For the first time I actually felt comfortable inviting someone to where I lived. It was quite a change living somewhere that wasn't in a bad part of town or embarrassinglyrundown.
Erika:No, there's a dance club in downtown that I want to take you to. Please! It's18+
Knix must have noticed a change in my expression because he leaned forward. "What's wrong?" Maybe he was trying to make up for suddenly closing me out a few moments before or maybe he was truly curious, but I just sighed and told him about Erika's request. "It sounds fun," he said. "You shouldgo."
"You think so?" My fingers hovered over the phone. I really missed Erika. I hadn't seen her in over a month. Before, we had seen each other every day at school. It was a hard transition and I had a lot I wanted to talk to her about. I thought back to being alone with Bellamy in his room. Erika had a lot more experience in the boy department than Idid.
"She's your friend," Knix said, "but if you go, I'd like to be the one giving you two aride."
"I don't think she'll mind that." I quickly texted Erika Knix's offer and I could practically hear her squealing because she immediately sent back a long text box filled with hearts and excited emojis. I laughed and showed it to Knix. "I think she's definitely okay with that." Knix chuckled and stood up, placing a big palm on my head, ruffling my hair and brushing it away from my face as he smiled down atme.
"Tell her I'd be happy to give you two a ride any time you need." He turned and disappeared down the hallway, heading in the direction of hisoffice.
The tension in my chest eased as I watched him go, but not because I wanted him to leave. My heart rate finally slowed down and I sighed out a breath. How I would be able to continue living with him and the rest of the guys was beyondme.
* * *
Slidingthe door to my private bathroom open, I ran a towel over my damp hair and took in the body sprawled on my bed without batting an eye. I trailed to my closet and reached in for a sleep shirt before snagging some underwear. Marv grunted as he rolled closer to the edge of my bed and plugged in hiscellphone.
I went back into the bathroom to change and brush my teeth and hair while he set his alarm. When I returned, he was lying under the covers with them pulled up around his hips. I sighed at the sight of his bare chest, my heart picking up speed once more. He didn't look at me as I turned out the light and slid under the sheets next to him, turning my back so that I was facing towards my desk. We both remained quiet for so long, I was almost convinced that he had fallen asleep when he finally rolled closer to me, winding an arm around my waist, and pulled me to his chest. I released a different kind of sigh when he touched me and cuddled closer. I'd gotten so used to sleeping in bed with someone, I wondered how I ever managed to sleep beforehim.
"I can't stop thinking about it," he admitted into the quiet space of mybedroom.
"About the girls and the camp?" Iasked.
His cheek rubbed against the fabric of my shirt as he nodded. "I'm sure Alex will consider letting us dosomething."
"If we do..." I waited for him to finish, but when he didn't I peeked over my shoulder to find his eyes closed and his breath puffing against my sleep shirt. Marv’s eyes opened, though they were unfocused as they settled on me. He mumbled something quietly as if telling me goodnight before his eyes slid closed once more and his breathing evened out. I sighed and smiled. He must have been so tired. I quietly pulled his arm up closer to my chest, where I clutched it and kissed his thumb without even thinking about it. I relished in the sensation of someone wrapped around me as I, too, drifted off intooblivion.