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I nearly jumped out of my skin.
“Cora!”
Cora glanced passively between Zoey and me, her bruised eyes sharp with censure. “Well, this is a sight no girl likes to see. Her boyfriend alone in her roommate’s bedroom.”
“I was showing him my stories,” Zoey blurted out at the very same moment I said, “She was showing me her stories.”
We glanced at each other and then broke out grinning together.
Cora growled. “Seriously, baby. What’re you doing in here?”
I’d never seen her jealous or so possessive of me before. It made my stomach churn with guilt as I wondered if she knew just how attracted I was to Zoey. “Seriously,” I answered. “I was borrowing one of her stories to read.” I cocked my head to the side. “What’re you doing awake again? Can’t you sleep? Do you need something?”
“No, I cannot sleep, okay? But, Quinn, just don’t.” She entered Zoey’s room and shuffled toward me. “I know you’re only trying to be your nice, gentlemanly self and act interested, but trust me, her cute little children’s stories aren’t your thing.” She plucked the notebook I was holding and haphazardly flung it on top of Zoey’s neatly made bed. Then she smoothed her hand intimately up my chest, the heat from her palm soaking through my shirt. “I think my pills are kicking in. The nausea’s all gone, so let’s rent a movie and snuggle on the couch. Huh?”
As she turned and strolled from the room, I frowned after her, upset that she’d just done that to Zoey. When I turned back, Zoey’s face was a deep humiliated red. With a huff, I retrieved the notebook Cora had tossed aside. Zoey opened her mouth and lifted her hand to stop me, but I spoke over her.
“Thanks,” I said and waved the notebook to show her that I did want to read her story. A sick worry worked into her features, so I added, “Children’s stories actually happen to be my favorite. I think I’ve read Holes about a dozen times.” I left her there to find Cora in the living room.
“Make us some popcorn, will you, babe?” Cora didn’t glance over at me as she flipped through the options on the screen.
“You don’t think it’ll bother your upset stomach?” I asked.
With a muffled curse, she tossed her remote to the floor and cupped her head with both hands. “Damn it,” she screeched. “Why can’t people just leave me alone and let me eat whatever the hell I want to eat?”
Startled when tears fill her eyes, I rushed to her. “I...I’m sorry. Cora? Are you okay?”
“I just want some popcorn,” she sobbed against my chest when I pulled her into my arms. “Why couldn’t you have just made it? Why did you have to nitpick and harp and question everything? If I didn’t think I could handle it, I wouldn’t have requested it.”
“Okay, okay,” I soothed, stroking her hair, and wondering what the heck was happening. I was pretty sure she wasn’t flipping out about popcorn, but I had no idea what was really going on.
Maybe if I knew what was wrong, I could help. But…she wanted her privacy.
She would let me make her popcorn, though, so after she settled down again, I made some popcorn.
I was still in the kitchen waiting for it to finish when I tugged the rolled-up notebook from my back pocket, but before I could get started, Cora called my name. “Quinn?”
“I’m in the kitchen. Everything okay?”
“What’re you doing in there?” She sounded accusing.
I crinkled my eyebrows. “Uh…I’m popping the popcorn...like you wanted.” Worried something was affecting her memory, I left the popcorn still popping and started down the hall as she called, “Where’s Zoey?”
I stepped into the living room. “In her room still, I guess. I don’t know. Why? What’s wrong? Do you want me to get her for you?”
She sat on the couch with her blanket pulled snug around her shoulders and her knees up to her chest. She definitely wasn’t behaving like Cora tonight.
When she looked up at me, I almost panicked. What the hell was going on with my girlfriend? Was she on drugs? Had some guy messed with her? My mind went crazy. But all she said was, “I want you to sit by me.”
So I sat by her.
Zoey must’ve realized that I couldn’t leave Cora’s side, because she carried in a bowl full of popcorn just as Cora decided on a movie and started it.
“Here. You guys left this in the microwave.”
“Thanks.” I reached up and took it from her, and Cora cuddled in closer to me.
“Want to watch with us?” I asked Zoey, tightening my arm around my girlfriend to let her know I wouldn’t leave her side. “We’re just getting started.”
