Housemates (boyxboy)

Chapter 11

A creaking door sounded amid my late-night slumber and I slowly opened my eyes, squinting at the faint light that shined into my bedroom. The light faded quickly as the door was closed behind the person who entered the darkness I slept in.

"What?" I asked, my voice raspy as I'd just awoken.

"Sorry about earlier."

I couldn't make out the face of the guy in my room through the darkness that enveloped him and I could only see his silhouette.

"Huh?" I asked, rubbing my eyes to rid of the sleep that weighed down on them. I wasn't in the right state of mind to understand what exactly was going on. It was the middle of the night after all.

A laugh escaped the mouth of the guest in my room before my bed creaked, signaling he'd taken a seat on it. A strong scent of lavender soon flowed through the air as his presence lingered close beside me.

"Can you see me now?" he asked me and I looked next to myself, my eyes widening upon discovering the twenty-four-year-old.

"Zion," I said, pushing myself up. "What are you doing in here at three in the damn morning?"

"My partner just left," he told me. "And didn't you want to talk to me?"

"I did," I said with a sigh. "But not in the middle of the night, Zion."

"I see," Zion said before he pushed off of my bed. "Sorry for waking you."

I reached out and caught his hand, halting him from leaving just yet.

"Wait," I said. "I'm awake now anyway. You can stay."

Zion sat back down beside me again and leaned back, laying his head next to mine as we both stared up at the ceiling we couldn't quite see. His arm touched my own and the heat from it was comforting as he waited for me to tell him what I'd been meaning to say. But, my idiocy prevailed and I tossed that conversation, bringing up something else entirely.

"How was your date?" I asked, surprised when the question escaped my mouth.

I heard him breathe in before he sighed. "It was hardly a date."

I turned my head to his and instantly realized how close we were and stared back up at the ceiling.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Aren't you curious?" he asked me. "I thought you had something else to say."

"I'm not," I denied. "It just came out."

Zion's arm nudged mine, sending a rush of warmth to my stomach.

"It's okay to be curious, Cade," he said. "I'm sure you think I'm some mysterious, hard to read bum, huh?"

"That's not it," I said. "You are mysterious though. I mean, I thought you said you haven't been in a relationship since the one with Amber's brother."

"That's right. I haven't," he said. "It was a hook-up."

He said it as if it was the simplest thing to come out of his mouth.

"And?" I asked.

"It wasn't a date either," he said. "We won't be meeting again."

"Oh," I said. "Isn't it hard?"

"Not yet," he said, stifling a laugh.

I softly pushed his arm with mine and shook my head against my pillow. "Not that."

"Sorry," he said with a laugh. "But no, it's not. He told me he was only looking for a one night stand."

"What if you catch feelings afterward?" I asked.

"I won't," he assured me. "I can't allow that to happen. And it hasn't so far."

"Wouldn't you rather have a steady hook-up partner?" I asked. "Instead of someone random I mean."

"Are you offering to be that partner?" he questioned and I almost swore my heart stopped.

"What?" I said in shock at his proposal.

He laughed again. "I'm just joking, jeez."

"Oh, haha," I said, forcing out a laugh.

"Would you be nervous?" he asked. "Do you perhaps lack experience?"

Bingo.

"Judging from your silence, I'd assume it's one of the two. If not both," he said.

When I didn't reply again, he shifted his body to face me and reached out a hand, softly touching his fingers to my cheek as shivers ran down my body.

"It's okay," he said. "I'll show you the ropes."

I'd never seen this side of Zion before and honestly, it wasn't frightening. I was more intrigued by his boldness, almost tempted to obey.

And I probably would've if he hadn't spoken up again.

"Lighten up, Cade," he said. "I'm just messing with you."

"Oh, yeah," I said. "I know."

Zion dropped his hand from my cheek and laid back on his back as we both looked up at the ceiling once more.

"What'd you want to tell me before?" he asked. "That's the real reason why I'm here after all."

"Oh, that's right," I said. "I just thought I'd let you know that Alec and I decided to end our fake relationship at the office."

"Interesting," he said. "Was it his idea?"

"No," I said. "It was mine."

"Ah," he said. "Wasn't that hard to do?"

"Yeah," I answered. "But I had to. Pretending isn't enough for me. I'm only going to get hurt."

"At least you realize that," he told me. "But good for you."

"Yeah," I said. "I need to get over him."

"Mhm," he replied softly. "You can do it."

"We'll see," I said. "It's difficult to since he's everywhere I go. Home and work—there's no escaping him."

"That's true," he said. "But, you know, there is one place you can go to escape him."

"Is that so?" I asked. "Where would that be?"

"My room," he said.

"You're very suggestive tonight," I said.

"I guess you're right," he said. "But I mean it."

"Thanks," I said. "I'll be sure to hide out in your room from now on."

"Right," he said, releasing a yawn. "I think it's time I've retired to sleep."

"That'd probably be a good idea," I replied.

"Yeah," he said. "Good night, Cade."

When he didn't make an effort to move, I squished my eyebrows together and glanced over at him.

"Aren't you going back to your room?" I asked him.

He took a moment to reply.

"Nah."

———
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