Chapter 28 Bad Fit
Chapter twenty-eight
Bad Fit
We lugged our bags to Kat’s place so early that fog swam around our ankles on the way in.
Using the spare key, I shouldered my way into the entryway and waved at the doorbell camera to reassure her and Victor this wasn’t a break-in. From her texts last night, this was all fine, as they were staying at his place.
“The first thing I wanna do after we unpack is take a nap,” I said. “I’ll need it to deal with Giselle this morning.”
Maybe I was more exhausted than I realized, because I stumbled into a heavy box by the entryway.
“Scrubs,” I muttered, rubbing my shin.
Angel pushed other boxes out of the way. “What’s all this? Donations?”
“I think it’s probably what she’s taking to Victor’s. They’re officially moving in together,” I said, limping down the hall.
“That’s exciting.” Angel dealt with his bags and helped with mine. “Now, sit on the bed. Let me get a look at your leg.”
I plopped onto the mattress. “You don’t think it’s too quick or anything?”
He knelt to roll my sweatpants to my knee. “Not really. Not if they’re in love.”
Like us. Even if it’d only been a few weeks.
He gently prodded my broken skin, and I hissed.
“Sorry. Looks like it’ll bruise. I'll put some antibacterial cream on it for you.” He massaged my calf, his voice thick with lack of sleep. He’d gotten even less rest than me. “Do you think it’s too much too fast?” he asked softly.
“No. I think it’s sweet.”
My pulse quickened, and his lip ticked up, the implications of our answers stretching out.
That movie When Harry Met Sally put it best: when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with someone, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.
And this was the perfect time for Angel and I to start that. I was transitioning from one home to another. We both needed a soft place to land. Why couldn’t that be in each other’s arms and beds?
I pawed Angel with my toes, my stomach fluttering in nervous excitement. “My sister might sublet her apartment until the lease is up. I know this isn't as nice as your mom’s place, or as budget-friendly, but you and I could be roomies, if that’s something you’d be interested in.”
“That could work.” He lowered his gaze and caressed higher on my leg. “Depending how much rent would be.”
Could we actually live together on our salaries?
I grinned and scooted closer. “I-I’m not sure what your budget’s like, but if Kat managed with a roommate and a pet before she became manager at Hot Contra, I think we have a good shot at this. I just have to run the numbers.”
“Will you send me the whole ‘study guide’ in the form of a spreadsheet?” He smirked and began removing my shoes.
“Absolutely. I’d do a whole lot more for you,” I said.
“Oh, really? Let me get some antibacterial cream on you, first,” he said, reaching for his bag.
“I can give you easier access.” I lifted my hips to take off my soft pants.
He blushed, fumbling his medical kit. “Easy, pidge.”
“Why? Are you afraid I’ll hurt myself again?”
He shook his head as he readied the tube. “It’s the crack of dawn. I’ve had no sleep, and I’ve got a huge test in a few hours. I cannot be tempted to join you in bed.”
“Maybe that’s what you should do,” I said, curling my toes into his waistband. “You know, fully.”
He paused, his fingers on the cusp of the cream. “You want to…”
My cheeks warmed. “I don’t need rose petals or a perfect moment. I just want you.”
“You have me.” He dabbed ointment on my cut.
I tensed, anticipating pain, but it never came.
He secured a bandage over the scrape and gently gave it a kiss. Then, he lowered himself atop me on the mattress.
My insides fluttered, every hair on my body standing to attention as his healing hands caressed my thighs, then my hips.
“I want you too, Tori,” he said, his eyes dark and full of devotion.
I embraced his warmth. His strength. His soul. I loved everything about him.
We exchanged slow, soft kisses. This could be every day, not just a vacation at his mom’s house. I closed my eyes and sighed in contentment.
He cupped my ass, more massaging than groping. “Are you sure you wanna do this now, pidge? You look like you need that nap.”
“I can sleep after.”
He chuckled and leaned back. “I think maybe I should just tuck you in.”
“What? But we could have sex.” Wasn’t that what he wanted?
“We’re both exhausted, and we still need to unpack. I don’t think either of us will be walking straight, let alone getting out of bed, right after an orgasm. But I’ll put condoms somewhere easy to access if we're up for it later, okay?”
“Okay.” I rolled onto my side to hide my quivering lip. This was supposed to be a big moment.
“Hey. Don’t be like that.” He smacked my butt affectionately. “Do you want a hand?”
I shook my head and burrowed under the covers. “I just need a minute.”
He’d hooked up with random girls before, right? So why didn’t he want to have sex with me? Was it really just because we were sleepy? Or was he turned off by the idea of living with me?
