“Yeah?”
When they didn’t look at me, I sighed and decided to leave it. For now. They were so damn stubborn—they definitely got that from their father.
Once they had enough popcorn to feed an army, we walked out to the living room and settled on the couch. Unsurprisingly, they sat right beside me instead of any other seat, which I was grateful for.
The movie started, and I put my arm on the back of the couch, sort of around them, and scooted closer, pretending that I only wanted to reach the popcorn more easily.
They leaned into me, keeping their eyes on the screen, but it was clear they were aware of how close we were.
When the movie ended, they sent me a smile. “Another?”
My brow furrowed as I checked the clock. It was after midnight, and while it wasn’t unusual for us to be up later than this when we were trying to catch people who liked to go clubbing, it definitely wasn’t normal for them to want to stay up this late when we weren’t working.
I took the empty bowl from their lap and placed it on the coffee table before gently giving their hand a squeeze. My other arm was still on the back of the couch with their head resting on it.
“What’s going on, Oak?”
“Nothing.”
“Oak. Come on. You can talk to me.”
They let out a long-drawn sigh, looked away from me, and spoke so fast, I almost couldn’t understand them. “I… I just… I don’t want to be alone. I don’t… do well when I’m in a place alone, so I guess I was trying to make you stay over without actually asking you. Which I realize is totally wrong and manipulative, so I totally suck, but I was still wondering if maybe you wouldn’t mind staying again tonight? You can take the bed, and I’ll sleep on the couch. I just… I don’t want to be alone.”
That was a lot of word vomit, but I got the gist, although I couldn’t help but wonder why they didn’t want to be alone. But… I had a feeling that was a conversation I should wait to have. I could tell they were feeling vulnerable, and I didn’t want to upset them more.
“Of course I’ll stay. But I’m not taking the bedroom. It’s your home, your bed, so you take it.”
They snorted. “If you think I’m going to sleep in a bed while you’re stuck on the couch, you’ve got another think coming, my friend.”
I shook my head in amusement, then wrapped my arm around them enough to pull them into my side. “Come here, you. Start the movie.”
“Really?”
I nodded. “Yep. You’ll be out like a light in five minutes flat.”
They snorted. “It’ll be you out first, old man.”
I chuckled as I settled in, holding them to my side as they started the next movie.
They fell asleep first, and I was happy for it because I was able to stare at their beautiful face for a long time before I kissed their forehead, closed my own eyes, and let sleep take me.
Chapter Twenty
Oakley
Okay, so my dad had been right about one thing—taking some time off was seriously refreshing. Especially when that time was spent watching Roman carry around seven hundred of my shopping bags for me.
At this point, I was literally buying things just to add more bags to his pile to see how long it would take him to start complaining, or at the very least, ask me to carry some of my own crap. I didn’t even know what half the shit I’d bought was, and I couldn’t believe Rome hadn’t realized what I was doing yet. So far, he was carrying nineteen bags. I was hoping for at least twenty-five, but I’d be happy with even one more.
Carrying a perfume I liked up to the register, I said, “Chop, chop, old man. Don’t start gettin’ slow on me now.”
All Rome did was sigh, and I held in a snicker as I passed the bottle to the cashier. As subtly as I could, I turned my back to lean against the counter and lifted my phone, pretending to scroll through it. I opened my camera app and managed to snap a few pictures of Roman and his overloaded arms.
He turned toward me and lifted a brow. “Are you seriously taking pictures of me right now?”
“What? I’m doing no such thing.”
“You act like I don’t know you.”
