“Because I was scared of clowns?” It was like he couldn’t understand why that was amusing.
But it was. “I just can’t imagine you scared of anything, much less clowns. Come on. Even I’ve never been scared of clowns.”
“I was four.”
I couldn’t help but snicker. “Four… fourteen, same difference.”
Based on the mule-ish expression on his face, he wasn’t amused. “This is the last time that I come over to save you from the boogeyman.”
Shocked out of my mind for a split second, I tried to pretend like I wasn’t, but… I was. He was joking with me. Aiden was in bed joking around. With me. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry, I was just messing with you.” I scooted one more millimeter closer to him, drawing my knees up so that they hit his thighs. “Please don’t leave yet.”
“I won’t,” he said, settling on his pillow with his hands under his cheek, his eyes already drifting to a close.
I didn’t need to ask him to promise not to leave me; I knew he wouldn’t if he said so. That was just the kind of man he was.
“Aiden?” I whispered.
“Hmm?” he murmured.
“Thank you for coming in here with me.”
“Uh-huh.” That big body adjusted itself just slightly before he let out a long, deep exhale.
Without turning around, I laid the flashlight down behind me and aimed the beam toward the wall. He didn’t ask if I was really going to leave the flashlight on all night—or at least however long the battery lasted—instead, I just smiled at him as I took my glasses off and set them on the unused nightstand behind me. Then I tucked my hands under my cheek and watched him.
“Good night. Thank you again for staying with me.”
Peeking one eye open, just a narrow slit, he hummed. “Shh.”
That ‘shh’ was about as close to a ‘you’re welcome’ as I was going to get.
I closed my eyes with a little grin on my face.
Maybe five seconds later, Aiden’s spoke up. “Vanessa?”
“Hmm?”
“Why was I saved on your work phone as Miranda P.?”
That had my eyes snapping open. I hadn’t deleted that entry off the contacts when I quit, had I? “It’s a long, boring story, and you should go to sleep. Okay?”
The “uh-huh” out of him sounded as disbelieving as it should have. He knew I was full of shit, but somehow, knowing he knew, wasn’t enough to keep me from falling asleep soon after.
And when I woke up when it was still dark outside, rain pattering the windows, it took me a moment to realize where I was: on my bed, and I was doing my best to imitate a blanket.
Aiden’s personal human blanket.
One of my legs was thrown over his thigh, a forearm was flopped across his bellybutton, and the top of my head was literally nestled onto his bicep. My freaking mouth was an inch from his nipple.
What in the hell was I doing?
Moving my head slightly back, I found Aiden on his back with his palm acting as his pillow—where his pillow was, I had no idea—and his other arm, the one who’s biceps I was using as a pillow, was wrapped around my neck.
Pulling my leg and arm back so that I wasn’t acting like a massive octopus, I slowly rolled over, keeping my head where it was. I tried to imagine what Aiden would have thought if he’d woken up and found me in that position, and I didn’t want to know.
What he didn’t know wouldn’t hurt him.
* * *
“I woke up in the middle of the night to get a drink of water,” Zac said over a bowl of oatmeal and bananas.
I took my glasses off and let out a big yawn. Aiden had accidentally woken me up that morning at six when he’d rolled out of bed. My bed. The one he’d slept in with me all night. Well, for six hours. I’d tried going back to sleep, but I hadn’t been able to. Instead, I’d laid in bed and watched television until I figured I was awake enough to get some work done before eating breakfast.
“And your door was wide open,” he continued.
I slammed my mouth closed.
“Noticed you weren’t alone, darlin’。” The idiot didn’t even bother hiding the shit-eating grin on his face. He was enjoying this way too much.
Now I could have handled the situation in a few different ways. I could have played dumb. I could have freaked out. Or I could have made it seem like it wasn’t a big deal. When you’re dealing with one of the nosiest men in the world, option three was really the only choice. Tapping the fork tines against the plate, I leveled an even look at the dark blond across from me. “The lights went out last night during the storm.”
“Uh-huh.”
He was eating this up. “He knows I’m scared of the dark,” I continued.
“Scared of the dark.” Those tawny eyelashes fluttered. “Uh-huh.”
“That’s all that happened. Stop looking at me like that.”
Zac chuckled before spooning oatmeal into his mouth. “Whatever you want, Mrs. Graves.”
That had me groaning. “It wasn’t even like that.”
“I’m not arguin’ with ya, darlin’。” He said that, but I wasn’t remotely convinced he was going to let it go.
“It really wasn’t like that at all,” I added anyway. “He’s just… trying to be my friend.”
A friend who climbed into bed with you? I wondered to myself. Maybe next time he would just get me a lantern for emergencies.
I could easily believe he’d woken up from the lightning and the crazy thunder and the crazier wind. But what had made him think about coming to my room once the lights had gone out? Because he’d seen how it was for me, right? Because he cared at least a little, and that’s what friends did. Or maybe it was because if I had a heart attack in bed, everyone would see that this thing between us wasn’t real, and he wanted to protect his reputation.
I didn’t have the energy or the will to think about it too much.
Zac raised an eyebrow before digging back into his food once more. “You’re more than likely the first person he’s ever tried to be friends with, Van.”
I eyed him, suddenly feeling a little uncomfortable. I just shrugged and went back to eating my food. After all, what would be my argument? “You’re his friend.”
“Not so much, sugar.”
I couldn’t totally disagree with him; all the components I thought made up friendship were seriously missing between Aiden and Zac. They didn’t do anything together. As far as I saw, they never really talked to each other, especially since Zac had gotten kicked off the team. That bond between them had become even thinner. They were just, well, roommates.
Then again, this was Aiden. Did we expect him to give hugs and write love letters? “You know, that day we went out and you got hammered? He came downstairs and helped me get you on the couch. He was worried about you. That says something, I think.”
It was obvious he brushed off my words, and I didn’t push. I didn’t get male friendships and I probably never would. “Are you spending Thanksgiving with Diana?” he asked.
I shook my head. “No.” I’d texted her a couple days ago and her response had been: TOO SOON TRAITOR. I’d give her another week to chill out unless she contacted me first. It wasn’t a big deal. After all, it was just Thanksgiving. How many years had I settled for macaroni and cheese in a box for it? “My little brother has a game on Friday. I’m just going to stay here. What about you?