"You sure?"
"Yeah. I don't need it."
Levi slips the watch back in his pocket. "So what's up with you and the guy?" He winks at me. "You finally take my suggestion?"
"No! And I never would! I'd rather starve than do that." I pull on Miles. "Let's go."
We start walking.
Levi follows beside us. "No really, what's going on here? Is this a date?"
"It's none of your business," I say. "Just go away."
"Hey." Levi points at Miles. "I've seen you before. You work in that building next to the Italian place, right?"
"Yeah? So?" Miles stops at the intersection and pushes the walk button.
"What's a guy like you doing with her?" Levi points to me.
"Just ignore him," I say.
Miles turns to Levi. "Raine is a friend, and one of the best people I know. And if you keep talking about her like you did just now, you'll be losing more than that watch you took from her." He gets up in Levi's face. Miles is much taller than Levi and has a lot more muscle.
Levi backs away. "Hey, man, I never stole that watch. She said it herself."
The walk signal lights up.
"Let's go," I say, tugging on Miles' hand.
He gives Levi a look of warning before crossing the street.
When I look back, Levi's heading the other direction.
"You're not friends with that guy, right?" Miles asks.
"No. We just run into each other on the street sometimes."
"I don't like him, and I really don't like what he was trying to imply about you."
"That's just Levi. You just have to ignore him."
Miles glances at me as we walk. "Do a lot of people out here do that?"
"What? Sell their body?" I shrug. "I don't know. I don't ask. I try to keep to myself. When I see other homeless people I go the other direction. Gladys is the only person I really talk to, or Levi, but that's only when he's on my street." I pause. "Levi does it."
"He sells his body?" Miles asks, sounding surprised.
"He'll sell anything, including his body."
"And women really want that?"
"Not women. Men." I smile and nudge his side. "Women don't have to pay for sex."
"That's why I was confused. Huh. I didn't think Levi would do that."
"You'd be surprised what people will do when they're desperate, although I think Levi actually likes doing that. At least that's what he says. He only does it with rich guys who have great style. His words, not mine. A lot of these guys are married with kids. Being with Levi is some kind of weird fantasy for them. I don't get it."
"I don't either." Miles stops by a coffee shop. "Want to go in? Grab a coffee? Or maybe an apple fritter?" He smiles.
"I'd love one but I'm too full. And I don't think they have them here."
"Then we'll go to the other coffee shop. We'll go in the morning and get them while they're fresh."
I'm about to tell him for the millionth time to stop buying me stuff but I know he won't listen and I really would love an apple fritter in the morning.
When we're back at his apartment, it's after ten. He goes to the fridge to get a bottle of water.
"Want one?" he asks.
"I think I'll just go to sleep." I head to the couch.
"Raine, you're not sleeping there. Go up to the bed."
"I can't let you sleep on the couch. This is your place. You get the bed."
"Or," he sets his water down and comes over to me, "we could share the bed."
"Like people do when they're dating?" I raise my brows. "Did you forget we're not dating?"
"I didn't forget. But I don't see anything wrong with sharing a bed. You share a bed with Gladys every night. Just pretend I'm Gladys."
I laugh. "You're nothing like Gladys. Not even close."
"So pretend we're having a sleepover. Nothing has to happen," he smiles, "unless you want it to."
Of course I want it to. Sex with him was amazing and I'd love to do it again, but it'll only make me more attached to him.
"I'm going upstairs," I say, deciding not to address the sleeping arrangements.
When I get to his room I take my jeans off, then slip into his soft sheets, my head sinking into the down pillow.
A few minutes later, I hear him come upstairs. Then I feel the bed move as he gets in.
"I didn't say you could sleep here," I say, my back to him.
"You didn't say I couldn't." His arm goes around my waist. I should get up and go downstairs to the couch. But I can't make myself do it. This feels way too good.
"Goodnight, Raine," Miles says, pulling me closer.
"Goodnight."
We fall asleep, and in the morning when I wake up, he's not there.
"Miles?" I call out.
"Downstairs," he calls back. "Wait there. I'll be right up."
I sink back into the warm comfy bed, pulling the covers over me. I haven't slept that well in years. I didn't wake up one time the whole night. In the tent, I wake up several times an hour, hearing noises and having to check that Gladys and I are safe. Gladys can sleep through anything so I act as the watchman at night.
"Hungry?" Miles asks, appearing next to the bed. He's holding a plate with an apple fritter and a cup from the coffee shop.
"What's this?" I ask, sitting up.
"Breakfast. I can make eggs too but you can start with this."
"I don't need eggs." I take the plate and cup from him. "This is plenty." I sip the drink. "Pumpkin latte?"
"Yeah. You ordered it the night we met so I got you another one. Did you want something else?"
"No, I love these but they're really expensive."
"Don't worry about it. I'll be right back." He goes downstairs then returns with his own pastry and coffee. "Breakfast in bed," he says, sitting beside me.
"Thanks, but you didn't have to do all this. When did you get up? I didn't even hear you leave."
"I got up at six and went down to the gym to work out. Then I showered and got dressed and went to the coffee shop."
"You did all that while I was sleeping?"
"Yeah. You were out cold. I didn't want to wake you. You needed the sleep. I'm guessing you don't sleep much in the tent."
"Not really." I bite into the fritter. "Oh God, this is so good."
He chuckles. "Funny. You said the same thing last night when we were..." His voice trails off.
I smile. "Just so you know, the sex was better than the fritter."
He smiles back. "That's saying a lot, given how much you love those things. By the way, I've got six more downstairs."
"Why'd you get so many?"
"Because I know how much you love them." He sets his coffee on the nightstand and leans back against the headboard, stretching his legs out on the bed. "So what do you want to do today?"