Never Have I Ever: Submitted to my Enemy

I blinked my eyes open, shaking off the remnants of sleep, and stared at messy black hair.

At some point during the night, I’d shifted onto my side. Alex was still next to me, on his stomach, with his face turned toward me. He was fast asleep, and I looked at him. Really looked at him.

He seemed younger and so relaxed. His features were soft, his lips parted as he breathed heavily. Almost snoring but not quite. It was endearing, and a rush of primal possessiveness shot through me.

I’d always wanted to try somnophilia or sleep sex, but that wasn’t something you could do with a casual hookup. The amount of trust Alex had shown me by not only following my orders and sleeping in my bed but also for his subconscious to give in and let me fuck him was humbling.

I’d come home expecting my apartment to be empty, but Alex had been snuggled up in my comforter, hugging the spare pillow like a teddy bear.

The irrational jolt of pride and pleasure that had shot through me when I’d noticed he’d put on one of my T-shirts had only heightened my already desperate arousal. Something about seeing him in my clothes just did it for me.

I had no idea if he was normally a deep sleeper, but he’d barely moved as I’d stripped off my clothes and climbed into bed with him. His underwear had been a little harder to take off, but he’d stayed asleep as I’d slowly lowered them down his legs.

The back was made of black fishnet, showing off the incredible swell of his ass and his creamy skin. They’d been so sexy, and the knowledge that he’d put them on for me had sent another pulse of that possessiveness through me.

As I’d split him open and gently swiped my tongue around his hole, he hadn’t moved. He’d prepped for me, and while I didn’t especially like the taste of lube, I’d been so overcome with lust for him I’d needed to rim him. Maybe it was that whole “I licked it, so it’s mine” thing, but the breathy little moans he’d let out had only spurred me on.

Sleep sex was risky because I couldn’t get his express consent. I would have loved to wake him up with my dick already in his ass, but I’d needed him to tell me it was okay to continue.

He’d been perfect. So pliant and needy. I loved it when he sassed and fought back, but last night had been about getting him out of his head and letting him experience what it was like to fully give over control.

The entire experience had affected me on a level I hadn’t expected.

Alex was the one person I couldn’t stay detached from. All my other sexual partners, even the friends I’d hooked up with regularly like my tattoo buddy, and the one girl I’d had an arrangement with for more than a few months, still hadn’t gotten all of me. I’d held a part of myself back. We’d had fun, and the sex had been satisfying, but it had been all about the physical.

Sex with Alex was a full-body experience, and as much as I tried to keep that control, to stay detached, I couldn’t.

The entire situation had disaster written all over it. I had plans, and none of them involved a partner.

Alex wasn’t looking for anything either, and I wasn’t even sure he liked me. Sure, he liked my dick and my bossy attitude, but did he like me as a person?

Every once in a while, I’d catch a glimpse of something in his eyes. Something that looked like it could be affection or warmth, but I didn’t know him well enough to be sure.

He cracked one eye open. “Are you watching me sleep?”

“Maybe.”

He blinked both eyes open and smiled as he nuzzled his cheek into the pillow. “That’s kinda creepy.”

“Creepier than waking you up by shoving my dick in your ass?”

He chuckled, his face still soft and sleepy. “Actually, yeah.”

I brushed a lock of hair off his cheek and tucked it behind his ear.

His breath caught, his gaze going from sleepy to seeking.

“Are you still okay with what we did last night?”

He licked his bottom lip. “Yeah. I really liked it.”

“Me too.”

“How was the rest of your shift?”

“Good. Made more in tips than last week, so I’m calling it a win.”

He grinned. “I owe you thirty bucks.”

“Why?”

“That lady, she gave me three tens.”

“Really? I’ve never gotten more than twenty from someone. And I’m the one who did all the work,” I teased.

“Guess I’m prettier than you.”

“You definitely are.”

His expression shifted to a thoughtful one.

“What?”

“Some things about last night are a bit blurry, but I swore someone was sucking me off. I had to have dreamed that because it was just us, but it felt so real.”

