The word made my cheeks burn, as he cocked his eyebrows in the unspokenwhat the fuck.
“A what?”
I decided to go all in, although what I was about to say was also the truth.
“Today is the anniversary of my parents’ death. I feel awful, and I need a cuddle.”
“Oh,” Adam muttered, his expression turning serious. “I see. Also, I’m sorry.”
“It’s not your fault. So… what do you say?”
“How long would this cuddle thing have to last, and how is it done?” he asked me, sounding genuinely baffled.
“One minute should do it. You hug me, and you get a hug in return,” I replied, trying hard not to laugh.
“I agree to a one-minute cuddle if you promise not to hump my leg like you did the other night,” Adam deadpanned.
I gasped, appalled. “I did not!”
He grinned. “Chill, I’m teasing you. So, apart from that hanging-out thing and a one-minute cuddle, what else do you want?”
“Fifteen bucks.”
I wanted to ask him for more money out of sheer principle, but I didn’t want him to go broke over a good night’s sleep. Our paychecks were an atrocity if I ever saw one, which got me thinking.
“I don’t know why I’m doing this,” I admitted as Adam took out his wallet and paid me.
“Out of the goodness of your heart?”
“No, not this. I meant our job. Why am I a cop when it’s a soul-wrenching, heart-breaking ordeal, and it pays little to nothing?”
Adam shrugged, taking the food containers out of the bag. “I like putting thugs behind bars.”
“Yeah, me too, I suppose. See, we’re not that different after all.”
“Not so sure about that. Incidentally, what would you be if you weren’t a cop?”
“A tattoo artist,” I replied.
He chuckled. “I wasn’t expecting that. Why?”
“I like the idea of creating art on people’s bodies. Also, it would make me look cool, and attractive to women. Well… I should probably say men.”
When a sky-blue gaze found mine, I regretted saying that.
“Are you sure about that gay thing?”
“Yup,” I replied, looking away so I wouldn’t have to look at him. “Do we need plates?”
“How can you be sure? You haven’t tried it, have you?”
How was I supposed to answer that without telling him that no woman in my life ever made me feel like him?
“No, I haven’t tried it,” I replied finally. “But I know.”
After Adam joined me on the sofa, we ate our noodles while watching the football game on TV like normal people. Friends, almost.
“This is actually working,” Adam murmured, more to himself than to me.
