Before Isla, I would have been stretched out taking up the entire couch, not thinking twice about the other two couples I was hanging out with. And if Isla and I hadn’t been blurring the lines of friendship—for fake dating purposes of course—I probably still wouldn’t be thinking anything about it.
But I’d be lying if I didn’t feel semi-weird with the distance between me and Isla while two other couples couldn’t seem to get enough of each other.
As soon as all the other guests had left, we’d decided to stay up and watch a movie together before Rush and Scarlet headed back to their apartment. Isla and I had gone to her apartment to get her stuff so she could stay the night. Thankfully, Harper hadn’t been there.
“We’re going to head out,” Rush said, standing and pulling Scarlet up with him. “Thanks for the fun game night, Olivia. Scarlet and I are proud of our second place.” He placed an arm around her shoulder, pulling her in to kiss the top of her head.
“I still can’t believe you two won,” Scarlet said, shaking her head at us.
“I can’t believe it either,” Isla said. “I thought for sure our ruse was about to be up. I was so nervous.”
I leaned back and put an arm along the back of the couch. “I had no doubt we’d win.”
Scarlet and Isla both rolled their eyes at me, making me smile.
I almost reached out to pull Isla to me but stopped before I could embarrass myself. There was no one here to pretend for, no excuse to touch her.
We said our goodbyes to Rush and Scarlet and then said good night to Wilder and Olivia as they went to their room for the night.
Isla untucked her legs, getting ready to stand up, but stopped. “Are you sure I can’t sleep on the couch? I’ll fit a lot better than you will.”
“Yes, I’m sure. You’re not going to sleep on the couch. Especially since all this happened because of me.”
She looked like she wanted to say more, but instead said, “Okay, well, good night.”
“Good night.”
Once she had gone into my room, I got up and pulled out a blanket and extra pillow from the hall closet. Lying down on the couch, I tried to get comfortable. My legs were too long, hanging off the end, and my body was too wide, one arm hanging off the edge as well. But for Isla, I could sleep like this for one night.
Picturing Isla in my bed, her petite body hardly taking up any space, had me wishing I could see exactly what she looked like. Was her hair spread out across my pillow? What was she wearing? Did she like being in my bed, surrounded by my masculine scent? Or was she already fast asleep, not thinking about me at all?
Ugh. Why did I even care if she was thinking about me? I shouldn’t be thinking about her. I shouldn’t be thinking about how sexy she must look lying in my bed. I shouldn’t be thinking about how I wished I was next to her in that bed. And I definitely shouldn’t be thinking about what I’d like to do to her in my bed.
“Slate?”
I jumped slightly at the sound of Isla’s soft voice, the moonlight seeping in through the blinds giving her face a light glow.
I quickly readjusted myself underneath the blanket. “Hey, is everything okay?”
“Yes. Sorry if I woke you up.”
I was definitely up. “You didn’t wake me.”
She took a breath, and her weight shifted from one foot to another. What was she nervous about?
“You clearly don’t fit on this couch.” She motioned to my legs and arm. “And I feel guilty taking your bed, so…” she paused, looking down at her feet.
Was she wanting to go back to her apartment? I wouldn’t make her stay here if she didn’t want to. I was about to tell her that when she pushed her shoulders back and looked me in the eye with a serious expression.
“We are both adults who are friends only, so it won’t be a big deal if we share your bed. It’s big enough for the two of us.” She spoke in a rush, and despite her brave exterior, she was hesitant to share a bed with me.
I sighed. “Isla, I’m fine out here. It’s one night. It’s no big deal.”
“It’s no big deal to share a bed either. We’ll both sleep better. You’ll actually fit on the bed, and I can go to sleep knowing you aren’t miserable out here,” she argued.
I lay there not knowing what to do. A minute ago, I had been wishing I could be in my bed with her, but now that she was giving me the opportunity, I wasn’t sure I should take it. I was already having a hard time keeping my hands to myself. But I also didn’t like that she would stay up worrying about me all night.
“Are you sure?” I asked. “I really am fine out here.”
