Page 119 of Stardusted

Whatever the why was, I’d come to a decision.

I swallowed and looked up, meeting Sky’s patient gaze. “Okay.”

“Okay?” He blinked a couple times, like he hadn’t expected that. He wasn’t the only one. “You want me to stay?”

“Yeah.” I twisted the hem of my shirt. “Yeah, if that’s okay. Just in case…well, just in case.”

“Sure.” His grin slid into place slowly, devastatingly—one of those real ones that werewaytoo appealing—and my bellyfluttered in response. I couldn’t help but smile back, though I turned my head and tucked it into my shoulder, shy suddenly.

Because he was staying here. In my space. My home.

He was the last person I’d ever expect to have a slumber party with. Talk about a descent into the unbelievable.

“Well,” I said, standing and tugging down the baggy shirt. “So do you…” I faltered, flustered.

Oh my God. Sky Acosta was sleeping over my apartment. I was playing Airbnb host to an extraterrestrial.

I nearly giggled, a terrible sign I was getting slap-happy. I stifled the completely inappropriate urge and instead faced him. “Do you need anything? A toothbrush? I’ve got an extra from my last dentist visit, I think. Never opened.”

“Oh.” His smile slid crooked, and he surveyed the coffee table between us. “No—thanks, though. I’ve got my bag. It has everything I need.”

First clothing, now a toothbrush? I narrowed my eyes as he began to gather the empty takeout boxes. “You just happened to bring stuff? What would you have done if I’d said no?”

He paused in stuffing the trash into the to-go bag and gave me a rueful grin. “Slept in my car outside your apartment.”

“What?” I stopped short, staring at him. “Seriously?”

He shrugged and finished cleaning up our dinner, setting the crammed-full bag back on the coffee table. “I wasn’t lying about the danger,” he said as he straightened and slid his hands into his sweatpants pockets. “About how important this is. To the mission, I mean.”

Right. The mysterious mission. Which I was somehow now a part of.

“Okay. Well, thank you?” That sounded lame, but I had no idea what else to say. I pressed my fingers to my forehead. “I’ve got to study for my test tomorrow. Make yourself…comfortable, I guess.”

I turned to leave. Paused.

Then spun back around and spoke in a rush. “I work the lunch shift, too, before the afternoon class. That’s…my schedule. Since you…I mean, if you’re going to be coming along for it. I know I said I didn’t want you to, but…”

Some emotion flashed before he bobbed his head in a single nod. “I would like to, yes.” It was said so politely. Calmly. His bartender voice. That stray curl slid into his eyes, and he pushed it back. I couldn’t read him.

It bothered me now for some reason. Like I could see it for the mask it was.

Sleep deprivation. That had to be it. I needed sleep. So much sleep. My bones wereachingfor it.

I must’ve said it out loud because Sky made a shooing motion toward the hallway. “I’m fine. Go ahead. You won’t even know I’m here.”

This time, I barely swallowed my snort. Right. Like I could forget there was an alien sleeping twelve feet from my bed.

An alien I’d made out with a mere hour ago.

I flushed and gave him my back. “Night.”

I’d taken one step before he stopped me with a single word. “Rae?”

Pausing with my hand on the wall, I glanced over my shoulder.

“Thank you.”

A blush rose at the way he was looking at me, his small smile. I found my voice. “For what?”