I rolled over and grabbed the toy I’d used on him.

His eyes widened. “A sex sleeve?”

“Best of both worlds.” I tossed the thing back onto my night table. “Feels like a mouth without needing a third.”

He swallowed, heat flaring in his eyes. “Did you tie me up? I remember feeling something, but it wasn’t rope or anything like that.”

I sat up and picked up the restraints I’d tossed onto the floor last night. They were simple, just woven circles that attached with Velcro. One loop was large, and the other was small, like a strange-looking figure eight.

He licked his lips again. Then his face fell. “I bet those get a lot of use.”

I scooped up the plastic casing they’d come in. “Nope. I’ve had them forever but only opened them last night.”

“Really?” Hope flared in his eyes.

“Yup. Same with the sleeve. I have one for me, but that’s the first time I’ve used one with someone else.”

He rolled onto his back and covered his eyes with his hand. “I’m sorry. I’m ruining everything.”

“You’re not ruining anything.” I tossed the packaging aside and settled back on my pillow.

He shook his head. “I shouldn’t care who you fuck or how you do it, but I do. I care, and I fucking hate it.”

“Alex. Look at me.”

He didn’t.

“Please.”

He lowered his hand and turned his head.

“Any kind of power exchange requires trust. You have a right to know who you’re trusting. What we’ve shared is way deeper than just sex. It requires a connection that goes beyond lust.”

He chewed on the inside of his cheek.

“I’m not fucking anyone else. Not interested, not looking.”

His expression relaxed. “Me either.”

“And if you have questions about my past or my experience, just ask. I’ll always be honest with you.”

“Why are you so fucking perfect?” he grumbled. “You always know what to say. It’s annoying.”

I grinned. “Wisdom that comes with age.”

“You’re only three years older than me.”

“Maybe, but I’m wise beyond my years.”

“Yeah, I take it back. You’re too arrogant to be perfect.”

“You like it.”

He chuckled. “Maybe.”

“Do you have anywhere you need to be?”

“What time is it?”

I glanced over at my phone. “Nearly eleven.”

“Nope.” He bit his lip. “But I can go.”

“That’s not what I was getting at. I just wanted to make sure I wasn’t keeping you from anything.”

“No. No plans today. You work again tonight?”

“Yeah. Hungry?”

He smiled shyly. “A little. And I need coffee.”

“Coffee is a must.” Giving in to temptation, I pressed a quick kiss against his lips. “I’ll go put a pot on. How about you put those sexy briefs back on and meet me in the kitchen?”

“What about pants?” he asked.

“No pants. I want you in my shirt, those sexy-as-fuck briefs, and nothing else.”

“It’s cold.”

“I’ll turn up the heat.”

His eyes raked up my body as I stood. “Then I want you in nothing but your boxers.”

“Cooking us breakfast could be dangerous like that.”

“You’re going to cook for us?” He gaped at me.

“How else are we going to eat?” I grabbed a pair of worn sleep pants. “How about I wear these until we’re done eating?”

“I’ll accept that.”

He lifted his arms over his head and stretched, letting out a happy sigh as he closed his eyes and arched his back.

Fuck. I dragged the sleep pants on so I didn’t jump on him, then hurried into the kitchen to get breakfast started.

It should have felt weird knowing he was going to be coming out of my room half-naked to eat breakfast. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d woken up with someone and fed them. The few times I’d slept with my consistent hookups, we’d had an unspoken agreement that we woke up and parted ways. No kisses, no talks, and no breakfast. This was a complete one-eighty.

Soft footsteps approached. I looked over my shoulder.

Alex, looking adorably shy, stood a few feet away in my shirt and presumably his sexy undies, which were hidden by the hem of the shirt.

“Have a seat. Coffee will be up in a few.”

He slinked over to the small kitchen table in the dining nook next to the tiny kitchen.

“How do you take it?” I busied myself with scooping coffee into a filter and putting the pot on.

“With enough cream and sugar to make baristas give me the side eye.”

