"Me neither. Poor Rebecca was asking me a question and I zoned out thinking about your mouth."
"My mouth, huh?" He kissed me again, slow and sweet. "What about it?"
"Everything." I kissed him back. "The way it feels. The sounds you make. The way you taste."
He groaned and pulled me into his lap, deepening the kiss. We stayed like that for a while, kissing and talking and learning each other in this new context.
"Tell me something," he said eventually, his fingers playing with my hair. "Something you haven't told me yet."
I thought about that, my head resting on his shoulder. "I almost didn't come to this retreat. I stood in the library parking lot with my bags packed and I nearly turned around and went back upstairs."
"What made you go?"
"My friends showed up. All of them. They basically wouldn't let me chicken out." I smiled at the memory. "Garrett brought coffee. Finn threatened to drive me here himself. Micah gave me this look like he believed in me even when I didn't believe in myself. And Asher... Asher packed half my wardrobe because he said I needed to 'look the part.'"
Brent's laugh rumbled through his chest. "I like your friends."
"They'd like you too." The words came out before I could think about them, and I tensed slightly. Too much? Too fast?
But Brent just tightened his arms around me. "Would they?"
"They would. Garrett would interrogate you about your intentions. Finn would be gruff but secretly protective. Micah would recommend books you'd actually love."
"Sounds perfect," he said, and he meant it. I could hear it in his voice.
We talked about other things—his first book deal, my decision to move to Juniper Bluff, the moments that had shaped us. The conversation flowed easily, punctuated by kisses and comfortable silences.
Eventually, reluctantly, we got ready for bed. The bathroom routine felt different now—charged with promiseinstead of tension. When he emerged in his sleep clothes, I didn't try to hide that I was looking. When I came out, his eyes tracked my every movement with open appreciation.
"Own beds?" he asked, though there was a question in his voice.
I wanted to say no. Wanted to climb into his bed and stay there. But we'd started this, and part of me wanted to savor it. Build the anticipation.
"Own beds," I said. "For now."
"For now," he agreed, and the promise in those words made my pulse jump.
We turned off the lights and settled into our separate beds. But the space between us felt different now. Full of possibility instead of longing.
"Jason?" Brent's voice in the darkness.
"Yeah?"
"I'm really glad you're my roommate."
I smiled into the darkness. "Best roommate assignment ever."
His laugh was soft and warm. "Goodnight."
"Goodnight."
I fell asleep thinking about stolen kisses and the way he looked at me like I was the only person in the room. Tomorrow we'd figure out what this meant, how to navigate it.
But tonight, I let myself feel happy.
Chapter 5
Brent
