Page 63 of Blocked Score

My last job back in MA was at a pub where the back-of-house guys had a TV and a game system set up in the breakroom. They played this all the time and initiated me into it. Compared to them, wiping the floor with Sebastian is a walk in the park.

“Do you have to emasculate me like this?” Sebastian moans about twenty minutes later, after I’ve head-shotted him for the third time in a row.

“I’m afraid I do,” I reply primly.

A satisfied chuckle rumbles from Lane who’s sitting next to me. He always seems to enjoy my electronic domination of our roommates.

After several more rounds, Sebastian’s had enough. He goes up to his room to read a book that I’ve actually heard Harper talking about recently; Tuck drags himself upstairs to work onan assignment, and I can tell how much pain he’s in forcing himself to do it; and Rhys goes to his room for a FaceTime chat with Maddie.

Lane and I take the opportunity of having the TV to ourselves to watch moreLie to My Heart. We get totally carried away and watch four episodes. Before I know it, it’s past eleven and I’m yawning.

“Shit, is that what time it is?” Lane says, looking at his phone.

“I know, right? But how can anyone be expected to keep track of time when waiting to see what happens between Ji-ho and Yeong?”

It’s by far the most interesting plot in the show. Yeong is out and proud about being a gay man, while Ji-ho is closeted and in denial, struggling with his attraction for Yeong.

Lane stands up, sighing. “Should we pick up tomorrow? I’ve got an early class in the morning. A quiz in it, too, so I should get to sleep.”

We head upstairs and to our rooms, but when I push my door open, I’m hit with a blast of cold air.

“Yikes,” Lane says as he’s passing behind me, feeling it, too. “Did you leave your window open or something?”

I cross my arms for warmth. Stepping inside my room feels like entering a walk-in freezer. I go to check if somehow my window came open or if the glass got shattered or something, but no.

“Shit,” Lane says. I turn to find him standing by my radiator. “Your radiator’s busted. It’s turned on, but there’s no heat coming out of it at all.”

Testing the knob, I confirm. It’s turned fully on, but the metal is freezing to the touch.

I’ve always slept well in a cold room, but this is a different level of freezing. It’s below zero outside, and the insulation isn’tgood in this old place. The only way it stays comfortable in any given room is if the old steam radiators are on full blast.

I heave out a frustrated breath and shrug. “Guess I can sleep on one of the couches downstairs.”

Sitting on them in my outdoor clothes is one thing, but given the way the guys eat on them, drape their sweaty post-workout bodies on them—and I don’t want to think about what some of them may have done with girls they’ve brought home on them—spending a night on them isn’t exactly appealing.

“Those couches aren’t fit for a night’s sleep,” Lane answers. “You’ve got an early class tomorrow, too. You’ll be sore and tired all day.”

He’s right. But it’s not like I can sleep in this room, not even if I scrounge up one or two extra blankets. “I mean, it’s not like I have a choi?—”

“Sleep in my bed.”

Lane’s offer hits me in the chest, and my pulse stutters.

“Uh … what?”

“You can have my bed,” Lane says. “I just washed the sheets yesterday. It’s big and comfortable.” He shrugs. “And I can sleep on the floor.”

My brow lowers. “Lane, I’m obviously not making you sleep on the floor.”

“Really, I don’t mind, if it makes you more comfortable. Because you’re definitely not sleeping in here, and you’re not sleeping on a couch downstairs, either. The only place left is my bed. I have a sleeping bag in my closet I could use.”

I roll my eyes “I’duse the sleeping bag and sleep on the floor before kicking you out of your own bed.”

“No.” Lane’s refusal is firm and direct, and it does a funny something to my stomach.

Another eye roll. “Are you trying to be some chivalrous prince or something? Can’t let a lady sleep on the floor so you benevolently sacrifice yourself?”

“Yeah, that’s right. Deal with it.”

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