I hit play.
NINETEEN
NOAH
Gracie yawns and stands from the sofa, stretching her body and I have to fight to hide my reaction when her hoodie rises and shows off a strip of her bare stomach before things get really fucking awkward.
And really fucking dangerous, seeing as her brother is right next to me.
Not that he’d notice, since he’s half asleep. I think he’s been waking up earlier and earlier every day trying to catch Lana before she sneaks out each morning.
Fuck knows what time that girl is getting up and where she’s going so early every morning, since Cole hasn’t successfully managed it yet.
She tiptoed in a while ago, but only I clocked the movement. When I glanced at her from the corner of her eye, she put a finger to her lips and urged me with her eyes to keep quiet, a glare on her face that promised danger if I opened my mouth.
It’s fair to say I didn’t breathe a word about knowing she was here.
Nope, I kept my mouth shut and my eyes averted so no one would pick up on me looking at her.
I like Lana, I do, but I’m pretty sure that girl has a screw loose.
Logan went to bed a while ago, and Harley is sleeping peacefully in the armchair.
How long that will last, I don’t know, since the position he’s in looks uncomfortable as hell with his head basically hanging off the side of the seat and his arms bent at a weird angle.
“I’ll walk you back to the dorm,” I murmur to Gracie and stand as well, making Cole’s eyes shoot open.
“I can walk her,” he mutters, and I snort.
“You’re half asleep already, man. I don’t mind walking her.”
Please, please,pleasedon’t push me on this.
It was bad enough earlier when he was suspicious of us doing literally nothing but watching a movie, if he starts to doubt my intentions too early then things really will go to shit.
As if trying to prove my point, he yawns and quickly agrees before fleeing to bed, probably hoping to see if Lana is there, and hoping she’s awake. I have no doubt that Lana is either fast asleep already or will be pretending to be for Cole’s benefit.
Gracie shoots a quick glance around as we head out of the theater room, as if making sure she won’t be overheard before whispering, “You don’t need to walk me back, I’m sure it’ll be fine.”
Yeah, that ain’t gonna happen.
I’d never miss out on having one on one time with her.
I shake my head, shooting her a pointed look. “Not gonna happen, little one,” I say sternly, using the nickname for her that I’ve used for years.
It’s strange, how I feel the need to use little one when we’re in friend mode, but love or babe when we’re more… intimate. The thought of calling her little one when we’re having sex just doesn’t sit right—probably because that’s my platonic nickname for her? I don’t fucking know anymore.
I grab my jacket from the hook near the front door before sliding on my shoes while she does the same. “We talked about this earlier. No going anywhere on your own if you can help it.”
She sighs a long, drawn-out sigh but doesn’t argue and I take that as a win. I open the door and wait for her to exit before following behind her, since I’m a gentleman and all that.
Would a gentleman stalk a girl and scare the shit out of her?
I don’t really care for the answer, since nothing will stop me now that everything is in motion.
I used to be overly conscious about acting on my feelings for Gracie, since I didn’t want to fuck up my friendship with Cole, or her relationship with him. But there’s no going back now.
I can’t keep denying myself.
