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Pausing in front of my—our—bedroom door, I turn to face her. “We haven’t actually discussed where we’ll be sleeping.”
Her lips tilt up at the sides. “Worried you can’t resist me in your bed?”
Exactly that.“Uhh, I—”
“Relax, I’ll take the spare room. Problem solved.” She shrugs as she walks towards the closed door next to my room.
Except, problem not solved because why do I want to pull her into my room and make her share with me?
I follow her into the room and take a seat next to her on the bed. We’re almost touching, but I don’t trust myself to get any closer. “Zoey,” I say hesitating, wondering if I should admit this. “I’m really fucking attracted to you. As much as I want you in my bed, I’m pretty sure I’d never let you leave, and that’s complicating our arrangement.” My skin feels too tight, too hot, too…much from my admission.
Zoey inhales sharply and chews on her bottom lip, her blue eyes not meeting mine.
Longing pangs in my gut. I want her, but I know it’s not a good idea. We’re already straddling the line between lies and truth. Adding sex to that will complicate things more. And if we both want to walk away from this unscathed, it’s best if we abstain. It’s a good argument in my head, now I need to convince my body of the same thing.
Zoey stands, taking a step away from me, an expression crossing her face I seldom see as she nods and pouts her lips. “I think it’s best I sleep here for now. That way, we’re removing temptation.”
I inhale and let a long, defeated sigh leave my chest. She’s right, and I hate that I was sensible about this. “Okay, if you think that’s best.”
She nods. “If it keeps those big, thick, rough hands…” She pauses, looking down at my hands, but shakes her head and when her ocean eyes refocus on me, they’re full of heat—something I’m sure she sees in mine too. A heartbeat passes between us. “Yeah, we should definitelynotsleep in the same bed.”
“Should we make that a deal that we don’t, you know…”
“Have sex?”
I nod. “With anyone.”Why did we agree to do this again?
“Probably a good idea, although you’ll have to put up with my no-sex grumpiness,” she says.
“We’ll be grumpy together then.”
Before my mind can play catch up to the agreement we just made, I step towards her and kiss her forehead. Pulling back, she looks like a deer in headlights, but the pink colouring her cheeks tells me she didn’t hate it. It’s going to be really hard not to touch her.
“Goodnight, Zoey,” I say, clearing my throat.
She steps to the side. “Night Harrison.”
Chapter 21
Harrison
AsImakemyway around the apartment, I see the door to her bedroom open and her bed empty. I didn’t hear her leave early, but I guess she went to the shelter.
My phone buzzing from my pocket distracts me and when I pull it out, I see my sister’s name. “Hey Katie.”
“Hey, big brother. How was Vegas?”
Oh man, I do not want to do this over the phone. “Vegas was good.”
I hear Ophelia shouting in the background about her school shoes being too small, and I stifle a laugh. “Just good? Do you have any good stories for me? Anyone do anything so disgustingly cliché like that movie?”
“Uhh, no. We all had a great time.” Not my most convincing performance granted, but it’ll have to do.
“You’re not telling me something.”
I sigh internally. Keeping something from her is futile, but I can’t do this right now. “Listen, I’d love to stay and chat, but how about we make plans for dinner soon instead? You can rinse me for more details then.”And you can meet my wife.
“Fine—Ophelia, do not hit your sister with the hairbrush—sorry H, I better go before someone gets a black eye. Sunday is good, though. Maybe you can give Ophelia a talk about being kind to her sisters,” she says pointedly, talking to both me and Ophelia. I can just imagine her with her wild brown hair and cute button nose, staring at my sister with attitude in the way she always does.
