Because of Lucy by Lisa Swallow

were made for me.”
    Kissing my palm, he rests my hand over his heart. I lie down and snuggle into his chest, listening to his heart rate slow as we drift to sleep.

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter 13
     
     
    NESS
     
    Evan is in my bed when I wake up. The cynical side of me expected him to disappear in the night. I climb out and push our clothes into a pile with my toes as I slip on my robe. Evan is lying with his arm above his head, his face soft with sleep. His smooth chest is eminently kissable and I have to fight the desire to sneak back into bed and wake him up. Before I do anything like that, I decide I need to gauge the situation. A strong coffee will help the thought process.
    I return with two warm mugs and find Evan sitting on the edge of the bed, wearing only his jeans. He’s facing away from me, ear pressed to his phone. I admire the muscles knitting in his back, marred a little by some nail marks. Heat flares through me at the memory of the night before.
    “Everything okay?” I ask.
    Evan starts and twists his head round. “Yeah…” He puts the phone on the top of my drawers. He doesn’t sound sure.
    Handing him the coffee, I perch next to him, tense.
    “Are you okay?” he asks.
    “I think so. ” Cra p , this was bound to be awkward.
    Evan takes the mugs from my hands and sets both on the drawers next to his phone. He brushes my tangled hair from my eyes. “I hope so.”
    My lips are swollen from last night, face smarting from where his stubble scratched me but as he kisses me, his taste reawakens everything. I could so easily lose myself in him again.
    Evan pulls back and rests his head on mine. “So, do you still respect me?”
    I smile. “Maybe.”
    Evan reaches for his T-shirt and I want to pout at him for getting dressed. “So, we should go on a date now? That’s if you want to, now you’ve got what you want from me?”
    “Yeah, well…” I examine my nails. “If I have time, I’ll call you.”
    We look at each other and laugh, an easygoing understanding. He plants a kiss on my forehead. “Seriously, though. I want to take you out somewhere.”
    Abby’s bedroom door bangs as she crosses the hallway. Evan looks up. “Is Matt still downstairs?”
    The change of pace drags me back to the here and now. I’d almost forgotten about Matt. “No.”
    “I should try and find him…”
    My plan to keep Evan in my bed today dissipates. Then I remember I’m working this afternoon anyway. Real life sucks. Regret at my rejection of a student existence tugs at me.
    “Okay.” I hope he’s not making excuses.
    Evan’s phone rings and he jumps, eyes darting towards it. No, not this again.
    “Popular guy,” I say.
    “Yeah, I switched it off last night.”
    Evan drains his coffee, picks up his phone and stands to leave. A sick feeling replaces my happy afterglow.
    He bends over me, takes my face in his warm hands and kisses me softly. “I’ve got to find Matt. But I’ll call you about going out. Are you free tonight?”
    I nod, even though I doubt he’s going to look for Matt.
    Evan may have switched his phone off last night but something pulls him back to it now. Someone.
     
    ****
     
    EVAN
     
    I knock repeatedly on Matt’s door until he swears at me and I know he’s back safely. Later we’ll have the discussion, no way am I getting caught between the two lovers again. Sure, the evening ended well for me. Extremely well. But I don’t want to be running around looking out for people.
    I think of Ness while I shower, summoning up images of her - us - as the warm water washes over me. To say the events were unexpected is an understatement. And I don’t know how I feel about everything. About her. She’s gorgeous, sexy and oh so clever but I don’t know what to do. Being with her is comfortable, the sparring fun, but I worry about things getting intense. I respect her and I’ll let her know what I’m thinking, how I don’t want a relationship.
    Maybe I’m