“Yeah, but Heath had it way worse. My mom fell apart, got fired from a job she’d had for twenty years. She hasn’t been able to move on.” I swallow down the guilt for not being there when they needed me. “When I eventually pulled my head out of my ass, I had to switch from big brother to father figure, and that isn’t fun for either of us.”

“It sounds like he’s lucky to have you.”

I snort. “I doubt he feels that way.” I notice I’ve angled toward her without even realizing it. “What about you? Do you have siblings?”

“No, only child. I always wanted an older brother with hot friends.”

“If you were my little sister…” I stop and shake my head. “Not even going there.”

Her eyes light up, but she scrunches her face like she’s disgusted at the idea. “Ewww, I’d be your sister.”

“We could have a whole Cersei and Jamie Lannister thing going on.” I shrug. “No kids though, Joffrey was a monster.”

We laugh and then she yawns. My cue to let her get some sleep and also for me to stop thinking about sleeping with her before the lower half of me starts to get ideas again.

“’Night, Chloe.”

We’re facing one another. She’s got both hands pulled together by her face, and I’ve got one arm draped on the pillow behind her. Her eyes are locked on mine for three long seconds while I hold my breath and wait for her to make a play. I can’t be the asshole who makes her feel uncomfortable by making the first move, but I’m dying to kiss her again.

“’Night, Nathan,” she says finally and her lids close.

I don’t go to sleep. Never really planned to. Sleep and I aren’t friends anyway, so it’s really not an inconvenience. I’m lying on my back, counting blondes instead of sheep. Her breathing has slowed and evened out, so I get up quietly and head downstairs.

Everyone has gone to bed, so I’ve got the downstairs to myself. I put in my earbuds and crank up the music. My nighttime workout playlist is loud and angry, drowning out everything but the beat.

Chloe

When I wake up, it takes me a minute to remember where I am. The bed is cold and empty, but the room is still dark. A glance at my phone confirms it’s the middle of the night. I sit up and look around, but there’s no sign of Nathan. Not on the floor or at his desk. Weird as it sounds, I can feel he’s not here.