Page 19 of Just A Kiss

“Um, because?” I reply, but it comes out more like a question.

“Go to the bathroom, but then come back to bed. I’m not done with you,” he states. I watch as he tugs back the covers on his bed. I stall for another second before padding my way into his bathroom to take care of business.

As I wash my hands, I take a good look at my reflection in the mirror. I can see the sadness lingering in the depths of my own eyes. Continuing with this little charade is slowly killing me inside. I know when I walk back out into that room, Lee is going to flash me that smile I can’t resist, and I’ll slide right back between his sheets instead of pulling my clothes on and going home, where I would drink and cry myself to sleep.

“Hurry up; the sheets are getting cold,” Lee calls from the bedroom. I shut the water off, drying my hands on the towel hanging from the hook on the wall.

I step out of the bathroom, still naked. I can feel his eyes roaming over my exposed flesh. My mind and heart are fighting internally as to who is going to win this war.

“What’s wrong?” Lee asks, sitting up in bed. The look of concern on his face has my heart melting just a bit.

“Just not feeling all that great. I think I’m going to head home,” I tell him, taking a few steps towards where my clothes are strewn around his room. He meets me at the side of the bed, stopping me from pulling my clothes back on as he slides a hand around my waist and pulls me until our bodies are flush against one another.

“You’d tell me if it was something else, if something was bothering you, right?” he asks as if he already knows that somethingisbothering me.

“Yeah,” I lie, the words coming out as a whisper. I have to suck in a breath to keep the tears at bay.

“Do you need anything? Some 7-Up and crackers? Soup? Sleep?” he asks, rapid-fire.

“No.” I shake my head slightly. “I just need a good night's sleep.”

“Then come to bed, let me hold you. I promise no funny business; I’ll just hold you all night and let you sleep,” he offers.

I suck my bottom lip between my teeth, chewing on it as I ponder what I’m going to do. Get dressed and go home, or allow him to hold me in bed? Once again, my heart and mind are boxing it out. Lee must recognize the raging war inside my mind as he tugs my hand a few feet to the edge of the bed. He slides in, pulling me with him until we’re settled. Lee’s head is on his pillow, and he’s situated me with my head on his chest with his arm around my body, holding me tight. I hold back the tears, his touch soothing, as his hand glides up and down my back.

“I have a question for you,” he says, breaking the silence that we’ve settled into.

“What’s that?”

“Would you be my date to the Firefighters Ball?”

I mull his question over, a little shocked that he’s asked. “I’d love to,” I tell him honestly.

“It’s formal, so you’d need a dress and all that,” he tells me.

“That isn’t a problem. It just gives me a reason to go shopping,” I tell him.

His question lifts my mood a little bit. Maybe he is coming around to the idea that we could be more than just fuck buddies. With that thought, and perhaps a little bit of hope, I snuggle in a little tighter to his side and fall asleep.

12

LEE

Allison was upand out of here early this morning. Something was off with her last night, and I really wish I knew what exactly it was. We’ve got a good thing going between us, but I’m out if things get too weird. I’d rather have her as a friend than have things going sideways.

I hop out of the shower, drying off and wrapping the towel around my waist as I step up in front of my sink and mirror. I start with my electric razor before cleaning the rest of my scruff up with my handheld one and then head into my bedroom to get dressed and ready for my shift. I pack a bag since I’ll be at the firehouse for a full twenty-four-hour shift.

* * *

“What’s up, man?”Tucker asks, strolling into the locker room, his own bag slung over his shoulder. He bumps fists with me before offloading his things into his locker.

“Nothing much, how about you?” I ask him as I shut my locker door and close the few feet between us.

“Just an easy day, spent it with my girl before I had to come to work.”

I smirk at him, referring to Lindsay as his girl. Settling down actually suits him.

I kick back in the great room, a random car show on the TV, as the rest of our crew is milling about, waiting for the first call of our shift to come in. It only takes us sitting around for about thirty minutes before the bells are ringing, and we all go running for the rigs in the bays.

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