Maybe I should’ve waited to say I loved him.
Everything had happened so fast, both good and bad. I’d been so swept away by emotion I hadn’t considered what it’d be like if the momentum caught up with us.
This was my first relationship—and his. Maybe he wanted more romance.
Or less. I knew I was different from other girls he’d been with, but maybe that wasn’t always to our benefit.
He needed someone steady, someone who wouldn’t crave his validation every single second.
And that wasn’t me, normally. But right now I was shaking with anxiety.
Angel dangled my vanilla-scented bear in front of me. “I can feel you overthinking from here. Maybe you’d prefer to cuddle this guy for a bit?”
I smiled and hugged the plushie. “Thanks.”
He kissed my shoulder, then resumed digging through his backpack for his study guide.
This was love, wasn’t it? And we’d had other forms of sex, so it wasn’t like he wasn’t into me. Maybe he was just feeling off from all the drama yesterday. We’d had a weird couple of weeks.
I bit my lip, then sat up to face him. “Angel, how are you feeling?”
“Tired, but fine,” he said, going through his backpack. “I’m gonna try to squeeze in one last study session before the test.”
“Right. Good idea.” This wasn’t the time to dissect his feelings about sex. Or his mom. Or his mom’s boyfriend. Or me, even.
This test was important.
I got out of bed to show him down the hall. “The living room couch is comfy for studying. If you need a table—”
“I’m sure I can figure it out, pidge.”
“Right, yes. I’ll just…unpack for a bit,” I said, awkwardly shuffling away.
“What about your nap?” he asked.
“Nap? Who needs a nap? Carpe diem. Let me know if you need anything,” I said, dashing toward the bedroom.
I’d left my family home so I didn’t have to babysit. Now that we’d moved from his place, I didn’t want him to feel like he had to hold my hand through everything.
I texted Kat asking about her apartment and put on some quiet music to motivate me to unpack the basics.
After that, I started the finances spreadsheet on my laptop.
I laid on my stomach and tried to put together a presentation for my boyfriend.
My income was pretty low. And rent might be high.
But we could split it. I’d also have car payments.
Add tuition? I opened a tab to research what that’d be without my parents’ involvement.
A soft knock at the door jolted me an inch off the bed.
Angel nudged open the door. “Hey, pidge. How’s it going?”
“Um, fine.” I slapped the laptop shut.
“What were you looking at? Cute boys?” he joked, sidling up to me.
I rolled my eyes. The only one of those I needed was right beside me.
“I was organizing that finance spreadsheet,” I said.
“Mm. Math. In the morning. Brings back fond memories of statistics class, doesn’t it?”
I narrowed my gaze. “Are you mocking me?”
“Teasing.” He started playing footsie with me, his toe caressing the inside of my arch.
Oh, no. Tickly, relaxing, and worse, flirty, despite the fact that we weren't having sex this morning.
I gasped and playfully kicked him away. “How’s your studying going?”
“I’ve absorbed all I can by doing it solo. Can you quiz me?” He handed me a study guide.
“Sure. I can even give you a kiss for every right answer at the end of it.”
“You sure know how to motivate a man.” He winked.
“Let’s see how you do, smarty-pants.” I went through a few questions with him.
I…knew this stuff. Some of it, at least, even without studying.
Maybe I just hadn’t been in the right focus before.
At the end, I gave him a smattering of kisses. “I think you’re going to do great on your test.”
“I’ll give you a kiss for every answer I get right thanks to your excellent tutelage.” He kissed my warm cheek, then checked his phone. “We’d better get going. Yesterday, the GPS said it’d take about—ah, that’s not good.”
“What?” I peered at his screen.
Angel scrubbed his face with one hand. “I checked the estimated time last night without accounting for morning traffic. I think I’m gonna be late for my test.”
“No.” Every second counted. Sometimes, they wouldn’t let students take the exam at all if they came in too late. “Can you still make it on time if you skip the mall?”
He gave me a pained look. “But I promised I’d drop you off.”
“Go to your exam. I’ll figure out a ride. I promise.” I was a capable girlfriend.
“Okay. I’ll make it up to you, pidge.” He gave me another kiss, then ran out the door with his backpack.
“Scrubs,” I muttered, dialing Kat.
“What’s up, baby sis?” she asked, her voice slightly distant and garbled like she was on speaker phone.
“Hey, Kat. Would you be able to pick me up for my morning shift?”
“I can’t. I’m almost at the mall already. Circling back would make me too late to open the store. I thought Angel was taking you today.”
“We ran into a scheduling conflict.” We seemed to run into a lot of unexpected conflicts.