Page 33 of Spring Tide

The walls are a soft, pale shade of blue. His bedspread is a crisp white, with two perfectly placed pillows at the head. He even has a bed frame with a full-on headboard; it’s a pretty, beachy mix of natural driftwood.

“Your room is very nice,” I say earnestly.

He shakes his head, the tips of his ears tinging pink as he shuts the door behind us. “The furniture came with the room,” he explains. “It’s a temporary rental arrangement, on lease from one of Taylor’s graduate professors. She’s on an extended sabbatical, so ... yeah. That’s why my room’s this way.”

“Ah, I see.” My eyes drift around, honing in on the three-dimensional figurine displayed on his dresser. “And I suppose you don’t have a thing for seagulls, either?”

His gaze darts to the large plaster model. “That was also just ... here.”

“How long have you lived here, exactly?”

He awkwardly wraps a hand around the back of his neck. “A little over a year.”

“You didn’t want to personalize your space at all?” I ask, giggling. “You know, stuff the seagull in a drawer or something?”

“It’s fine how it is, and this is just easier.” He crosses his arms in front of his chest. “We should get started, though. Should I ... do you need me to be in my underwear again?”

I tap my chin, lips twisting in a coy smile. “That would be ideal.”

“Okay, well, Taylor’s still out there.” He wildly gestures toward his door. “And I don’t have a bathroom in my room. So I’ll need to get changed in here if you don’t mind.”

I raise a skeptical brow. “Doyoumind?”

“At this point, does it really matter?”

“Of course. You should always be comfortable.” My nose wrinkles as I soak in his stiff posture. “I can still turn around while you take off your pants.”

He scratches at the back of his neck again, carefully flattening his weary expression. “No, it’s ... we’re all good. This is a professional setting, as you say.”

I nod my agreement, plopping squarely on the edge of his mattress. My gaze drifts around the room until our eyes catch. I place my palms flat against my lap, fingers twitching as we maintain eye contact. I don’t know why, but it seems like it’d be wrong to look away now.

Luca said I didn’t have to, after all. In fact, he nearly insisted that I don’t. So, instead, I stare straight at him as he slowly undoes his belt buckle. Out of the corner of my eye, I notice the steady rise and fall of his chest.

Before he pushes his pants over his hips, his eyes narrow. “Harper, can you not just stare directly into my eyes while I do this?”

“Sorry, I didn’t know where to look,” I squeak out, quickly diverting my gaze to the floor. “I thought if I obviously looked away, then that would also be weird. You said you didn’t need me to turn around this time, so I wanted to respect that. But then we just made eye contact instead and—”

“It’s fine,” he grumbles, cutting me off. In the last fifteen seconds, he’s managed to remove his jeans, fold them, and place them in a neat little pile on top of his dresser. “See, pants are already off. We’re good.”

“Great,” I chirp, patting the spot beside me on his bed. “Perfect! Saddle up, then!”

He coughs, choking back a sudden lump in his throat. “Saddle ... up?”

“I meant, uh, get on the bed?” I try again, cheeks flushing as I shake my head. “Yeah, I don’t even know where that came from. This is what happens when I do something awkward.”

His eyes meet mine, one brow raised as he soaks in my embarrassment. The corner of his lip twitches once, twice, before he breaks into hearty laughter. It’s a sudden, unexpected sound—a loud, happy melody that echoes around the room.

“Okay, okay! We have work to do,” I huff, feigning a pout. “Are you done?”

“Sure thing.” He clears his throat, expression suddenly serious as he adds, “Giddy up, partner.”

I groan, swatting him on the shoulder with a pillow. “Who knew you had jokes?”

“Only when they’re at your expense.”

I roll my eyes, stifling a secret smile as he shuffles onto his bed beside me. As he lies back, carefully settling against the mattress, I put my healing hands to work.

* * *

---