“Wu is a maybe.”
He sat back down on the couch, a few feet closer than before. Close enough for me to smell the Earl Grey wafting off his breath.
“That’s Nathaniel, right?”
He smiled at me from behind his mug. “Only on paper. To the rest of us, he’s Wu.”
“Okay, well,Nathanielmakes an even dozen. Not bad.”
He snatched the notebook and pen out of my hands and gently tossed them to the side. “And that seems like a good place to end it.”
“What are you doing?”
“Let’s take a break, watch an episode ofThe Bacheloretteor something.”
I narrowed my eyes. “YouwatchThe Bachelorette.”
“No, but I believe in trying new things.”
“That’s okay. I don’t watch it either.” The clock above the fireplace told me we had already been at this for over two hours, and that wasn’t including the time we had spent in the garden. “I probably should get going.”
“What’s the rush, angel?”
My fingers twisted in my lap. “I don’t know. Don’t you want to enjoy your night off in peace?”
He arched a brow. “Are you kidding? Dani is gone for the night, probably with her secret boyfriend—”
“Her what?!”
“—plus, it’s raining cats and dogs out there, so there’s not much to do besides kick back with a show.” He picked up the TV remote. “Besides, your clothes still have another half an hour in the dryer.”
Oh, he didn’t have to remind me. I was fully aware of the fact that there was nothing between me and his couch cushion besides the blanket I had set down. Borrowing a sweatshirt was one thing; going full, open vagina on his furniture was another.
I turned away, picking at a speck of lint on the cushion between us. “Only if you’re sure.”
“Nessa.” His hand clamped down on mine. “Please stay.”
Look, here comes a consequence, consequence, consequence.
The viral Tiktok refrain repeated over and over through my brain like soapy water circling the drain, and Jared’s soapsmelled like cinnamon and sin. My heart pounded rapidly, keeping pace with the tune.
I peeked up at him through my curtain of wet curls and nodded. After a few minutes of silent scrolling, my eyes caught on an ad for a movie I had been dying to watch.
“Oo, that one,” I said, pointing toward the screen.
“I don’t know, angel. That looks a little scary.”
“I love scary.”
“I meant for me.”
I snatched the remote from his hands and curled up in the seat next to him, making sure all my bits and bobs were still tucked safely beneath the sweatshirt. “Don’t worry, baseball boy. I’ve got you.”
Pink
My entire body was on fire. A raging inferno threatening to break free at any second and engulf anything—or anyone—in its path.
Starting with my throbbing dick.
