given all our activities over the last couple of weeks, I’d expected something a little more diplomatic than his face twisting up like I’d just told him I’d punched his grandma.
I took a step back to put some distance between us. “Okay, I’ll take that as a no, and let’s just keep doing what we were doing.”
Jesse grabbed my arm when I tried to push past him. “Wait a minute, do you really think that’s a good idea, though? I mean, we’re…we’re…friends and roommates.”
“Exactly, we’re friends. I’m reasonable, you’re reasonable. The other stuff has gone really well…” I waved a hand. “But never mind. I totally understand. Let’s just pretend I never said anything.”
“That’s probably for the best.”
The craziest thing, though, was that as I headed toward the bar to get another bottle of water, I was pretty sure the feeling in my stomach wasn’t the sting of rejection, but disappointment.
The next morning, I slowed on the sidewalk as I spotted Jesse speed-walking across the quad toward me, jaw tightly set. I wondered if he was hungover. We’d stayed another hour at the club before all piling into an Uber. I hadn’t had too much to drink, but getting up so early for weight training had still sucked on so little sleep.
My smile faded the closer he got. Damn, was he coming to tell me he didn’t want to film my videos anymore after what I’d said last night? That would suck, too.
I’d woken up this morning and immediately inwardly groaned at everything that had transpired last night. I shouldn’t have said anything. I’d probably made him feel weird. “Hey, Jesse, listen,” I started. “I’ve been thinking more about last night. I wanted to say it’s fi—”
“I’ll do it.” His nostrils flared and his eyes burned fierce with determination like he was answering a call to a duel or something, not agreeing to get busy with me.
I forgot what I’d been about to say. Something-something apology for making things weird last night. But apparently, I hadn’t made things weird after all. This guy confused me. And that I liked it also confused me. “You will?”
He fell in step beside me with a nod. “Yeah, but I think we should have some ground rules and discuss things first.”
“Definitely.” I nodded emphatically. Fuck, this was great, though. This was perfect. Jesse would have some idea what he was doing since he’d obviously had more experience than me. We were friends. Or…increasingly friendlyish, so it wouldn’t be too weird. I felt comfortable with him, and I didn’t have to worry about him being a crazy stalker or running off at the mouth.
There was something else, too. A seed of…excitement almost, or curiosity, dancing in my stomach. Something I didn’t have a word or label for yet. “I was just about to go get something to eat.”
“Your default. Do you do anything else?”
“Many things.” I let a meaningful pause stretch between us before cracking a grin. “Between eating.”
Jesse rolled his eyes and told me to lead the way.
We got my usual booth at Cafe on Main, and I sent a wave over to Cam once we sat. Jesse twisted around to see who I’d waved to.
“Oh yeah, I forgot he worked here.” He waved, too. “So,” he started, leaning in, then pausing as Cam came over with menus.
Cam held a fist out for a bump, which I gave, and then he smiled at Jesse, looking him up and down thoughtfully. “I haven’t seen you in a while.”
“Hi. I still exist.”
“Very much so,” Cam said, and Jesse’s gaze went as suddenly sharp as I was sure mine did when Cam’s smile turned almost coquettish.
“Do I remember you mentioning you’ve had Applebaum for a class?” Cam rested a hand on the back of the booth near Jesse, and my gaze kept straying to the distance between his fingertips and the back of Jesse’s neck.
“Oh yeah.” Jesse frowned in sympathy. “Superhard.”
“Ugh.” Cam groaned. “I hoped you would tell me he gets easier as the semester goes on.”
“Sadly, no, but as long as you do all the assignments, it’s okay. I got out of there with a B and without being called out like he loves doing.”
“I already got called out. It was brutal.”
“But you survived. Hey, I still have my notes, I think, if you want them?”
Cam perked. “That’d be great.”
Silence fell for a beat, and they exchanged a glance before Jesse promised to get the notes to him.
I looked between them, unsure if there was another