Page 194 of Things We Hide from the Light

Lucian slammed the door, cutting Sloane off midsentence.

“Those two are going to implode one day. Right, Pipe?” I asked the dog that was tap-dancing playfully at my feet.

“Angel, I need your key,” Nash called.

“Door’s unlocked,” I told him, meeting him and Nolan in the kitchen.

“Good. Go get your stuff and bring back your key,” he said.

“My stuff?”

“Graham’s taking over your place until this is over. It’ll help to have him closer than the motel.”

“Not gonna lie. I’m lookin’ forward to a real bed and not having to stomp on half a dozen roaches before my shower,” Nolan said cheerfully.

“Uh, you get the couch, my friend,” I told him.

“No. He gets your place,” Nash countered. “You’re staying with me.”

“You expect me tomove in with you?” My voice went up an octave. I instantly began to sweat.

“On that note, I’ll go get my shit. Be back here in however long it takes to scare the rats out of my suitcase,” Nolan announced and ran for the door.

“Fight me on this,” Nash dared me.

“I can’t just move in with you, Nash. That’s insane. We barely made it through the day without fighting, and you want to share a bathroom with me? Donotsmile at me likeI’mthe crazy one!” I could hear the hysterical tinge to my words but there was no dialing it back.

He was still smiling, but now he was heading toward me.

I held up my hands and began to back away. “It’s one thing to accidentally fall asleep after sex, but to bring my clothes here and… Do you even have closet space? I can’t just leave my things in a suitcase. They need to breathe.”

Ineeded to breathe.

Nash caught me, his hands settling on my hips and tugging me closer. I hated the fact that I instantly felt calmer.

“Take a breath,” he insisted.

I sucked in a tiny, useless inhalation.

“You’re adorable when you freak out.”

“I’m not freaking out. I’m…processing your ludicrous suggestion.”

“If it makes you feel better, this is just temporary,” he said, his voice annoyingly calm.

Temporary. Temporary. Temporary. Just like our relationship. One day at a time until…after.

Nash brought my hands to the back of his neck and then began to sway.

“Why do you keep slow dancing with me?”

“Because I like being close to you even when we have all our clothes on.”

“This can’t be the best solution,” I insisted. “Why don’t we all move in to the motel?”

“He wasn’t joking about the rats,” Nash pointed out.

“Okay, fine. We’ll all move in with Naomi and Knox. They’ve got room.”