“What? I just thought it would be easy watching. Nothing too… dramatic or emotional.”
She shoots me some serious side-eye.
“I’m fucking trying here Kat,” I confess, feeling hopeless and like I’m fucking all of this up.
Ryder seems to get it. He understands what she needs and gives it to her. Hence how he managed to end up cuddling her in my bed earlier.
Fucking asshole.
“That one,” she says suddenly and without second guessing it, I hit play, letting the movie start as she rests back on the couch.
Despite spending days in my room, she doesn’t look like she’s slept much. Her skin is pale, and her eyes are dark with exhaustion.
“Come here,” I say, hoping like fuck that I’m not about to get shot down.
But now I’ve confessed to wanting this, accepting this. I need my Kat time just like Ryder’s had.
Yeah, my jealousy situation is quite strong right now.
She looks from me to where my arm is stretched out as she considers her options.
“Please,” I whisper, hating how fucking vulnerable I sound.
After sucking her bottom lip into her mouth, she nods and scoots over, tucking herself into my side.
It’s like a missing part of my puzzle slots into place the second she rests her head on my chest and places her hand against my stomach.
“I missed you,” she whispers, it’s so quiet that I start to think I might have actually made it up when she says no more.
The movie starts while Ryder continues crashing about in the kitchen. I’ve got no idea what the fuck he’s making but I have no intention of helping now I’ve got my girl in my arms. It smells fucking incredible though, and before long my stomach is growling loudly and making Kat laugh, something I am more than happy about.
“You nearly done over there?” Kat shouts, getting as impatient as me.
“Ten minutes. Styx, did you wanna make us some drinks?
“No. Not really.”
He shoots me a glare. But thankfully, he doesn’t push it.
As he shouldn’t. He fell asleep on my bed with my girl in his arms. I’m owed this. Especially after accepting that we’re going to have to share her if we stand a chance here.
“Fine. I’ll do that too then,” he mutters, although he doesn’t actually seem all that annoyed about it.
He moves smoothly around the kitchen, probably helped by the fact he basically chose everything to go in it and then put it all away after the break-in. It’s probably for the best. We all know my skills when it comes to cooking.
“Okay, time to eat,” he announces a few minutes later.
Kat hops up, leaving me yearning for her as she runs across the room to see what Ryder’s made.
“Oh my God, I love you,” she gasps, making both Ryder and I freeze. “Did you know Mexican is my favorite?” she asks as if nothing just happened.
“Of course I did. Take a seat, darlin’,” he says pulling her chair out like a gentleman, making my brows hit my hairline. ‘What?’ he mouths as I gawk at him.
“Nothing, just never seen you act so…” His brow quirks. “Decent.”
“Fuck you, Styx. I know how to treat a lady. Ain’t that right, Kitten?”
Kat glances up at him, her cheeks heating.