I laughed and went to the fridge to fetch the coffee creamer I used. “You like salted caramel and chocolate?”

“Doesn’t everyone?”

“Try this.” I put the bottle in front of him, then grabbed a few packets of sweetener out of the tin I kept next to my coffee machine. “In case you want it sweeter.”

“Not judging? I figured you’d be a coffee purist.”

I snort-laughed and went back to the fridge to see what I could make us. “Not with the swill I buy. I add so much shit in mine it doesn’t even resemble coffee, just sweetness with a kick of caffeine. You like omelets?”

“Big fan.”

“I’ve got peppers, mushrooms, and cheese.”

“Yes to all.”

My coffee machine clicked, indicating that it was done percolating.

“I’ll get the coffee while you do that.” He jumped up, and something about his eagerness and how relaxed he was tugged at my chest.

This scene was utterly domestic and should have scared the piss out of me. All I could think about was how I could get used to it.

“Really?”

“What?” I looked up from where I was cracking eggs.

“I never took you for a fruity cereal fan.” He pointed at the open cupboard where I kept my dry food, including cereal.

“Rain loves them. They make a good snack when I want something sweet and crunchy.”

“I’m guessing the bran stuff is yours?”

“Gotta keep the abs tight.” I patted my stomach. “Occupational upkeep.”

He snorted and pulled open another cupboard.

I went back to prepping our breakfast as he poured two cups of coffee.

“I hope this is sweet enough.”

A mug was placed on the counter next to me. Alex’s warm body was close enough that our arms brushed.

I put the knife down and picked up the mug. I took a sip. “Perfect.”

He grinned, his cheeks pink and his eyes bright.

Unable to stop myself, I leaned in and kissed him. Just a soft, gentle press of lips.

As I pulled back, Alex sighed.

“Warm enough?” I asked.

“Huh? Oh, yeah. I’m good.”

I kissed him again. “Have a seat and enjoy your coffee while I finish cooking.”

“I’ll enjoy the view too.” He pinched my ass playfully. “Nothing’s hotter than a man who knows his way around a kitchen.” He sauntered back to the table, a sexy swing in his hips.

I was a pretty good cook, and the desire to feed him, to take care of him hit hard.

I was royally and utterly fucked. Did I care? Not even a little bit.

Alex and I spent the rest of the day working on our presentation that was due Monday. Professor Meyers hadn’t posted a list of when everyone would be presenting, but since we’d ended up on his shit list, we figured we’d be one of the first.

It would take three classes for everyone to present, but we all had to hand in our work on Monday. We had the slides and report done, and when we’d finished practicing, I was feeling confident about the whole project.

“Do you work again tonight?” Alex asked as I shut down my laptop.

“I do. Every Friday and Saturday.”

“Is the club open on Sundays?”

“Sometimes. Usually only for events or if it’s rented out.”

“What time do you have to leave?”

“Not for a few hours.” I glanced at my phone to check the time. “Are you hungry? We worked through dinner.”

“Yeah.” He bit his lip and dropped his gaze to the floor. “I can go.”

I put a hand on his arm and waited until he looked at me. “I was inviting you to stay for dinner,” I said gently. “Not kicking you out.”

“I’m sorry I’m so weird.” He looked away.

“You’re not weird.” I slid closer to him on the couch so our legs pressed together. “If you’re ever confused about something I say, just ask.”

“You were a lot easier to be around when I hated you,” he grumbled.

“Really? Why’s that?” I asked playfully.

“Because now I’m going to second-guess everything.” He raised his gaze to meet mine. “I’m not great with social cues. I mix up people’s meaning a lot, and I miss obvious hints.”

“What do you mean?”

“Like just now. I didn’t want to assume that you wanted me to stay, so I made things weird. And this will make you laugh your ass off. When I was a freshman, a girl asked me to hang out in her room so we could study for a class we had together. It was the second week of school, so we didn’t have any homework or anything. We just looked over the syllabus and flipped through the textbook for about ten minutes. Then she asked me if I wanted to play Never Have I Ever.”

