.”
“You’ll have to get me a new Sleep Token one to put in it’s place.”
I sit up, eyes wide. “Are youfinallyadmitting you like them?”
He scoffs. “Hell no. But if it makes you not want to burn my apartment down, then I guess I’ll tolerate it.”
I make a face, shoving him.
Holden holds his stomach as he laughs.
“That’s the saddest thing I’ve ever heard. Youtoleratemy music?”
“Hey, we like a lot of the same stuff. But Sleep Token is—”
I hold a finger up as a warning. “Beverycareful how you finish that sentence.”
He thinks about it. “Mildly good.”
I narrow my eyes. “If Sleep Token is mildly good, then Daughtry needs to retire.”
He gasps like I’ve wounded him. “Don’t you dare!”
I laugh under my breath, and he smiles immediately, like he likes hearing it.
The room goes quiet again for a second, comfortable and warm. I lean back against him, tossing the blanket over us.
Holden makes a show of tucking one side under his ass. “Better lock it in before you steal it.”
“I do not steal blankets.”
“You literally turn yourself into a burrito if a blanket is anywhere near you.”
“That’s survival instinct.”
Holden shifts to see my face. “Youliterallytrapped me against the wall last time you slept over. If my mattress wasn’t against the wall, I would’ve fallen off the bed.”
“You’re being dramatic.”
“Dramat—dude, I almost died!”
I snort. “You survived.”
“Barely.” He rubs his side as if remembering some old wound. “And, if making me sleep in the cold isn’t bad enough, you also snore. Maybe I should rethink this whole you and me thing.”
I sit up straighter. “I absolutely do not snore.”
“You absolutely do.”
“You’re a liar.”
“You sound like a tiny chainsaw.” He makes the sound.
