I look at the offered fabric. “What’s this for?”

“I’m assuming you didn’t pack pajamas in there,” Jace replies, nodding to my backpack. “And if you did, that was awfully presumptuous.”

“You’re giving me clothes to put on?” Confusion colors my voice.

“What, did you think I was inviting you over for a booty call?” Jace asks.

I don’t reply, because that’s exactly what I was thinking, and it’s clear to me now that’s not what Jace has in mind. I battle a combination of disappointment and relief.

“I’m smoother than that, Viv.” Jace smirks at me.

“How would I know?” I challenge.

“Oh, you’ll know.” He sends me a sexy grin.

“‘Spend the night’ is usually code for sex, Jace,” I state the obvious.

“I’m well aware. But when I asked you to spend the night, I was not using code.”

“Well, how was I supposed to know that?” I ask in frustration, ripping off Jace’s sweatshirt. “Most guys—”

“I’m not most guys,” Jace interrupts.

“That’s for sure,” I mutter.

Jace grins.

“That wasn’t a compliment,” I snap.

Jace takes off his own jacket and pulls off the tight sweat-wicking t-shirt he has on underneath, exposing his impressive physique. I trace the stacked muscles of his torso with my eyes. Jace glances up, and I don’t even attempt to hide my blatant ogling.

“So exactly how set are you on this no sex thing?” I ask.

Jace smirks, then tosses me the same t-shirt he offered me before. I manage to snag it out of midair.

“Get changed, Viv,” is all he says.

“You’re going to give me a complex,” I tell him as I pull down my yoga pants and put on his t-shirt. “The campus player who won’t sleep with me. You’re bad for my ego.”

Jace lets out a dry chuckle. “You’re bad for mine.”

He takes off his pants. We stand facing each other in his room, me in his t-shirt and him in his black boxer briefs. I feel a flash of déjà vu.

“Seriously, Jace,” I implore. “Why not? I’m sober and your sister is a couple states away.”

Jace smiles slightly, but then turns serious again. “Because you deserve for it to be perfect. It’s never meant anything to me before, but it’ll mean something to me just because it’s you. But you deserve better than this.” He gestures to his messy room.

“Jace…” I start, my throat thick with emotion.

“Plus, my housemates will be home soon, and I doubt you’d be able to stay quiet,” he adds, lightening the heavy moment.

He walks over to his bed and climbs in. “Get in.”

I turn off the light and feel my way through the dark over to his bed. The warmth from Jace’s body is already radiating throughout the entire bed. He pulls me close to his side and plants a soft kiss on my forehead before promptly falling asleep.

I try to stay awake longer to contemplate some of the questions swirling through my head, but I quickly succumb to my own exhaustion and fall asleep.