I drag my eyes from Parker’s sleeping form and back to Ben. “Last time?”
Ben nods. “Yeah. They fell asleep in the middle of an episode, so I just let myself out.” He frowns. “They were in bed, though, not on the couch, so I’m not sure what to do about that.”
“We can just wake them up and head out,” I suggest.
There’s a beat of silence before Ben shrugs. “Sure. That works.”
I gently shake Parker, and after a few seconds, sleepy blue eyes peel open and blink up at me. “Ah, shit. I fell asleep. My bad.”
Chuckling, I shake my head. “No worries.”
Parker sits up, stretching luxuriously like a cat, then yawns loud enough to damn near crack their jaw. “Shit, I need to go to bed.”
Ben laughs. “You definitely do, Cotton Candy. We’re gonna head out, but we didn’t want to leave you asleep on the couch.”
“Mmm, I appreciate that. Would’ve had a crick in my neck for sure without my big, macho football player arm pillow.”
Me? I’m the big macho football player pillow? Why does that make pride swell in my chest?
Ben chuckles. “Now I’m jealous that I put Lan in the middle.”
Parker pushes to their feet. “Sucks to suck, I guess. I’m going to bed. Hang out. Don’t hang out. Crash on my couch. Leave. Doesn’t matter to me either way.”
Ben and I share a look.
“Night, boys,” Parker says, yawning again before stepping away and slipping into what must be their bedroom, pulling the door shut behind them.
“You like them,” Ben says softly.
I don’t really know how to answer that. I mean, sure, Parker is very attractive, but I’m not sure I know them well enough to say if I like them or not. Ben, on the other hand… Fuck, I really like him. “I don’t know,” I whisper. “I mean, they’re gorgeous for sure, but…”
Ben studies me, eyes roaming all over my face. It feels heated and intense. I’m not even sure what—if anything—he’s looking for, but it makes me feel slightly squirmy inside.
“They are,” he finally says. “But fuck, so are you.”
His words nearly stop my heart. I laugh them off, since I’m not sure what else to do. “What about you?” I ask. “Doyoulike them?”
“I do.” My stomach sinks a little. “But like they said, failed hookup.”
I’m still not quite sure how onefailsat a hookup, but I’m far too embarrassed to ask.
“Well, we should probably head out,” I say instead.
Ben sighs. “Yeah, alright.”
He stands, shutting the lights off, and I join him, walking to the door just as he reaches it. When we step into the hall, he locks the handle and pulls the door shut behind us.
I’m not sure what all of this meant tonight. I can’t quite reconcile how Parker so easily invited me in or how they and Ben fit together.
One thing I know for sure is that if I’m invited again, I’ll be here with bells on, and I think that tells me all I need to know.
Chapter 9
Parker
This is absolutely stupid. Why am I letting two stupid-ass football players—gag—get in my head so badly?
For a solid week, Ben and Landon have been at my apartment every night. I shouldn’t want or need them to be here now, but for some reason I can’t explain, my fingers are hovering over the chat box in a damn group chat I just made anyway.
