Page 77 of Gin & Sin

“We’ll stay in bed, cozy and warm. Or we’ll cuddle on my sofa and watch movies. We’ll just hang out and push back the world for one more day.”

I nod. “That sounds nice.”

“Good. Because as much as I love taking you apart over and over, my dick is sore.”

I laugh, throwing my head back. “My dick, my ass, even my jaw.”

Kit grins. “We’ve put our bodies through it the last few days. Worth it though.”

“Absolutely worth it.”

“How about a shower and then I’ll make coffee?”

“Sounds perfect.”

“That was so cheesy,”I complain, scooping a half-melted marshmallow out of my mug with my finger. “Who thinks up these holiday movies?”

Kit shakes his head. “Who knows? I guess I’m happy to see some queer rom-coms showing up though. Jerryn told us it’s important we watch them all, even if we just play them in the background while we do other things. That’s how they’ll decide whether they should make more.”

“Good point. In that case, it was amazing.”

Kit chuckles, bumping his feet into mine under the blanket. “Okay, so if we were the stars in a holiday rom-com, what would be our meet cute? It can’t be a bar.”

“Hmm.” I tap my chin. “Maybe a bookstore. Or…” I pause to laugh at my own idea. “You’re at the university to meet up with your brother and you bump into me in the hallway and knock my lesson plans onto the floor.”

“Oh yes, and of course, I’m a nice guy so I help you pick them up.”

“Yep. I’m oblivious to the idea that a guy like you would look at a guy like me, so I just go about my day even though I can’t stop thinking about your incredible smile.”

“And then I surprise you by auditing one of your classes so I have a chance to talk to you again,” Kit says, playing with my fingers. “And you’re so adorably in your own world, you don’t even realize I’m hitting on you until I blatantly ask you out.”

“But I have to decline because I have a loser boyfriend who lives in Chicago and put his career before me.”

“So I tell you we can be friends and that I won’t make a move.”

“But you keep doing the cutest shit, like taking me to the tree farm to pick out the perfect Christmas tree for my big, lonely house.” I chuckle.

“And that time I took you ice skating and we drank hot chocolate and fell on top of each other.”

“And laughed until we wanted to kiss but we didn’t.”

“Because I’m respectful.”

“Remember the day we made snow angels? It was so wholesome, and I knew my big-city guy would never enjoy the nostalgia of it.”

“He was so mad that time he showed up when we were making sugar cookies in your kitchen,” Kit says.

“He was, but by then, I think I knew. I knew it was you and I would have to end things with him, but he dug in his heels to keep me.”

“And I gave you space even though it tore me up.”

“Even though I was spending time with my guy, I couldn’t stop thinking about you. Then I started to notice the cracks in my relationship. The distance. The way he left the room to take a phone call, or didn’t pay attention when I was talking.”

“Then you overheard him one day talking to his coworker about how he had to spend time with you a few times a year to keep you quiet. It broke your heart a little.”

“It stung, but it was the wake up call I needed. I told him to go back to Chicago and live his big city life, and then I ran down Main Street to our favorite coffee shop but you weren’t there.”

“The barista told you I was leaving town. Taking a job transfer all the way to Boston.”

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