“Like the drinking game?”

“Yeah, but without drinking. She said it was a fun way to get to know someone. We played a few rounds, and her statements were obviously hints. Never have I ever been topless in front of a guy. Never have I ever kissed a guy I’ve studied with. Never have I ever gotten to third base. It never occurred to me that she wanted to mess around, and like an idiot, I used my turns to say stupid stuff. Like never have I ever gone to a frat party and never have I ever had a drink before noon.”

He looked at his hands, his ears pink with embarrassment. “We played for a bit, and when she mentioned she was going to a party that night, I thought she was telling me it was time to go. So I said goodbye and left. A week later, her roommate saw me at a student event and told everyone who would listen how I’d completely missed the fact that her roommate had been hitting on me and how she’d asked me to go to a party with her, and I’d just left. So I’d apparently hurt her feelings, which was why she wouldn’t even look at me in class after, and everyone at the party got a good laugh at dumbass Alex and how dense I was that I hadn’t realized I could have gotten some action.”

“Did you want to mess around with her?” The little flare of jealousy at the thought made me want to roll my eyes at myself.

“I guess.” He raked a hand through his hair. “She was nice and really pretty, but my brain just didn’t go there.”

“How long after your… breakup was this?”

“You mean, how long after Brett let me know exactly what I was and wasn’t?”

“Yeah.”

“About five months.”

“Had you ever been with a girl?”

He shook his head, his cheeks bright red. “I’d kissed a few but hadn’t done more than that. He didn’t want me to be with anyone else, and like an idiot, I’d agreed. He could fuck whoever he wanted, but I had to stay faithful to him.”

“Then it makes sense that you’d miss those cues. You’d never had a healthy relationship or even a good flirting session, I’m guessing. You wouldn’t realize she was trying to tell you she wanted more because she didn’t actually say it.”

“Maybe.” He leaned back against the couch. “It still takes me a while to figure out when a girl is hitting on me. I just assume she’s being friendly, and my brain doesn’t register that it could mean more until she’s obvious. It’s easier when I’m the one who initiates things, but I need someone to be super obvious or flat out tell me they like me or want to mess around because I miss subtle clues. That’s why I started using Kinksters. There’s zero room for miscommunication because we’re all on there looking for the same thing.”

“A lot of people are like that. And it’s probably a good thing you don’t automatically assume any girl being nice to you is flirting. That would make you a creep.”

He chuckled, but the sound was hollow. “Yeah, that part is good at least. But it still sucks because I get stuck in these spirals of regret. Like even now, I still think about that day in her dorm. I haven’t seen her since freshman year, but I still beat myself up over it.”

“It’s hard to get past stuff that affects us on such a deep level.”

“Maybe, but it seems like everything affects me on a deep level. It’s like I have a constant loop of mistakes or moments of regret rolling through my head. Some days it’s quieter than others, but not a day goes by when I don’t beat myself up for shit that happened years ago.”

I opened my mouth to say something but closed it.

The more Alex revealed about himself, the more things clicked into place. It sounded like he had undiagnosed ADHD. I wasn’t an expert or anything, but I’d done a research project on ADHD last year, and Alex fit most of the diagnostic criteria in the DSM-5. But now wasn’t the time to bring that up. Not when he was still in a spiral and feeling bad about himself.

“That has to be hard,” I said instead.

“It’s not easy. I hate my brain most days.” He sighed heavily. “And now I’ve just dumped a crap ton more of my issues on you.” He shot me a crooked smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “This is why I don’t have any friends. I don’t know how to talk to people when it’s not about stupid stuff. I overshare and infodump and take over conversations.”

“If you can’t talk about real stuff with your friends, then they’re not real friends.”

“I don’t have a lot of those. Or any now that Beck is too busy for me.” He rolled his eyes. “And there I go again.”

“I like that you’re comfortable enough around me to be so open.”

He gave me a sidelong look, his expression guarded.

