Page 61 of Wish I Might
“Probably.”
“Good.Goodnight.”
“Goodnight.”He waited until her breathing had evened out, then said, “Bailey?”
“I’m this close to going to a hotel and adding the bill to your rent.”
“I just wanted to say I’m sorry.”
There was a pause, then the mattress shifted as she rolled onto her back.“For what?”
“Getting pissy.”
She turned her head, and he could feel her looking at him.“Why did you?”
“I’ll give you three guesses,” he said drily, “and the first two don’t count.”
She was silent for a moment, then let out a quiet, “Oh.”
“Yeah.Anyway, I’m sorry.”
“I can still sleep on the couch.”
“You could,” he allowed.“But it wouldn’t make me less horny, and I’d feel guilty on top of it.”
She was quiet for so long he wondered if he’d screwed up.Then she said, “I wouldn’t want you to feel guilty.”
He smiled in the dark.“Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.Nash?”
“Yeah?”
“Thank you.”
He turned his head, wishing he could see her expression now.“For what?”
“For agreeing to the…group project.And for taking it seriously.”
“Of course.Did you think I wouldn’t?”
His eyes had adjudged to the dark enough to make out her shrug.“Most people don’t.”
A horrifying thought occurred to him, but he kept his voice even.“Who’s ‘most people’?Did you ask someone before me to do this with you?”
“No, but people I’ve told about it.Gwen and Chloe, a couple others.”
Relief loosened his limbs.“They don’t take it seriously?”
“They know I’m serious about doing it, but I don’t think they really get it.They think it’s just a fantasy, you know?”
And it wasn’t.Never had been.“I know.”
“Anyway.I just wanted to say thanks.”
He gathered all the sincerity he could muster and put it into the words.“It’s my pleasure, Bailey.”
“Yes, it will be,” she said, and he nearly laughed at the purr in her voice.
