He Asked Me Out to Get Back at Her, I Gave Him a Rulebook Instead novel · Chapter 12 of 24

Chapter 12: Off the Page

His mouth was cold from the sleet.

It didn't stay cold.

He made a sound low in his chest and pulled me in by my soaked jacket, and we both nearly went over the arm of his reading chair.

I laughed into his mouth.

He laughed back into mine.

Then he stopped and held me away from him by my shoulders, just far enough to see my face.

"Frannie."

"Don't you dare ask me if I'm sure."

"I'm going to ask you if you're sure."

"I've had half a cup of coffee since breakfast and I'm stone sober and covered in mud." I pushed his wet hair off his forehead. "I'm sure. Yes. I want this. I want you."

"Okay," he said, rough.

"Are you sure?"

"I've been sure since you put a rulebook on my waffles."

I looked past his shoulder at the dark window.

Sleet slid down the glass.

The fire escape was white with it.

There were no words in the air.

Not one.

No readers over his bed, no brackets, no "sorry roommate."

Nobody was watching this page.

Nobody but us was even allowed to know it existed.

"What?" he said.

"Nothing." I unwound the bandanna from his right hand and kissed his scraped knuckles. "They can't see this."

"Good," he said, and kissed me again.

I unwound the bandanna from his left hand and let it fall.

He flexed his fingers and winced.

"Sore?"

"Good sore," he said. "I earned it."

I peeled the ruined camel coat off his shoulders.

It hit the floor with a wet slap.

"That coat is done," I said. "It's compost."

"Don't talk. You'll say something rich."

I laughed and pulled his sweater up over his head.

His skin was cold and damp under my palms.

I pushed him toward the bed and he sat on the edge, watching me.

I reached back and pulled the tie from my braid.

My hair came down wet and heavy over my shoulders.

"Come here," he said.

I stepped between his knees and he unbuttoned my flannel, slow, one button at a time.

His scraped knuckles brushed my stomach and I shivered.

"Cold," he said.

"You'll warm me up."

He pushed the flannel off my arms and unhooked my bra.

Then he just looked at me.

"Linc."

"I'm looking," he said. "I've been looking at you for two months and pretending I wasn't."

"Touch me."

He leaned in and put his mouth on my collarbone.

His lips were warm, warmer than the rest of him, and they moved down over my breast.

I gripped his wet hair.

He took my nipple in his mouth and sucked, and my knees went loose.

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