“No, you don’t.”
“I hate that I lost.”
“I’ll accept that.”
She dropped the pillow. Then let herself fall back against the headboard with a sigh.
It was starting to get cold. I reached over the edge of the bed, grabbed the hoodie I’d tossed there earlier, and held it out to her. She looked at it. Then at me. Then slowly took it.
“I’m never giving this back,” she declared.
“I figured.”
“It smells like you.”
I swallowed. “You say that like it’s a good thing.”
“It’s a dangerous thing. Like I’ll start wearing it and forget it’s not mine.”
“It is yours.”
She blinked.
“You said I wouldn’t get it back. So I won’t ask.”
She slid the hoodie on over the oversized shirt she already wore. It swallowed her. Made her look like she belonged on this bed, in this room, in my life.
I reached out and pushed the hood gently down. She just stared at me.
“Vince.”
“Yeah?”
“I really like you.”
I was not expecting that. I reached for her again, tugged her back to me until she was half in my lap, and wrapped both arms around her like I never planned to let go.
For a moment, I let myself imagine keeping her here.
Spending the night again. Letting her fall asleep beside me instead of sending her away. I could almost taste the peace of it.
The thing was, she would’ve stayed. I could tell. But wanting and having were two different things, and I’d spent my life translating survival.
So instead, I stood, forcing myself to move first.
“Come on. I’ll take you home.”
She nodded and started to gather her things. She didn’t leave anything behind. We rode the elevator in silence.
I expected her to not want to get in. Apparently she had exposure therapy for it and was fine, that didn’t stop her hand from trembling.
She leaned slightly against the rail, arms folded over her chest. I stood beside her, hands in my pockets, trying not to think about how good she looked in my hoodie.
“So, are you driving or does Vincent Crow have a driver?” Her smile slowly dropped when she looked at me. “Everything okay?”
I nodded. “I have a car waiting. Unmarked. It’ll take you home.”
She frowned. “I thought you were taking me home?”