“I’m guessing you only talk like this around people you trust.”

“Mostly. I’ve learned how not to talk, if that makes sense. I usually let other people lead conversations and just react to what they say or ask a ton of questions so they’re the one doing the talking.”

“But you don’t do that with me.”

“No, I don’t. I never have. It’s weird. Even when I hated you, I didn’t censor myself like I usually do around people.”

“Hated, past tense?”

“I think it’s kind of obvious I don’t hate you anymore.” He grinned, his eyes glittering playfully. “I kinda like you, even if you are annoying.”

“Annoying?” I laughed. “I can live with that. It’s better than what most people call me.”

“You’re too perfect.” He punched my shoulder. “Too hot, too nice, too insightful. And you always say the right thing. It’s fucking annoying.”

“I kinda like you too.”

That was the understatement of the year. I more than liked him. I was falling for him. But neither one of us was ready for that conversation. And I wasn’t sure he ever would be.

He beamed at me, and my heart clenched at how happy he looked. It also broke my heart to know that he probably hadn’t heard that a lot in his life.

“How about some dinner?”

“Yeah. Want to go halfsies on something?” He reached for his phone.

“I was going to cook.”

He gaped at me. “Really?”

I couldn’t help laughing at his reaction. “Yeah. It’s cheaper, and this way I can control what I’m eating.”

“Guess you’d have to. I heard your metabolism slows down as you get older.”

I punched him in the shoulder. “I’m only three years older than you, fucker.”

He laughed and rubbed his arm. “Yeah, but you’re almost twenty-five. That’s halfway to middle age. You’re about to enter your quarter-life crisis.”

“You’re a brat.”

“Just telling it like it is. Wait. You said you were a Scorpio. That’s this month. When’s your birthday?”

“Monday.”

“Like two days from now?”

“Yup.” I stood, motioning for him to follow me into the kitchen.

“Are you doing anything for it?” He leaned against the counter as I opened my freezer.

“I don’t really do birthdays. I mean, I make a big deal for Mom and Rain on their days, but mine is just another day for me.” I grabbed a container of soup.

“Does your mom celebrate it?”

I nodded and opened the fridge. “She’s working a later shift this year, so we’re doing a birthday-Thanksgiving combo on Thursday.” I pulled out a block of cheese, butter, and a jar of mayo. “How does grilled cheese and soup sound?”

“Good.” He bit his lip.

“What?” I put the ingredients on the counter and went to get the bread from my pantry.

“So you’re babysitting on your birthday?”

“For a little while. Mom’s off at six-thirty, but Rain goes to bed at eight, so there’s no time to do anything.”

“Oh, that makes sense.”

Alex had a faraway look in his eyes. I put down the bread. “Do you want to come over on Monday?”

He looked at the floor between us. “I don’t want to bother you. You’re babysitting and probably busy after.”

“Alex. Look at me.”

He lifted his head, his expression seeking.

“When I ask if you want to come over, it’s because I want you to. I’ll never offer or ask just to be polite. That’s not how I am.”

He swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing.

“Now, would you like to come over on Monday?”

He nodded.

I closed the distance between us and pressed a kiss against his lips. I’d meant it to be a soft, quick kiss, but he sighed and melted against me. I wrapped my arms around him and held him close. He fisted my shirt in his hands, holding on tight as I deepened the kiss.

Fuck. I liked kissing him. I’d never been one for casual affection. Not with partners. Kissing was always a precursor to more. A way to get the ball rolling, so to speak.

But with Alex, kissing was just so satisfying I didn’t need more. The way he felt in my arms, how warm and solid he was. How he moaned and sighed softly, letting me take the lead and kiss him exactly how I wanted. I loved everything about it.

We stood there in my kitchen, our kisses deep and slow. Time ceased to exist until all I could focus on was Alex.

When I finally pulled away, my head was spinning. Actually spinning. That had never happened to me from just a kiss.

“How about you relax, and I’ll get dinner ready.”

“Okay.” He smiled shyly and pecked another kiss against my lips.

