palpable electricity whizzing between us.
Never before had I spent so much time with a girl and not taken it to the bedroom. I knew Alex had just endured a traumatic experience. I wasn’t that much of a douchebag. But I really wanted her in my bed. At least for the night.
I glanced across the sofa. Alex watched me. “You ready for bed?” I tried to sound nonchalant, but it came off cheesy.
Seemingly undeterred by my cheesiness, she nodded, her eyes locked on mine, waiting for me to make the first move.
I tipped my head toward the two doors. “If you need the bathroom, it’s the one on the right. My room’s the one on the left.”
Alex nodded before sliding off the sofa and moving to the bathroom. Did she need to wear those tiny shorts? Good God. Restraining myself was hard enough when her ass cheeks weren’t hanging out.
I grabbed the remote and switched off the television, shrouding the living room in darkness. I stood up. Then sat back down. Then stood up again.
What was I supposed to do? Wait for her to come out, or just go in my room? If I went in, was I supposed to get in bed or sit and wait for her?
Girls usually stripped off their clothes before we even made it to my room. Everything with Alex was so new. It was just a matter of time before I screwed it up again. And I would screw it up. I’d become a real pro at that.
“Ready?” Alex’s soft voice snapped me out of my head.
Nodding like a pre-pubescent fool who’d never been alone with a girl before, I moved toward my room. I could feel Alex on my heels and smell her vanilla scent. But I didn’t turn around for fear of coming face to face with her.
Being that close would only send my body buzzing and hands twitching.
I moved to my dresser and switched on the small lamp, casting a dim glow over my bare room. No pictures sat on my cherry nightstand or dresser. No posters or pictures junked up my white walls. The focal point was the king-size bed. With its black comforter and mound of pillows, it was the area that got the most attention.
And the one place Alex and I couldn’t escape each other.
Having no idea if I even had a side, I moved to the right and removed the extra pillows, tossing them to the floor. I usually just slept in the middle. And since I didn’t let the girls I took home stay, I never had to tell someone which side to sleep on.
I sat down, contemplating my next move. I heard Alex’s soft footfalls padding to the left side. Oh, this definitely had the makings of an interesting night.
I grabbed the hem of my T-shirt, pausing before lifting it. It wasn’t like Alex hadn’t seen me at the pool with my shirt off. But concealing my tattoo trumped comfort. Too many potential questions there. Instead, I pulled off my shorts, leaving me in my boxers and T-shirt.
The opposite side of the bed dipped slightly as Alex sat down. “Is this okay?”
I looked over my shoulder. She held onto my sheets, pausing before sliding underneath. “What?”
“Me taking this side?”
I smiled. “You can have whatever side you want. If it’s the middle you’d like, we can work around that, too.”
Alex grinned as she slid under the sheets, turning onto her side to face me. Her hands slipped under her head on the pillow and her eyes zoned in on mine, challenging me to get in. To move closer.
Like I’d really back down.
I slid under the sheets, fluffing my pillow before lying down and facing her. I could sense her nervousness. But she had no reason to be. Not with me. She was the purest thing I’d ever had in my bed. And I liked it. A hell of a lot more than I thought I would.
Alex’s shallow breaths were impossible to ignore and so damn adorable I could’ve listened to them all night. Preferably beneath me and nuzzled right into my neck.
Girls normally couldn’t keep their eyes off my body once they were in my bed, anticipating what I’d be like when the lights went down. But not Alex. She stared into my eyes. Not the silver flecks other girls used as a pick-up line to get my attention. Right into them, like she saw all the way down to my soul.
Talk about scary shit.
“You really have