Like he always will.
Seconds later, the phone rings.
“Hello?”
God, I sound stupid.
“Hey, you.”
His velvety voice slides through me in warm spirals.
“Hey, you,” I whisper back, suddenly feeling sixteen again, hiding in my bedroom talking to a boy I shouldn’t want.
“God, I miss you,” he says, voice cracking at the edges.
No one’s ever missed me before.
Not like that.
Not with weight.
“It’s foolish,” I murmur, ashamed of my own ache. “I’m a mess, Dane. You’ve seen it.”
I move inside, into the dim hush of my room.
“Tell me…” his voice dips lower, “did you like spending the night with me, Penn?”
My heart stutters.
“Oh, Dane… shit… I—” I collapse back into bed, shoes still on.
“Just answer, peach.”
Peach.
God.
My insides melt.
“So?” he pushes gently.
“So?” I echo, chewing my thumbnail.
“You haven’t answered.”
“Which question was that?”
“Did you enjoy our night?”
“Oh, Dane… yes. More than I should have.”
“Do you think you’ll miss sleeping next to me tonight?”
My breath catches. My eyes drift to Blake’s side of the bed. The charger. The book. The glass of water he always left half-drunk.
He’s everywhere.
Still.
