“Hi,” I whisper.
“Hi.” He rubs his nose, and the corners of his mouth twitch, almost a smile. “Can I come in?”
Nodding, I step aside, and then he’s in my room. It feels strange, the air between us, full of unspoken words. I close the door and go back to my bed because I suddenly remember I’m not wearing any pants. I shouldn’t care. After all, he’s already seen me naked. But I feel more vulnerable right now.
“Why are you here?” I ask.
Jase stands at my desk and checks out the photos I have hanging above it. Mom, Dad, Caleb, me. He turns to me, burying his hands in his pants pockets, and rocks back and forth on his heels. “I don’t know,” he replies.
“You don’t know?” God, I have to breathe.Breathe, Zoe.
He shakes his head, runs a hand through his hair, and groans with frustration. “No, I don’t know. I shouldn’t be here. I don’t know... It really doesn’t make sense. Or maybe it does. No clue.”
I sit on my bed and pull up my knees. “Do you want to talk?” I ask carefully.
He shakes his head again. “I don’t want to talk anymore. We did enough of that. My head is so full that I don’t even know where to put all the damn thoughts. I... actually, I just want to sleep. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have come over, I—” He breaks off and turns to the door. He’s just about to open it again when I stop him.
“Do you want to stay here?” The question escapes before I can hold it back.
Jase turns to face me. “Are you serious?”
“You don’t have to. Only if you want,” I say, backpedaling. “I just thought—”
“Yes,” he says, and the relief in his voice pierces my heart.
I slide over on the mattress to make room for him, and he comes to bed. Only now do I realize he’s not wearing any shoes. He came over in his socks. I don’t know why, but that touches me. I slip under the covers, and Jase lies down next to me. We don’t touch, but I can feel warmth radiating from his skin.
“Are you okay?” I ask, and he laughs softly.
“Shouldn’t I be asking you that?”
“You can, once you’ve told me if you’re okay.”
He narrows his eyes. “No, not really. How about you?”
“Better,” I say honestly, feeling under the quilt for his hand. My fingers brush his skin, a silent question, because I know everything is far from being okay between us again. But he’s here, and maybe that’s a start. “I’m glad you know what happened.”
“And I’m glad you told me.” His fingers interlace with mine, and we instinctively move closer together until I can feel his breath on my skin, and he can feel mine.
“Tell me your secrets, and I’ll tell you mine,” I whisper. His eyes gleam. I turn off the light, and darkness floods the room. Warm darkness that feels like an embrace. Jase kisses my forehead, and I close my eyes.
Chapter 33
Zoe
I have no idea why I panicked the first time we danced together. I really don’t understand it. And I understand even less why it’s gone now.
—Zoe
A merciless beeping sound tears me out of my sleep. I grunt and fumble for my phone, and I’m startled that my fingers don’t hit the wood of my bedside table, but a firm, warm body next to me.
Jase.
He grumbles softly, a deep sound that comes from his chest. Blinking, he opens his eyes. His gaze is unfocused, his lashes a little sticky.
The alarm continues to ring, but I’m frozen in motion. Jase looks younger, so sleepy, with messier hair than usual. He smiles lazily. He’s not quite awake yet, even though my phone is right next to his head, and the sound is truly awful.
Oh man, this isn’t good. Except that somehow, it feels like it is.
