Page 51 of The Rookie

I chuckle softly, shaking my head. “Don’t let that get out. I’ve got a reputation to maintain. Always let the competition underestimate you.”

She laughs quietly, and it’s the kind of laugh that settles into my chest like it belongs there. I lean back in the chair, feeling more relaxed than I have in days.

“You’re not a simpleton, Griffin. Whatever you meant by that. I really appreciated the, ahem, time you’ve set aside to hang out with me and make me laugh. I might keep up a good front—and we might have accidentally made out last night—but inside myself I’d had a lot of ups and downs on this trip. It’s not exactly easy being in a foreign country. And you’ve made it, like, fun. So, thanks. And no, we will never revisit last night’s make out.”

“Makeouts. There were two.”

She gives me a dirty look.

“Hey, I’m not the one who brought it up. I’m doing my fucking best to respect your boundaries.”

“I know. I don’t mean to confuse you.”

After a lull in the conversation, we head back inside. I climb into my bed, rolling over to face the wall. Just as I’m starting to drift off, I hear Avery’s voice break the darkness.

“Griffin?”

“Yeah?” I murmur, not bothering to roll over.

There’s a pause, then, “What would you do if I said we could cuddle?”

My brain short-circuits. I roll onto my back, blinking into the dark. “What?”

“You heard me,” she says, her voice light but cautious. “We can cuddle. But no funny business. If you want.”

I pause, trying to process what’s happening. “Okay.”

“I’m serious,” she adds firmly.

“So am I.”

“Are you?”

I turn my head to look at her bed. In the faint light filtering through the curtains, I can just make out her expression—hesitant but hopeful. “Look, I know I joke a lot. But not about respecting your boundaries. And if you want to cuddle…well, you know I’m taking any scrap you’ll give me,Princesa.”

She freezes at that, like she wasn’t expecting me to say something so sincere. “And I won’t even cup a boob. Scout’s honor.”

Her laugh is soft, almost incredulous. “Of course you’d have to follow up an actual confession of your crush with a remark like that,” she mutters with a sigh. Then, after a beat, she adds, “I do have one condition, though.”

I raise an eyebrow, even though she can’t see me in the dark. “What’s that?”

“I’m big spoon.”

I blink, then let out a laugh. “Now you’re infringing on my boundaries. No way.”

“Come on. You’ll love it,” she fires back, but her voice is quieter now, almost teasing.

I pause, debating for half a second, then say screw it.

Shoving the covers off, I swing my legs over the side of the bed and stand up. The room is dim, and Avery’s silhouette shifts slightly as she turns her head toward me.

“Relax,” I mutter, walking over to her bed. “You’re the one who invited me to cuddle.”

“Yeah, but I didn’t think you’d actually?—”

I don’t let her finish. I lift the edge of her blanket and slide in next to her, trying to ignore how good it feels to finally be close to her. The bed’s small, and I can feel the warmth of her body even though I’m keeping my movements careful.

For a second, neither of us says anything. The only sound is the rustling of fabric as I settle in. Then, very gently, I rest my hand on her waist, my fingers brushing against the soft curve of her side.

---