She started throwing pillows off the bed before she started pulling down the blanket, and I took the time to look around her room.
There was floor to ceiling bookshelves covering one wall and every inch of space filled with books.
“I knew you liked to read, but I didn’t realize you liked to read this much.” I ran my finger across the spines as I took in the titles of the books. She had every type of romance novel imaginable.
“Yeah. It’s my thing.” She climbed into the bed and pulled the comforter up to her chin.
“You have a lot of things.” I unzipped my jeans before pulling them down my legs.
“I’m not sure if that’s a compliment or not.”
“Well then I’m not going to tell you,” I smirked before pulling my shirt off.
“Why are you taking your shirt off?”
“To sleep?” I held my shirt in my hand.
“You’re at a sleepover. You don’t sleep naked at a sleepover.”
“You don’t?”
“Have you ever been to a sleepover?”
“Yes. Me and my buddies have sleepovers all the time where we braid each other’s hair and gossip about girls.” I dropped my shirt on top of my jeans and climbed into her bed. She was lying on her side facing me, and my hand ached to reach out and push her black hair out of her face.
“I bet you and Parker did that shit all the time.” She grinned.
“He tried, but he’s really in touch with his feminine side.”
She laughed as she turned away from me and turned off the lamp.
We were silent for several minutes with only the sound of our breathing filling the room.
“Are we going to cuddle?” My whisper broke the silence.
“No.” She laughed. “You don’t cuddle at sleepovers.”
“Well shit. Me and Parker were completely doing this sleepover thing wrong.”
She laughed as she buried her face in her pillow, but she didn’t reach out for me.
But when I woke up the next morning, her body was wrapped around mine and I reveled in the feeling before she could wake up and pull away.
Staci
It had been three days since Mason stayed over at my apartment. Three days that we had spent every day together. I was getting so used to him being in my space, and that scared the crap out of me. But he hadn’t made a single move.
Not one.
We ate dinner. We watched movies. We laughed. Then he went home.
Every single night.
He never asked to stay. He hadn’t touched me in any way that could possibly be misconstrued as inappropriate, and even though I had told him that was what I wanted, told myself that was what I wanted, it was driving me crazy.
My phone beeped on the table, and I smiled as I saw his name on my screen.
Mason: I had to go grocery shopping for you. You should feel special.
Me: I do. I know how hard that must have been for you.
Mason: It was. At least 3 different MILFs tried to take me home with them.
Me: You poor thing.
Mason: I know. They should have just put a price tag on me and put me in the meat department.
“What’s that smile about? Who are you talking to?”
I looked up at Livy before tucking my phone in my back pocket.
“It’s nothing. It was just Mason.”
She grinned, and I pointed my finger at her. “No way. Get that little smirk off your face. Me and Mason are just friends.”
She put her hand on her chest. “I didn’t say you weren’t. Don’t get so touchy.” She took a bite of her lunch. “What are you all doing tonight?”
“What makes you think we’re doing anything?” I took a bite of my own burger and looked around the restaurant.
“Well, considering I’ve texted you every night this week to do something and you’ve been with him, I just figured.”
“He’s cooking dinner for me tonight.” I popped a fry in my mouth as she almost choked on hers. “Are you okay?”
“My brother”—she pointed to her chest—“is cooking dinner for you?”
“Yes,” I said cautiously.
She just nodded her head.
“What’s that bullshit. Tell me what you were just thinking.”
“I wasn’t thinking anything.” She swirled another fry in her ketchup and avoided looking up at me.
“Livy, I am your best friend. I know when you are lying to me.”
She looked up at me then and studied me. “You’re not interested in hearing what I have to say.”
I rolled my eyes. “How could you possibly know that?”
“Because I’m also your best friend, and I know you.”
“So, what? I’m not supposed to eat dinner with him. Friends can’t do that?” I felt so frustrated, but I knew it wasn’t her fault that she was just being honest with me.
“No. I’m not saying that.”
“Then what are you saying, Livy?” I pushed my hair out of my face and looked at her.
“I’m just saying that I really like this whole you and Mason thing.” She shrugged her shoulders.
“Me and Mason as friends.” I reiterated the point.
“Yes.” She rolled her eyes. “But you seem to have to keep saying those words out loud a lot.”
“Trust me. I don’t. He’s made the point very clear.” I regretted the words as soon as they slipped past my lips.
“What do you mean?” She leaned closer to me.
“I don’t know. I think I just need to get laid.”
“By Mason?” She looked confused. Confused as I felt.
“No. Not by Mason. Hell, I don’t know what I’m saying.”
“Are you sure that you just want to be friends with him?” She asked the question without a trace of judgment, and it was one of the things I absolutely loved about her. It didn’t matter that it was her brother. Nothing mattered except the fact that I was her best friend.
“I just don’t really know how to do the whole friend thing.”
“That’s not true. You’re friends with Brandon and Parker.”
“Yes, but I’m not attracted to either of them.” I shuddered just at the thought. “They are more like brothers to me.”
“Plus, you’ve never slept with them.”
“That too.” I put my face in my hands.
“Just think about your friendship with Mason like you would with me.”
“That’s impossible.” I looked her over.
“How so?” She cocked her eyebrow at me.
“Because you don’t make my lady parts tingle when I look at you.”
“Eww, Staci.” She leaned back in her chair. “We are still talking about my brother you know.”
“Trust me, I know. But dear God.” I closed my eyes and she fake gagged.
“It doesn’t sound like you just want to be friends with him.”
“It’s not me.” I batted my eyes at her. “It’s my vagina. That girl can’t differentiate the difference between our good friend Mason and the Mason who rocked her world.”
“Then I guess you will have to be strong for the both of you.” She smirked.