Page 72 of Reverse Pass

I shake my head, laughing a little. At least it was a little levity when I need it. A flash of him kissing the woman he was with comes unwanted into my mind and I frown, staring out the window as the streets pass by.

“Text him that you’re gonna sleep in his bed. Naked,” she mumbles.

“What?” I raise my brow at her, not that she can see it since she’s half asleep.

“It’s what I would do,” she says, her voice fading as sleep starts to take her.

I stare down at my phone in my hand and glance back at a sleepy Joss. She was generally right when it came to Ben. And I was generally too timid when it came to men in general, and Ben in particular. He’d said he wanted more.

So I unlock my phone and bring up the text box, typing slowly with one hand since Joss was using my left arm as a pillow.

Since you’re gone tonight, care if I sleep in your bed?

I click send and then hold my breath, my leg nervously bouncing against the floorboards of the car. I look down at Joss, worried I might be waking her up with my anxiousness, but she’s still dead to the world.

Ben

Why?

Why? Because I’m obsessed with you, and I don’t want you sleeping with anyone else. I can’t say that though, right? Ugh. What would Joss say in this situation? I wish she was still awake to tell me, but she’s sleeping too peacefully for me to want to wake her.

Why not?

It’s a terrible answer, and I’m terrible at this whole flirting thing. I’m out of practice from being with Cam too long.

Ben

Is there something wrong with yours?

Your sheets feel better against my bare skin? And the light’s a little better for the reading I want to do before bed

I hit send before I can rethink it, and then scrunch my eyes closed while I wait what feels like an interminably long time for a response.

Ben

Christ Violet

Is that a no?

The car pulls up in front of our apartment and I pay the driver and gently shake Joss awake. She wipes a little drool off the side of her mouth and sits up.

“We’re home.”

“Yay! Bed,” she mumbles, and I help her out of the car and hook my arm around hers to help support her as we walk.

I get her inside and tucked into bed before I have a chance to look at my phone again.

Ben

No

I mean, yes you can

But very unfair since I’m not there

I smile, and suddenly I have an even better idea. One I’m hoping will erase the little fight we had tonight.

I hurry to my room, stripping out of the clothes I wore and throwing on an oversized T-shirt. I grab the mafia book I’d been reading the first night he walked in on me and make my way into his room, flicking on the desk lamp so it’s light enough that I can see.