“Just like me,” I admitted. “Think you’re figuring out that I like the romantic ones.”
“I like the romantic ones, too,” Devin said. “You’re treading water, by the way.”
It took me a second to reallyhearwhat he was saying, and I nearly went under as soon as I realized, but I recovered a second later, grabbing Devin’s hand tightly for support.
“Holy shit. Iam,” I said, letting myself take a moment to feel it happening. “Iam. You’re a goddamn wizard.”
Devin shrugged. “I’ll takegoddamn wizardas a title. Put it on my business cards.”
“You don’t have business cards,” I pointed out.
“I could have, they let anyone print business cards these days.You’vegot ‘em.”
“I mostly use them as bookmarks.”
“I know.” Devin beamed at me. “You read so much it givesmea headache. But you also let me lie on top of you while you read, so…”
“Pretty convinced you’re secretly part cat,” I said, smiling at the memory of having Devin lying on my chest, listening to music or napping while I lay down to read on the couch.
“Cats don’t like the water,” Devin pointed out, drawing me a little further toward the deep end, where I could see a marker for seven feet.
Seven feet of water didn’t sound so bad. Totally manageable.
“You’re doing great,” he encouraged. “I’msoexcited to show you off down at the falls when Chris and Alex come to visit.”
“You’re not expecting me to go out inpublicin these?” I asked.
“Why not?” Devin shrugged. “If I looked likeyoudo without a shirt on, I wouldn’t even own a shirt.”
“That’d get pretty cold pretty quick.”
“You’d keep me warm,” Devin said, so confident there was no point in arguing. “Can’t wait for the winter, either. I’m not gonna have to lie in a cold bed even once.”
“You’re… planning on staying overevery nightin the winter?” I asked.
Not that Iobjected. Devin was welcome to stay literally every night if he wanted.
Devin bit his lip. “I was, umm. Actually thinking. Since you’re having so much fun swimming and since the best time for both of us to go is around this time every morning, I could. Y’know. Move… in?”
Somehow, the innocent blinking was even more convincing behind the goggles.
“Move in to my place?” I asked.
The answer wasyes, today if you want, but I couldn’t resist torturing him a little. He’d made me goswimmingto get this offer, I couldn’t just give in that easily.
Devin nodded.
“You’re inviting yourself to move in,” I said, keeping my tone as even as possible.
Devin nodded again, chewing on his lower lip.
He didn’t look worried. He didn’t look worried atall, aside from the chewing. He wasn’t rushing to justify himself or clarify that it was fine if I didn’t want him to.
He knew.
Devin already knew what the answer was.
“So I’m thinking pizza,” I said.
