Page 72 of Unforgettable

He shakes his head. “Sit. Relax. I got this.”

Too exhausted to argue, I kick my shoes off. Having been here enough times that it does feel like home away from home, I get comfortable.

After two trips to the kitchen, Oz sets up a few bowls with popcorn and chips, a tray covered in different candy, and the remaining bottle of wine from dinner and our glasses.

“What did you do, rob a confectionary store?”

“I always like to have stuff on hand in case Maddy and the kids drop by, but sometimes I get carried away. Plus, I didn’t know if you preferred sweet or savory.”

“I don’t like to make unnecessary choices like that.” I grab the bowl of popcorn and then open up the packets of Reese’s Pieces. “Have you ever tried this?”

I pour the candy onto the popcorn and then shake the bowl before handing it over to a seated Oz. “Grab some,” I instruct.

He does and I watch him as he puts a handful of the mixture in his mouth and chews on it thoughtfully. “I see what’s going on here,” he says, scooping up some more.

“See? This way you don’t have to choose.”

“Tommy and Summer are going to lose their minds when I show them this.”

“Where have you been?” I tease. “Everybody knows this is a thing.”

“They do not,” he argues, continuing to eat up my little concoction.

I raise a brow at him. “Are you sharing?”

Smirking, he hands me the bowl. “Did you decide what to watch?”

“You know I’m not good with making decisions.” Crossing my legs, I tuck myself back into the corner of the couch and place the bowl on my lap. “But I’ll never say no toGrey’s Anatomyreruns.”

* * *

I felt like shit for leaving Oz’s apartment with only a note on his counter as a goodbye, and I felt even worse for spending the better half of this week avoiding him. But after waking up in his bed, me under the blankets and him on top of them so we wouldn’t touch?

It was just too much.

The last thing I remember is him making fun of me for still acting surprised, even though I knew the outcome of everyGrey’s Anatomyepisode.

Eventually, the adrenaline and exhaustion from the day put me to sleep, and I vaguely remember him walking me into his bedroom. Oz’s comforting voice reassuring me we would be sleeping only, but I was too tired to think or even care.

When I woke up, with Oz on top of the blankets and me underneath them, all I could see was all the thought that went into the gesture. His choice to respect my request and give me space, even in our sleep.

It was just too much.

And now Oz was sending me texts asking if I was okay, and I could feel myself retreating into a place of loneliness and confusion, because I really didn’t know what to do anymore.

We agreed on no touching, because I needed to regain control on where I stood. I needed to rewind back to being the guy who said he would be spontaneous and reckless and not get attached to a single thing in Vermont.

But, hell, if that wasn’t all a fucking lie.

Because it was obvious, the way I felt about Oz was real and serious, and undeniably felt like the familiar flutterings of falling in love.

And I couldn’t fall in love with Oz.

Because the way I felt for Oz now was so different to what I’d felt for Micah. With Micah, everything was gradual. A natural progression. But with Oz… with Oz, everything has been running at full speed and I haven’t been able to slow it down.

And I know. I justknowanything more than this and I won’t be able to survive it.

My cell vibrates with a text, and I don’t have to guess who it’s going to be. Whether he knows it or not, Oz’s intuition is on point. It’s as if he can feel me trying to pull away, so he’s doing anything he can to keep me close.

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