“It’s nice. It’s you,” he said with a smile as she pulled her fingers through her hair.
“I’m a mess,” she sighed.
“You’re beautiful.”
She glanced up as his eyes took her in. The pull of the magnet began to buzz. She could feel the energy shift between them. “I was scared I’d never see you again,” she told him.
He nodded as his hands dug deeper into his pockets. One emerged briefly as it shifted through his hair, then resumed its place. “I knew I’d see you. I just wasn’t sure for how long.”
“You’ve been through hell, haven’t you?” she asked, gently placing her hand on his face.
“I’d go through hell ten times over if I’d always come out with you on the other side.”
Madi sighed, pulling her hand away. “There you go again.”
“What?” he questioned as his lips curled into a smile.
“Saying all the right things.”
He shifted his stance and dug his hands deeper into his pockets.
Madi glanced down at them as she asked, “Are your hands in your pockets so you won’t touch me?”
He smiled as he nodded, “Yes.”
She sighed. “You don’t want to.”
His head shifted on his neck as his shoulders slumped. “You’re kidding me, right?”
“It’s okay,” she spoke softly. “I know things are really weird between us right now. I know we’ve taken a few steps backwards. I just want you to know…”
His neck bent and his hands flew from his pockets as he crushed his lips into hers. She gasped before lifting up onto her tiptoes to reach him better as her arms slid around his neck.
As he kissed her, he mumbled, “Nothing has changed. If anything, I love you even more.”
“More?” she mumbled back.
“More…” He slid his tongue into her mouth and she moaned, accepting him willingly and wantonly. His mouth parted from her as she struggled to catch her breath. “My hands were in my pockets because I’m in your room and I don’t know how you feel. There’s still so much to be said, but it’s late and I’m worried about you.”
Madi nodded as he quickly pressed his lips into hers for a brief kiss. He glanced toward the door. “I should go.”
Madi felt her breath hitch. She wasn’t sure she could bear to be away from him right now, or ever.
She mashed her lips together as she glanced between Jake and the door.
“What is it, baby?” he questioned, suddenly extremely concerned.
“Will you stay with me?”
Jake’s eyes widened and lit up like he’d just been offered the chance of a lifetime. “You want me to stay?”
“Only if you want to.” Her eyes fell to the floor, suddenly self-conscious and embarrassed. What if he didn’t want to?
“I want to. I just would never have asked or begged. I thought it was out of the question. I just assumed you…”
“Needed some time?” she said, finishing his sentence.
He nodded. “Yeah.”
“I do and I don’t. I’m so tired that I’m having a hard time separating dreams from reality. But I do know that I’ll never be able to sleep if I’m worrying about you.”
His lips curled up for a moment as he studied her. “Won’t you get in trouble?”
“They don’t require you to sign in until after ten at night, for commuters. You didn’t sign in, did you?”
He shook his head.
“Please stay,” she asked, raising her eyes to his.
“I’m not going anywhere.”
