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A few minutes later it started to sprinkle. Kate and I stood to go inside before the clouds started dumping on us. Aiden did a few jumping jacks before finally walking back to the house.
Kate offered to pop some popcorn in the microwave before joining Aiden and me on the couch. I sat in one corner, and Aiden—ever the chaperone—sat in the middle so Kate had no choice but to settle onto the other end.
But while the reviews had claimed the movie would keep viewers at the end of their seats, and scared awake all night, it did not deliver. Aiden was soon on the floor, claiming he was just stretching out, but his snoring soon gave away that he had indeed fallen asleep.
"He's such a kid when it comes to sleep." Kate nudged Aiden with her foot, but he didn't stir one bit.
I smiled at Kate. "I know I should be annoyed that it's impossible for him to stay up past two, but it's kind of nice that even though everything else may change in life, Aiden will still turn into a zombie each night."
"We should warn his future wife before they have any kids. He'll be no help at night."
I laughed, imagining Aiden’s future wife shaking him awake to grab the crying baby, and Aiden just turning over to his side unable to hear a thing.
Kate poked Aiden with her foot again, testing how deep in sleep he really was.
Still nothing.
With a satisfied smirk, she turned back to me and asked, "Are you comfortable? It's a little chilly tonight."
And because it was therightthing to say, I said, ”I'm okay. Not that cold."
But almost as if Kate could read my thoughts and interpreted what I'd really wanted to say, she grabbed a big quilt from the stack of blankets in the corner of the room and sat next to me, draping it across our legs.
"That should be better." Her pink lips quirked up into a smile and her eyes sparkled with amusement.
She was doing it again.
I took in a deep breath to try and relax, but it was impossible for me to think when she was that close.
Did she have any idea how fast my heart was beating?
We continued to watch the movie, and I didn't even care anymore that it was ridiculous, or that there was still an hour left before the stupidity would end, because being so close to Kate was worth every second. I wanted to soak it all in since who knew when we’d get to sit this close again?
But since I was still very aware that her protective older brother was only a few feet away, I did my best to act the part of a gentleman and kept my hands prudently in my lap instead of attempting to hold her hand or put my arm around her.
"What do you think of the movie so far?" Kate whispered as the guy on the screen pulled his ‘lucky’ wristband onto his forearm.
I shrugged. "It's okay. Not the hit I'd hoped for, obviously." I nodded pointedly at Aiden.
"I actually think it's perfect." Kate leaned her head against my shoulder, and I tried not to have a heart attack.
What was it about this girl that made me so nervous and anxious? I was twenty-one, she was eighteen. I should have been the cool one, but my chest was full of bouncy balls banging around so fast and hard I didn't know how to catch my breath when she was around.
She reached for my hand where it sat on the quilt. And I knew I should make an excuse to stand up or leave, but instead of doing the right thing, I slowly curled my fingers around hers. My thoughts ran a thousand miles a minute as I tried to concentrate on the movie. Aiden was going to ask me how it ended, and I was going to have to make something up because my mind was so focused on the way Kate was drawing lines all over the back of my hand and forearm.
She was insufferable.
She was gorgeous.
She was lifting my arm and tucking herself under it, cuddling up next to me and watching me with those eyes that seemed to always see through me.
"I just want to know what it's like to be close to you," she said. "I've always wondered how it would feel."
I swallowed hard. "And how is it?"
She leaned against me and turned her gaze back toward the movie. "It's nice. Don't you think?"
I shifted on the couch to make us more comfortable. Kate rested her head more fully against my chest and sighed contentedly.
