This fucking romantic bastard. I want to hate him, but instead I take his hand. He pulls me close, but it’s hard to skate like this, and our wheels keep hitting. He laughs, putting a hand on my hip. My skin prickles under his touch, even with fabric separating us.
“Don’t move,” he says softly, tightening his grip while pushing me.
I look over my shoulder, too out of control for my own liking.
“Look at me,” he says sternly.
My eyes snap back to meet his. “What?”
“You can’t even imagine how you look in this light.” He barely says the words, but I hear them over the music, clear as day.
“How do I look?” I have to laugh.
“You’re glowing. Like a real angel.”
“You’re drunk.”
We’re both drunk. It’s silly to take any of this seriously.
“I’m drunk, but I still have eyes.”
I go to brush my hair out of my face, but he catches my hand.
“Don’t do that. I like it in your face.”
My cheeks hurt from smiling. Whatever inspired this night, my soul needed it, and that’s why he’s my best friend. He always knows what I need.
The song ends, and I turn back around. He skates by my side for a few seconds, then slips his hand into mine.
“What are we doing, Wolfe?” I say when we get off the floor, sweaty and needing another drink.
“Getting a drink? Or did you forget already?” He hands me mine, and we find seats near a heater, suddenly cold.
“I don’t mean the drinks. I mean all of this.” I gesture around us.
“I wanted to get out and enjoy the day. I told you.” He’s not looking at me.
“Why?” I can’t make sense of it.
“We do stuff all the time. I like spending time with you.” He looks at me like he’s daring me to challenge it.
“Not like this. We’ve never been like this.”
“Who says we can’t be this, too?” He drops his gaze again.
I stare, trying to work out the reasoning. “Why, though?”
“Why not? Are you having fun tonight?”
“Of course I am?—”
He cuts me off. “This past week was amazing, right? Despite being home, despite my mother, your family. Tell me you didn’t feel that.”
I search his face, still trying to understand the angle. “I felt it.”
“So keep doing it with me.”
“Is this about me helping you out? Because you don’t have to do all that to continue. I was teasing you about?—”
