Page 19 of Love: Take Two

I jump at the loud knock on the door in Noah's telltale cadence. Sybil has the nerve to laugh.

"Hey Noah," she beams as she opens the door. Noah is weighed down with a gratuitous amount of Chinese takeout, and I rush over to help him put the bags on the counter.

"Are you here for anothercram session?" Sybil asks, her voice dripping with innuendo. I could kick myself for missing the deadline to request a room reassignment. Ever since Noah started coming around, she's been nosier than ever.

"You know it," he answers, walking straight to the fridge without an invitation.Americans."Your roommate is the only reason I'm keeping up in Professor Strickland's class."

Sybil clicks her tongue in irritation when Noah doesn't take the bait and starts down the hall.

"Well, have fun," she calls over her shoulder. Her door closes seconds later.

"And what wasthatall about?" Noah questions as he unloads the feast onto our tiny counter. I join him, pulling out the disposable plates and napkins; nobody has time for dishes.

"She—" I stop abruptly.

Is telling him going to make things weird? With a face like his, he's probably used to the attention. There might even be a few girls out there whohavegone from study buddy to more.Thosegirls wouldn't hesitate; they'd grab him by the collar and show him exactly what he was missing.

I've never been one ofthosegirls.

"She's convinced something is going on between us," I finally admit, hoping my voice sounds nonchalant. "I've told her we're just friends, that nothing could ever happen between us, but..." I shrug.

Noah puts down the plastic container of vegetable lo mein and looks at me, an odd expression on his face.

"Why couldn't anything happen between us?"

I blink, caught off-guard by his question.

"Um," I sputter, "b-because we're just friends?"

"So?" he counters. I suddenly wonder whether my lack of sleep is getting to me and this is all a dream.

"So…friends don't sleep together? Hook up? Whatever you call it."

"They don't?"

I go back to unloading the food just to give myself a reason to break eye contact.What is happening?Why is he looking at me like the thought of going into my room and doing what men and women do isn't strange to him?

"Not in real life, they don't," I mutter, my eyes still averted. "Icertainly haven't. Maybe they do in 'Sex and the City' or 'Friends'."

He's beside me before I realize, covering my hand with his, loosening my grip on the sesame chicken.

"You've never hooked up with a friend?" he murmurs from my periphery. "Not even making out or hand stuff?"

I assume "hand stuff" means fingering, or maybe a handjob, and my cheeks are suddenly hot.

"N-No," I whisper, my careful composure slipping. "All my friends are just friends."

He squeezes my hands, goosebumps spreading up my arms the way they always do when we touch, even incidentally. I look up to meet his eyes. They're staring intently.

"Do youwantto?"

God, if this is a dream, please don't let me wake up yet!Please wait until I've at least gotten to kiss the man who's fueled my fantasies ever since he put his hands on me at that party. Ever since he asked for my number. Ever since our first night studying together, when I found out he's got brains behind that beautiful face of his.

"In general, or…?" I trail off, not brave enough to even suggest he's talking about me and him.Together. But his thumbs brush against my wrists, and he nods towards the open door of my room.

"I—" I drop my gaze. "Doyouwant to?"

He nods again.