Page 65 of Why Not Both?

“Alien,” I tell her.

“I was going to suggest we watch Evil Dead tomorrow after the hike. It’s been a while since I saw it.”

“We can do that.”

“You made quite an impression on my parents, you know.”

I can hear the smile in her voice as I sit on the edge of my bed, finally relaxing enough that I think I can sleep tonight at some point.

“Oh yeah? How so?” I ask her as I strip out of my clothes and pull back the covers.

“They regaled Daze with the story of how you forced me to eat dinner.”

“Mm. Sorry, not sorry.”

“Mom wants me to invite you to dinner next time I go out there. She said you need a family dinner once in a while.”

“Is that something you want?” I ask quietly.

She takes a while to answer, finally whispering, “Yes.” Then, louder, she says, “Spencer—”

But I’m not ready to hear the end of what she’s about to say, so I interrupt. “Your mom is amazing, Lis.”

She hesitates before accepting my change of topic. “She is. Of course, she would be better if she didn’t spoil Cerberus so much. He’s in a food coma now.”

I chuckle. “Just wait until you have kids.”

“Oh, not you, too. They go on and on about how much they want grandbabies.” Her words and her tone are at odds. She seems to love the good-natured teasing. Probably because she knows how much her parents love her.

She yawns. “Sorry. It’s been a long day.”

“You’re right. It’s late. I shouldn’t have called.”

“No. It’s fine. I said you could.”

Had she wanted to hear my voice as much as I wanted to hear hers? What are we doing? Why aren’t we together?

“You need to sleep if you’re going to be able to keep up with me on the mountain tomorrow.”

She groans. “Don’t remind me. I’m trying to pretend it’s not going to happen. You are going to owe me so hard for this.”

“You have a few favours saved up. What would you like me to do?”

Some of the things I’m thinking are certainly not things friends would do for each other. Like a full-body massage. Her soft skin beneath my hands. Fuck. Now I’m hard.

“I’m sure I’ll think of something.” She yawns again.

“Go to sleep, firecracker. I’ll see you in the morning. You’ll pick me up at about nine?”

“Yeah. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

We say goodbye and hang up and I’m left both more relaxed and more tense, my dick telling me he’s annoyed with me.

He’s still annoyed with me in the morning, after dreams of rainbow hair spread on my pillow, soft skin beneath my hands. I take a shower that makes us both feel a little better, then get dressed and pack a couple things into my backpack. In the living room, Vic is sitting on the couch with Emily.

“Good morning, ladies,” I say as I go over and kiss the top of Vic’s head. “Emily. So lovely to see you.”

“You’re lying again, Spencer,” Emily says.

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