“Wren, you here?” he asks, closing the door behind him. Taking the glass of water with me, I walk into the living room and sit on the couch.
“Wait, why is your pillow out here?” he asks.
“Because my bed is still deflated, and I don’t want to sleep on the floor again.”
“You’re kidding,” he deadpans.
“No, I’m not. It’s fine.”
“Just go sleep in my room, and I’ll sleep on the couch.”
“No.”
He breathes out a long frustrated breath. “Fine. I don’t want to fight with you.” He begins to walk towards his room, and I know I’m not going to sleep if we don’t talk.
“Why did you kiss me?” I ask.
“What?”
“Why did you kiss me?” I repeat the question.
“Because it’s all I’ve wanted to do since the first time I saw you.”
His admission knocks the breath out of me.
“Then why not just ask me out, or tell me how you were feeling? Why act like we were just friends?”
“Because you deserve so much more than me,” he says. “You deserve someone who can make you proud to be with him. I can’t even make my own family proud of me.” He shakes his head. “How could I ever live up to what you deserve?”
“No. You don’t get to decide what I deserve,” I argue. “You don’t get to pretend that you aren’t good enough for me because you’re in your feelings about your family and this job shit. A job that you don’t even want. No. I’m not your dad, and I’m not your brother. That’s not fair.” Dolly jumps on my lap and nudges the hand that’s holding the cup of water.
“But you know it’s true. I’m me. The fuck around, have good time playboy who doesn’t commit because I will somehow inevitably fuck it up. I always do.”
“We’re not having this discussion if you’re going to talk about yourself like that. I’m going to bed,” I snap, fluffing my pillow one handed. “I want to talk to you about this, but I’m not going to let you continue to berate yourself.”
“Then go to bed.” He gestures towards the pillow.
“Good night, Tanner,” I say, but Dolly nudges my hand again, and the glass tumbles out, covering the couch with water. “Shit!”
Tanner chuckles under his breath. “Where you gonna sleep now?” He smirks.
“I’ll just sleep on the floor.” I stand to walk back into the kitchen to grab a towel to clean it up.
“God, you’re so fucking stubborn.”
“I’m stubborn?”
“Yes.”
“Where do you propose I sleep?” I ask, drying the couch with some paper towels, then walking them to the trash can.
“My room.”
“No,” I say, walking back into the living room.
“See. Stubborn,” he jabs.
“I’m not sleeping in your bed and making you sleep on the floor.”
