She stirs in my lap and her restless arm pushes under the pillow, her hand falling perfectly into place in a spot that it shouldn’t.
Fuck.
I start to panic wondering how I can move her hand from my now hardening cock without waking her up. I need to think about something to stop my erection but all my mind can think about is Maisie and her soft skin, the hair I’ve run my hands through.
Fuck. Fuck.Fuck.
She stirs more and I watch her eyes open. As her hand stretches it flexes against my now fully hard erection.
I stifle a groan.
I can see the confusion morph in her tired face and the immediate moment she realizes what’s happening.
“Oh,” her eyes widen, “oh.” Her hand peels away from my lap and as happy as I should be, a fucked up part of me wishes she would’ve kept it there. I would’ve allowed her too.
I bite the inside of my cheek so she doesn’t see what she’s doing to me.
Clearing my throat, I say, “It’s not what it looks like. It hasn’t been there for long and I didn’t want to wake you but I didn’t know how to move you.”
“It’s okay.” She yawns and scrambles to get up, unwilling to look me in the eye.
“I’m so sorry, I don’t want you to think I was taking advantage of the situation.” I’m now panicking.
“Henry,” she finally looks at me, “I like to think I know you well enough to know you would never do that.” Her soft smile breaks my panic. “I’m sorry for my tired, adventurous hands.”
I let out a breathy laugh and rub a hand through my hair, trying not to overthink the situation we’ve found ourselves in—also not wanting Maisie to be embarrassed. “I promise, it’s okay.”
“I’m sure it was.”Shewinks and I know I’ll never make it out of this house alive.
We spend the next few hours finishing both High School Musical 2 and 3. After our rewatch, we still both agree that the second movie is superior.
I can tell Maisie is tired and so am I, but I don’t want to move—and I don't think she wants to either. I want to shut my eyes and fall asleep to the weight of her on my chest and the sound of her heartbeat next to mine.
We sit in silence for a while, talking about sweet nothings and learning about one another.
A life like this with a woman like Maisie is one I could love. If she allowed me to, I would fall in love with her… if I haven’t already.
“Henry.” Maisie yawns.
“Yeah?” I whisper.
“I don’t think I want you to leave.”
“I’ll stay. I can sleep out here if you want me to.” I rub my fingers through her hair. I know that I have more than likely over welcomed my stay but I don’t want to leave.
“No, I—” she pauses, “I don’t want you to leave Ruby Lake.”
I feel a punch straight to my heart over her confession.
With her honesty, I do something friends shouldn’t do but I don’t question it. I lean down and kiss the top of her head and quietly mumble, “I don’t want to either.”
We sit with our confessions, and before I know it, Maisie quietly falls asleep on my chest. The same spot she stayed when she told me she didn’t want me to leave.
I whisper to let her know I should probably get back home and get her to sleep but she doesn’t budge.
I softly lift her head off my shoulder and lie her down on a pillow as I get up and make my way to her bedroom. I’m not going to spend the night because neither of us are in the right headspace but I want to make sure she has a good night's sleep.
I grab a cup from the kitchen and fill it with water to put on her nightstand, as well as the bottle of Midol from her bathroom. I quickly fluff the comforter, pulling it back with the floral sheets I saw the other night. I try to stay quiet in hopes that she doesn’t wake up and wonder where I am.
