Page 67 of Untouchable

“You’re tired,Mi Luz.Why don’t you sleep?” I look up at him, embarrassed by the actual reason why.

“I don’t want to.” He looks down at me with a frown. “I’m scared I’ll wake up and it’ll be over.”

He leans in and presses his lips to my ear. “Then I promise I’ll remind you tomorrow that it isn’t.”

“Okay, we’re going to bed. Early day heading back to Tabs. You kids sleep good now,” Bodine teases, walking back to his room with a bottle of water from the fridge.

“Night, Bodine. Sleep well.”

“Night, Kitty Kat.” The smile on his face is so genuine, it makes me think he can truly see how happy I am right now. Ace throws up a peace sign and says nothing. I can already hear Mikey snoring which makes me laugh, but when Ace asks me if I’m ready to go to bed, I don’t even want to move. I’ve never felt so comfortable—so safe and at peace—and with his promise to remind me today wasn’t a dream on my mind, I finally let myself fall asleep.

“Goodnight, Little Reaper.” Is the last thing I hear before I’m out like a light.

The sound of Mikey and Bodine shuffling around in the kitchen stirs me awake. I look up to see Ace sound asleep and manage to crawl out of his arms without waking him. I walk over to the guys who are whisper-shouting at each other, crossing my arms over my chest in a true mother-like fashion.

“You twodorealize you’re the loudest whisperers in the universe, right?” They both turn to face me and I raise a brow at them.

“Morning, Kitty Kat. So sorry to have woken you.”

“Sleep well?” Mikey gives me a suggestive look and I roll my eyes, looking over at where Ace sleeps on the couch.

“Very well, thank you for asking. Now Iknowyou two were not trying to sneak out of here without saying bye…were you?” They both begin mumbling, denying that being their plan. I shake my head at them and laugh.

“Thank you both for going back to make sure Tabs is okay, I really appreciate you guys.” I pull them both into a hug, and they wrap their arms around me.

“Of course,” Mikey says.

“You know we’d do anything for you. To help ease your mind and you know…Tabs is pretty smoking so…” I laugh, then before I can step out of our group hug, two hands wrap around my waist and pull me backward.

“Let go.” Ace’s arms wrap around me and his chin rests on my shoulder as he looks at his best friends. “Why are you two even still here?” I slap his arm but he’s completely unphased.

“Like we would ever just up and leave at dawn without telling you goodbye.” Bodine acts appalled by Ace’s question.

“Yes, you would.Andyou wouldn’t call me until tomorrow to say ‘Oh yeah, we made it back. We’re alive, you can stop having a silent panic attack now’.” Mikey grimaces and looks at Bodine.

“We have done that before.”

Bodine shrugs and grabs a toaster tart from the counter. “Yeah, I know.”

“Bye, Papi. I promise to call you every time I stop to piss.” He puckers his lips and blows him a kiss and I can’t help but laugh. Ace finally releases me and pulls both guys in for hugs.

“Don’t make it weird, but checking in would be nice. Yeah?” The seriousness to his tone seems to sober Bodine’s playful demeanor a little.

“Yeah, I know. I will.” After all of our goodbyes are said, I hear the sound of their bikes fading into the distance, and as soon as the house is silent again my stomach is full of butterflies.

I don’t know what to expect with it being just Ace and I now. Especially with our new dynamic. It was easier to think about it when I assumed I’d spend the rest of the trip giving him hell with my attitude and trying to treat him like any other person, all while pretending I wasn’t insanely into him.

But now? Knowing last night happened and he’s willing to remind me that it did. This I wasnotprepared for.

“Do you like waffles?”

My mouth pops open but no words come out. So he grabs my chin and kisses me instead. Normally I’d be freaking out over the fact that I haven’t brushed my teeth yet, but the way Ace kisses me makes me think that’s the last thing on his mind, so I try to make it the last thing on mine, and focus onhim. We stay like that a few minutes and then he pulls away, and heads further into the kitchen.

“Yes, I like waffles.” I twist my hair around and move it all behind me as I watch him tie his bandana around his head before washing his hands.

“Good. Sausage or bacon?” He pulls the doors to the refrigerator open.

“Bacon.” Tossing a pack of bacon onto the counter, followed by a pack of sausage, he smirks at me.

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