Page 168 of The Rom-Commers

“Therewasno misunderstanding. Not on my end, anyway.”

“You said you didn’t care about me.”

Charlie took exception to that. “Ineversaid I didn’t care about you.”

“You said, and I quote: ‘Absolutely not. No way in hell.’”

“I was trying to do you a favor.”

“That’s a shitty favor.”

“It was a shitty situation.”

“But it’s better now.”

“Yes,” Charlie said, frowning like he still couldn’t believe it. “It’s better now.”

“More proof for my theory,” I said.

“What theory?”

“Sometimes things get better.”

Charlie nodded like that was a bit of a revelation. “I guess sometimes they do.”

Then he leaned down to set his award respectfully on the floor and stood back up to meet my eyes.

“Did you hear the other thing I said up there, too?”

“What other thing?”

“The part about how I’m in love with you.”

“That does sound familiar.”

“Is that okay?”

I nodded. “It’s okay.” Then I added, “Better than okay, in fact. Because now we’re even.”

At that, Charlie put both of his hands in his pockets.

I looked down at one, then the other, then back up. “Are you Ji Chang Wook–ing me right now?”

“I don’t know who that is.”

“The guy in the turtleneck. Who perfected the pockets kiss.”

Charlie smiled in that way that made his nostrils dimple. “Then I guess I must be.”

“Did I ever tell you,” I said then before I could stop myself, “that I really love your nostrils?”

Oh, god. It had to happen, I guess. A Chekhov’s gun moment: You can’t forbid yourself from mentioning someone’s nostrils in Act One without finally doing it by Act Three.

Or wait. Maybethiswas Act One—and we were only just getting started?

As if to answer, Charlie stepped closer, hands still in his pockets like a champion, and completely closed the gap between us—pressing his thighs to my thighs, and his chest to my chest. Then he tilted his head until his mouth was just breaths away from mine.

“How’s my angle?” he asked, like he really wanted to know.

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