“Why are you being so nice to me after I screamed at you the other night?” he asked.
“I kinda deserved it,” I replied with a lopsided smile. “I was being pushy. I would’ve yelled at me, too.”
Skylar’s face softened. “No, I was just being overemotional. Sorry.”
I shrugged. “I’m sorry, too.”
He had a hint of a smile before the fatigue took over again. He stared at the floor. “It’d be rude of me to send you away when you just got here.”
“Not at all. I was just giving you a ride home. No pressure.” I twirled my keys. “I’ll head out now.”
“No, Raf, wait.”
I paused, my heart doing a little backflip at his use of a nickname.Sky and Raf.
“Ah,” Skylar murmured, rubbing his arm. “You probably have work in the morning too, huh?”
“I do.”
“It must be pretty far from my apartment.”
I hesitated, wondering if Skylar was insinuating what I thought he was. I shook my head. “No, it’s close, actually. Just a few blocks from your work, which isn’t too far from here. Maybe a five minute extra drive.”
“Oh.”
Skylar was frozen, like he had the words on the tip of his tongue but couldn’t get them out. Finally he said, “It’s late. So… if you want to stay, that’d be okay.”
I cracked a smile. “Are you inviting me for a sleepover?”
He returned it. “I guess.”
“Hope your couch is as comfy as mine.” I winked at him.
Skylar looked confused for a moment, then said, “Oh. I mean, sure. It’s probably not, but if that’s where you want to sleep…”
I raised a brow. “Is there somewhere else you had in mind? Is this a three-bedroom apartment?”
He shook his head. “Two.”
My heart sped up slightly. Was I imagining things or was Skylar really inviting me to sleep in his room? The idea of it was way too exciting for a grown man. I suddenly felt like an overexcited college kid with a stupid crush.
“Okay. Then let me ask point blank,” I said. “Are you asking me to stay the night in your room?”
Skylar’s eyes were soft. Vulnerable.
“Yes.”
I smiled and nodded. “Okay. That’s all I wanted to know.”
As we got ready for bed, I remembered our first night together. Nottogethertogether, but when I’d picked him up off the sidewalk. It stung now in hindsight knowing that Skylar had been with Axel earlier that night, but not because I was jealous. I knew Skylar had nothing but contempt for the man, and no feelings for him whatsoever. But I was angry knowing that Axel had dumped Skylar like garbage, stealing his wallet and letting him wander the cold streets.
I grumbled to myself at the memory as I situated myself on the floor. Even though my college days were far behind me, sleeping on the floor like this in a friend’s room reminded me fondly of those times. I knew I wouldn’t mind the sore back that would come along with it in the morning.
But as Skylar came in from the bathroom, he blinked at me.
“What are you doing on the floor?” he asked.
“Uh,” I said, confused as to why he was confused. “Well, there isn’t a spare bed in here.”
