Page 95 of Barbi and the Villain

“Nykander… There is only one bed,” I mutter in shock as I point toward the bed. It’s small, too. “Oh my God!”

All the scenarios I’ve read about flash into my head and my heart starts beating uncontrollably fast.

“Yes, so?” he asks in a bored tone as he puts down BonBon and his bag with our supplies.

“There is only one bed, Nykander. Don’t you know what that means?”

He frowns, staring at me as if I’ve grown two heads.

“No?”

“Oh my God!” I burst out. PomPom jumps out of my arms, joining BonBon on the floor, while I run around the small room, squeaking in excitement. “It’s just like in the books. There is only one bed and we will have to squeeze in it together, which will be a tight squeeze since you are not exactly small. But we will then cuddle and?—”

“You can take the bed. I will take the floor,” he interrupts, squashing all my dreams.

“What?”

“I do not…cuddle,” he states in a firm tone.

My excitement deflates. “But?—”

“There will be no cuddling, Barbi.” He sighs.

“But what if I am cold at night?” I ask, turning to him and making puppy eyes.

“PomPom can warm you up. And if she’s not enough, BonBon can join you, too.”

“But what if that’s not enough either? Will you let me freeze to death?”

He stares at me.

“I do not cuddle,” he repeats in a deadpan voice.

I pout.

That’s when he shakes his head and turns his back to me.

Damn you, romance novels! You’ve skewed my standards for love. Finally, I have the opportunity to experience the one-bed trope, and my not-quite-love-interest vehemently disavows cuddling.

Maybe he thinks cuddling will make him less villainous?

“You know, cuddling will not decrease your villainous reputation. Besides, my lips are sealed. I won’t tell if you won’t,” I tell him, motioning with two fingers across my lips to let him know I will keep his secret.

“Barbi,” he groans.

“Fine, Mr. Grumpy Pants. I will cuddle with my dogs and you will not be invited. Not even if you are cold. You can freeze to death for all I care, you cuddle-adverse demon!” I say as I stomp to the bed, pulling my dogs next to me and giving him the cold shoulder treatment.

“I will take my chances,” his amused voice echoes.

16

Iwake up in the middle of the night. The room is dark and foreign, and for a moment, panic swells in my breast. I immediately reach for my baby, but the place next to me is empty.

“PomPom?” I ask in a low voice.

She doesn’t answer me. BonBon doesn’t either.

I strain to look around the room. Nykander is not here either. He’d gone to sleep on the floor as he declared, but the blankets where he slept are an empty mess.

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