Page 81 of Forbidden You

“Smells good.” She smiles, taking a plate from my hands. “Thank you.”

We eat in silence, and when we both set our plates back on the table, we lean into the couch, the energy completely sucked out of us.

“Do you want to watch a movie?” I ask, not ready to let her go for today.

“Or we can watch a reality show?”

“I’m not watching that crap.”

She rolls her eyes.

“Fine. Can we watch another superhero movie?”

“Ah, you liked Batman, huh?”

She shakes her head with a straight face. “Nah, I just like Christian Bale.”

I shoot her a dull look, a pang of jealousy gushing through my gut. “Seriously?”

Throwing her head back, she falls into laughter. “No, but you should see your face. Are you jealous, McKay?” She teases, pointing her finger at me.

“No,” I murmur, then laugh to hide how busted I feel.

“Don’t worry. Christian Bale is too old for me.”

“Such a relief.” I pull a face and she crawls toward me over the piece of furniture.

“You’re cute when you are jealous.” Her hand strokes the back of my neck in a sweet way while I place my arm around her middle.

“Gee, thanks,” I chortle.

Her body feels like it’s meant to be close to mine, naked, or fully clothed, it doesn’t matter. I love feeling her beside me, just knowing she’s close.

“Can we cuddle?” Her bold stance simmers down a bit, being replaced by a cautious look, showing the insecurity she mostly hides under a lot of bravado.

She seems a bit uncomfortable to ask, and I wonder why until she adds, “Is that something friends are allowed to do?”

I don’t fucking care.

My heart thunders just by the thought of having her in my arms, watching a movie, and aimlessly playing with her silk manes.

A smile slips into place. “I don’t know if that’s something friends do, babe,” I tell her honestly. “But you can always cuddle with me.” I pull her close, and with a beaming smile, she settles in the crook of my arm before I turn on the TV.

My lips brush over her hair, sucking in the flowery whiff, while I hold her tightly against my side.

Is that something friends do? I’m pretty sure it’s not.

But I’m breaking all the rules anyway. Might as well add this one to the long list of trouble I’m already in.

And when her weight fully rests against my side… I know I’ll add even more, if I can keep her like this forever.

20

“You are my idol! Do men ever listen, though?”

I laugh when Agnes tells me how she made her husband cook her favorite dish after he forgot to take out the trash. Seems to me like Mr. Nichols is totally whipped, and I couldn’t ask for a better example to learn from.

“Hardly,” she bellows back from above her screen. “What about him?” She points her thumb toward Bodi’s office, and I let out a wheezing snort at the same time the door opens.

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