I walk into Caleb’s room exhausted, grabbing a T-shirt from a drawer. I wash my face before getting into bed and snuggling on Caleb’s chest. I reach up to kiss him, but he turns his head. “Smoking isn’t attractive. Lena is such a good influence on you already, huh?”
“I didn’t know it bothered you. I’ve smoked before, but only when I drink and if there is a smoker around. Sorry.”
“Okay. Goodnight.” He kisses my forehead and turns away from me. I lay there confused, somehow having unintentionally upset him yet again.
“Goodnight.”
* * *
I wakeup in the morning with Caleb sleeping soundly next to me. Without the fuzz of alcohol, anger builds at the way he handled last night. I don’t tell him squat about hanging out with Emily, who no doubt is crushing on him, but he can give me an opinion about everything. I sneak out of bed and grab my clothes to change and wash up in the bathroom. Walking back into the bedroom, I hope he is still sleeping, but my luck has run short. He is sitting up in bed.
“I’m gonna see if Lena’s awake so we can head home.” I wave as I walk to the bedroom door.
“Wait, why are you leaving so quick?” His brows pull together.
“You seemed like you didn’t want me here last night, so I’m just gonna take off,” I explain.
“Why wouldn’t I want you here?”
“You didn’t even kiss me last night. You turned over and fell asleep.”
“I’m sorry, but I explained that I don’t like smokers. It’s nasty kissing someone who has just been smoking. Come here.” He motions for me to come back to bed. Unsure, I hesitate for a couple of seconds before I sit on the side of the bed. “Come on, don’t be mad at me. I didn’t want to kiss you tasting like an ashtray. I started dating a nonsmoker, remember. I’m the one that should be mad, false advertising and all that.” He wraps his arm around my waist, pulling me toward the center of the bed. He lays me down and crawls on top of me.
He has a point. I have never smoked around him, so the issue never came up. I wrap my arms around his neck and pull him down for a long, lingering kiss. The intensity is beginning to build when there’s a knock on the door.
“Sof, are you up?” Lena calls through the door.
I roll Caleb off me. “Come in, I’m up.”
He scowls at me, clearly unhappy that we were interrupted.
She walks in and sits at the foot of the bed. “Sleep well?” She smirks at me.
“Like a baby…and you? Did Wes keep his hands to himself like he promised?” I ask, giggling.
Just then Wes walks in and plops himself on the desk chair. “How can you even doubt, Sophia?I’mthe gentleman of this apartment.” He smiles proudly.
“This is my room…everyone out.” Caleb says jokingly, so I begin to roll out of bed, but he stops me, saying, “Except you. Lena, give us a few.”
Walking out she announces, “Hurry up, I’m starving.”
I roll over on top of Caleb, kissing him, then say, “I gotta go. Breakfast is calling our name.”
“I’ll talk to you later, but I won’t see you tonight. I’m working.”
“Okay. I’m sure Lena and I can find some trouble to get ourselves into,” I say, smirking.
He rolls me over again, laying on top of me. He holds himself on his forearms and spreads my legs to fit his body in between. He begins to kiss my neck, moving up to my chin then pressing his lips firmly on mine in a deep, all-consuming kiss. We pull apart, breathless.
“I love you. No getting in trouble tonight. I’ll call you later,” he says with a bite in his tone.
I get up and blow him a kiss. Mouthinglove you, I close the door behind me.
* * *
Lenaand I spend the afternoon catching up on homework, heading to the gym, and organizing the last of my things in the apartment. We are just settling in to watch some guilty-pleasure reality TV when Lena’s phone chimes. She fires off a text, and the phone chimes again. This goes on a few times before she finally looks at me and says, “We are heading out. Time to get dressed.”
I laugh at her for assuming I’ll be willing to go, because we both know I am.