“Oh, you went to college?” I ask Alec.
“I’m getting my graduate degree now.”
“Cool,” I say with a bit of surprise showing through. “What in?”
“Architecture.”
“That’s dope, dude.” Simon comes over and sits on the edge of the couch behind me.
Something so fucking comforting about his nearness.
“Thanks.” Alec smiles while averting his gaze, his cheeks reddening.
“But yeah, we had a lot of similar undergrad classes. And I think we were in the same econ my last semester.” Cora turns to me. “Remember that stupid bitch who kept rounding my grade down even when it was like a tenth of a point from going up?”
“I wanted to stab her for you.”
Cora grins. “He dealt with the same shit. Almost cost him a point on his grade point average.”
Alec clears his throat. “I contacted the Dean about it and a week later, she fixed everyone’s scores.”
“I thought I was going to fail that class.” Cora chuckles. “Thanks to you, I didn’t.”
A man was just shot and killed, and Cora is in our house chatting about college with a boy she barely knows. I don't know if I should be relieved or concerned, but either way, I don't want to bring it up unless she does. I wanted to come over here and diffuse their conversation but if it distracts her from the ugly parts of this evening, what kind of friend would I be to put a stop to that?
I reposition myself on the couch and twist my neck to the side in an attempt to get it to crack. I must have crouched in a weird position too long and cramped something in my back, the tightness and pain spanning my entire spine and up into my neck. My head aches, and I’d do anything for a hot shower and about twelve hours of sleep.
“You okay?” Simon asks me without hesitation.
I swear, I could breathe weirdly and he'd notice.
“Yeah.” I wiggle my back a little. “I think something needs to crack but it won’t.”
Cora and Alec waste no time picking their conversation up and chattering about professors at the university they both attended.
If it were any other night, I’d plop my ass between them and break it apart, but I welcome the temporary distraction he brings.
“Stand up.” Simon nudges me and rises to his feet. “Come here.”
I comply even though I have no idea what the fucking standing up is going to do for me.
“Turn around.” He spins me so I’m facing away from him. “First, take this off…” Simon drags my leather jacket over my shoulders and tosses it onto the couch. “Cross your arms.” He leans in close, his breath on the back of my neck sending a chill down my spine. "Like this." He grips my forearms and directs me exactly how he wants me. Simon wraps his own arms around me and presses himself into me from behind. "Relax, love." Those two words are a whisper that only I can hear.
I close my eyes and exhale, fully melting into his embrace.
He squeezes me tight and lifts me off the ground like I weigh nothing at all. He applies a bit more pressure and leans back.
A million pops and cracks sound and it forces a moan out of my chest. “Oh my God, Simon. That was fucking amazing.”
He chuckles and sets me on the floor. "I'm not done, yet." Simon turns me toward him and tosses my arms over his shoulders. He weaves his under mine, and he picks me up in a giant hug. Simon intensifies his hold on me, and my back pops in ways I don’t think it ever has.
“Fuck,” I mumble. “I think I just died and went to heaven.”
The door to the garage slams shut.
“What the fuck is going on here?” Coen calls out, clearly fucking pissed off.
Simon releases me, and I move my shoulders and revel in the relief of tension already there.