He sauntered toward my living room, and I checked out his ass. His body was incredible, but that full, bouncy ass was next level.

It didn’t take long to make dinner, and I loved watching Alex eat what I’d prepared. His enthusiasm was palpable as he told me over and over how good it was. I liked taking care of him. That was a kink I hadn’t known I had because no one other than him had triggered it.

“I can’t remember the last time I ate so well.” He leaned back in his chair and patted his stomach. “Or ate two full meals in a day.”

“What do you mean?” I drank down the last of my water.

“I have a bad habit of forgetting to eat. I’ll have something in the morning, but even then, it’s not really breakfast. Then I won’t think about food again until I’m starving, and I eat whatever I can find, healthy or not.”

“You don’t eat breakfast?” I asked carefully.

“Not really. I get in these moods where food doesn’t appeal to me, or I forget what I bought, and it ends up going bad. Or I eat the same thing over and over. Like last week, my breakfasts were a few slices of pepperoni. The week before, it was a handful of shredded cheese. I’m weird.”

I bit my lip. Those were classic signs of ADHD, especially in adults.

“But you can obviously adult and cook.” He ran his finger over the rim of his glass. “It was good. Really good. Where did you get the soup?”

“I made it.”

“From scratch?”

I bit back a laugh at his shocked expression. “Yeah. It’s pretty easy. Tomatoes, chopped onion, roasted garlic, cream, spices, broth. Simmer, blend, and freeze.”

“Anytime someone says things like chopped and roasted, that’s not easy. Easy is like, two steps. Open and heat. That’s easy.”

“I suppose my definition of easy is a bit different from most.”

“What did you do to the grilled cheese? I’ve never had one with so much flavor before.”

“I used mayo on the outside and added spices to the butter on the inside so it would blend with the cheese. And sourdough bread. I like it because it’s denser and adds a little extra tang to it.”

“You really are a fully functional adult.” He laughed, the sound sardonic. “Most days I can barely manage to remember to drink water. Thank fuck my brain seems to have the ability to keep up with my classes and assignments and tests. The rest of my life is a mess, but my grades are good.”

“What do you want to do with your degree? Start your own business?”

“Maybe. My shoot for the moon plan is to become the CFO of a Fortune 500 company before I turn forty. But I’d be okay with just making enough that I never have to worry about money again.”

“You struggled?”

“My parents were filthy rich, but other than living in their fancy house and having staff, I didn’t see a lot of that money. They were too busy using it to fund their vices. My grandmother doesn’t have much, never has. She’s a wonderful woman, and she loves me, but taking me in was a huge strain on her. She sacrificed a lot to give me a home. That’s why I worked so hard for a scholarship and had two jobs in high school. I wanted to make sure she wouldn’t have to support me once I started college.”

“That’s why I dance. I’d never be able to go to school without my scholarship, and my mother sacrificed enough for me. She’s in a much better place now than when I was young, but she deserves so much more than to be stuck in this town, working a dead-end job just to pay her bills.”

“What do you want to do with your degree? Open your own practice?”

“Maybe. I like the idea of being a clinical therapist, but I really enjoy research, so maybe I’ll go the academic route. No matter what, I’m getting out of here, and I’m taking Mom and Rain with me. I’m going to give them the life Mom should have always had.”

“Did your Mom ever go to college?”

I shook my head. “She wanted to be a nurse, but having me derailed that. I’d love to be able to pay for her to go to school and study whatever she wants. And I want to get Rain into a good school. She’s smart, but the school here sucks, and smart kids fall through the cracks. I want her to have the best life possible, not struggle and fall into the same traps I did.”

“But you have your life together. You’re in college, and you have a job, your own apartment, friends.”

“I didn’t always have this.” I crossed my arms. “I told you how I wasn’t in a good place when Rain was born, right?”

He nodded.

“I had a decent job, but I was a functional alcoholic. I was pissed off at the world because I was stuck here like everyone else I knew. I got good grades, but my guidance counselor told me that good grades at my school were the equivalent of barely passing at a good school, so I shouldn’t even bother applying to college because I’d either get rejected or fail out.”

