“Unless you’d prefer the label enemies.” I keep my tone full of mirth, though I hate that descriptor. “Youdolike to fight with me.”
Alex’s pinched gaze slides to mine. “I often want to strangle you.”
“Fix me up just to kill me?” I let out a lowwhistle. “Brutal.”
Alex shakes her head, but she can’t quite subdue the smile on her lips.
When she doesn’t say anything else, I hop on the counter opposite the sink and wait. Normally, I’d be jibbering about forty different nonsensical topics, but I’m not rushing Alex into telling me what I can do to help her. I get the feeling that asking for help isn’t easy for her. Warmth blooms at the fact that she’s even asking in the first place.
Alex takes a deep breath, running both hands through her long hair and fisting it at the base of her neck. Her mouth opens, but no sounds come out.
“Why don’t you get changed,” I suggest. “It might be easier in dry clothes.” Before Alex can get defensive, I pick up the potted plant I brought over and focus my attention on it. “Leaf and I can get better acquainted while we wait. We really didn’t get enough bro bonding before I brought him here.”
Alex’s breathy chuckle is music to my ears, but I don’t look up. I just widen my eyes and tilt my head like Leaf said something amazing.
“You don’t say? The first explorer to reach the Americas? Tell me more.”
I catch Alex grinning out of the corner of my eye as she walks toward her bedroom.
The problem is, as much as I definitely want to give Alex all the patience she deserves, I’m not good at sitting still. Using the cleaning solution under the sink, I wipe down her countertops,her microwave, and all the shelves in the refrigerator. Then I disassemble her stove coils so I can clean the oil stains beneath them. Growing warm during my quick cleaning bender, I toss my partially damp hoodie over the front doorknob before returning to the range.
“What are you doing?”
“Waiting?” I hold up the soapy sponge like I’ve just been caught robbing a bank.
Alex stomps up to me, so close she nearly wets her clean clothes with the sponge.
“With yourleft hand?” The words are gritted through tight teeth.
I glance at my wet bandage with an expression likeOops.“I started with my right, but I couldn’t get things clean enough.”
“Tenny.”
“Some of this required real elbow grease. I can’t do that right-handed,” I tell her, gesturing to the half-cleaned range.
“Tenny.”
“You should be happy I didn’t start with the patio, whichI amcleaning, by the way, and I’m buying you a bird deterrent system because that’s obviously your happy place, and there’s no way I’m letting some featherbrained bullies—”
My words halt in my throat when Alex launches herself at me, wrapping her arms around my waist in the tightest hug. Cautiously setting the sponge aside, I debate whether to hug herback. This might be some kind of trap, and I don’t want to do anything to get blocked again.
“You have to stop.” Her whispered words tickle the skin above my shirt collar.
“Is that why you’re hugging me?” I ask, still not touching her.
“No. Yes?” She groans, pressing her forehead into my neck. “I don’t know.”
“Okay,” I say, deciding it’s worth the risk.
Wrapping one arm around Alex’s shoulders while the other bands around her lower back, I lean against the counter so I can take all her weight. The action makes Alex nestle deeper, like I’m as comfortable to snuggle with as Carly the Capybara.
I don’t know what the heck we’re doing. Enemies don’t hug. Friends do, but probably not like this. It’s obvious Alex doesn’t want to be with me romantically, so what in the world…
Forcing my brain to shut up, I focus on sensations. The gentle rise and fall of Alex’s breaths, mirroring my own. The sheer sweetness of this moment softened by Alex’s comforting scent. Heck, even the sound of the seagulls chattering as they have the feast of a lifetime is oddly calming.
Alex finally pulls away with a noisy sigh. I reluctantly release her, keeping myself pinned to the counter so I don’t reach for her. My heart thuds as she settles against the other side of the narrow galley kitchen, a slight pink splotching her cheeks.
Alex blushes?
