I let him pull me under his arm as he leads me inside. I burrow into his heat as I shiver. I didn’t even realize I was cold until he mentioned it.
We navigate the halls and elevator until we are standing at his room door. He opens it, bringing me inside. There are no lights on, but there is light from a computer monitor. I can see a character moving while the person with their back to me mutters to themselves.
“Get him, Ramblebot. Jesus.”
“My roommate. He talks to his online friends. I learned to ignore him.”
He turns toward a closet, pulling something out. Then he puts a hoodie over my head. I squeak, but try to stay in place to let him do it.
Once it’s on, he grabs my shoulders, turning me. Then he steps into me, whispering in my ear. “I knew you would look hella good with my name and number on your body.”
I look over my shoulder at him. He shrugs before climbing back on his bed, kicking his shoes off at the end of it.
I take my shoes off, climbing next to him.
“What do you need me to do, beautiful? I’m still new at this. I can talk shit about the woman. Usually I’m against violence toward women, but I think she could be the exception. I’m willing to go punch her if it would make you feel better.”
“No. I don’t want you in jail. Then how would you hug me?”
“That’s what my hoodie is for. To be your hug when I can’t be with you.”
My heart is hammering in my chest at his words. They are some of the sweetest I’ve ever heard.
Moving closer, I whisper to him, “Hold me?”
His arms come around me, pulling me so I have my head resting on his chest. “I thought you would never ask. It killed me not cuddling you,” he admits.
I smile against his chest. Today has been a shitty day, but somehow he helps ease the pain.
“Are you a closet cuddler, Kellan Cooper?”
“More like a cuddler with the right person, if you will.”
“You can cuddle me anytime you’d like,” I tell him.
Then I look up at him. He is looking down at me like I am his reason for breathing. It’s so startling that it has me suck in a gasp of air.
His hand comes to my face, wiping the tear stains I’m sure are there.
“I don’t like you crying, beautiful. You should only have tears of joy.”
“That’s not the way life works. Sometimes you have to cry the sad ones, but it only makes the joyful ones all the sweeter.”
“You are so smart.” His eyes flit to my lips then back to my eyes. “How did I get so lucky?”
Leaning up, I kiss him softly. He lets me lead the kiss, not attempting to take more than I’m giving. I peck his lips several times before biting his lip.
He opens his mouth, leaving me room to slip my tongue in. He hesitantly strokes my tongue with his own, fully participating in this kiss but making it known that I control it.
“What the fuck?”
I jump back from him, looking over at his roommate. I expect to find him watching us kiss, but he’s still looking at his screen.
Looking back to Kellan, my cheeks heat.
Neither of us says another word as I reclaim my spot on his chest. I feel safe and loved in this moment. The way his arms hold me to him makes me feel like he would never let me go.
It might be stupid of me, but I don’t want him to.