“Shit. Aren’t counselors supposed to encourage their students? Mine suggested Rutherford and helped me apply for scholarships.”

“At a good school, they do. But when they’re overworked and overwhelmed with delinquents and kids who barely manage to graduate, they don’t have the spoons to help those of us with a chance at a future. The school gets paid for every kid who graduates, so that’s where the focus is. They don’t give a shit about us once we do because we’re someone else’s problem.”

“Now I get what Eli was talking about,” he said thoughtfully.

“What do you mean?”

“He said he skipped two grades because his teachers hated him and wanted him to be someone else’s problem.”

“He’s a smart kid. Like really smart. I wish he’d been able to get his IQ tested because I’d guess he’s either really close to or in the genius range.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. But again, a shitty school and an overworked parent meant he didn’t get the advantages he should have.”

“You said you’ve known him since he was little?”

“Our moms are friends, and they both had kids young. Mom had me at fifteen, and Eli’s mom had his brother at seventeen and him at nineteen, so we all grew up together.”

“And you work with his brother, right? At the club?”

I nodded.

“Is he as hot as Eli? Because holy shit, he hit the genetic lottery.”

“I thought you said your type was tall, dark, and handsome?” I couldn’t keep the little growl out of my tone as a flare of jealousy hit.

Alex grinned. “It is, but I can still appreciate how gorgeous he is without being attracted to him. Hell, my whole house is full of hotties. We’ve got Eli the model, Matt the ridiculously hot ball player. My buddy, Beck, is a pretty boy jock, and Finn is an adorkable nerd.”

“Then there’s you.”

He flushed.

“The pretty boy brat.”

“I’m not a brat.”

I quirked my eyebrow. “Really?”

“Okay, maybe a little,” he conceded.

“Ever have a thing for any of your roommates, since they’re all so hot?”

He grinned. “Nope. Again, my type is super specific. They’re all too clean-cut for me.”

“Good news for me.”

“And me.” He licked his lips. “You said you find tons of people attractive. Are you into anyone at your work? I mean, they all have to be hot to make a living dancing. The ones I saw definitely were.”

“It’s the same thing. I find them attractive, but I’m not attracted to any of them. Even if we didn’t work together, none of them would be on my radar.”

I wanted to tell him he was the only one I wanted and hadn’t even looked at another person since that day he bumped into me in class, but I held back. I might be ready for more, but I wasn’t sure Alex was.

“Do you have to get ready for work soon?” he asked softly.

I glanced over my shoulder and checked the time on my stove. “Unfortunately, yeah. I do.”

“I’ll help you clean up. Then I’ll head out.”

“Don’t worry about cleaning up. It’s just the table. I did the other dishes.”

“Fully functional adult.” He sighed. “The kitchen looks like a crime scene when I try to cook.”

He pushed away from the table. “I’ll just change back into my clothes and let you get to it.”

“Keep them.” I stood as well. “I like seeing you in my clothes.”

“Yeah? I still have that other set you loaned me.”

“Keep both. I like the idea of you wearing my stuff when I’m not around.”

“I wear your T-shirt to bed.” He peeked up at me through his lashes.

“You do?” I stepped around the table and moved into his space so our chests touched.

He licked his bottom lip. “Yeah.”

I pulled him close and kissed him. By the time we pulled apart, we were both breathing heavily.

“You’d better go before I drag you into my room and skip my shift.”

He grinned playfully, his eyes sparkling. “Can’t have that.”

I wanted to ask him to stay so I could see him after work, but I had a mountain of homework to catch up on tomorrow, and I guessed he did too. As much as I wanted more time with him, schoolwork had to come first.

I gave him one more kiss, then took his hand and walked him into the living room so he could gather his stuff.

I couldn’t wait to see him on Monday morning and again on Monday night. I had something I wanted to try with him, something both of us should thoroughly enjoy.