Late Night Love by Chayla Wolfberg

Author:Chayla Wolfberg [Wolfberg, Chayla]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-02-20T00:00:00+00:00

16

No, I did not get what I asked for. Otherwise, I wouldn’t still be panting after you like this. I don’t answer Chris’s question out loud. I don’t know how to. I just trudge after him, wondering what it all means. I asked for strength, and yet I feel weaker by the second.

I told myself I would keep things professional, and here I am, walking into Chris’s apartment. Chris sets Zoe down on his worn leather couch as I nudge his door shut behind me.

Zoe wakes up, shaking her feet out of her heels. They go flying across the room, nearly hitting his framed Trading Places poster. Chris winces.

“Sorry,” Zoe mumbles, pushing herself up to sit. “Are we at your apartment? Why didn’t you just drop me at my dorm?”

“Probably because you were passed out,” Chris replies shortly.

“Well, I’m fine now.” Zoe moves to stand, smoothing down the hem of her tight black dress. She wobbles slightly, placing a hand on his coffee table for support.

“Watch the puzzle.” Chris yelps, and Zoe rolls her eyes.

“I didn’t touch it.” She yawns, stretching, and then her gaze lands on me standing in front of the door. “Emily?”

“Hey,” I wave awkwardly. “Uh, how’s it going?”

“I need to shower,” Zoe mumbles.

“Drink this first,” Chris hands her a glass of water. She chugs it, moving to set it down on the coffee table.

“What did I just say about the puzzle?”

“Sorry, sorry.” Zoe rolls her eyes, handing the glass back to him. “You’re almost done anyway.”

“Almost isn’t done.”

“He’s so weird about his puzzles. He has his favorite ones framed,” Zoe gestures to a few completed puzzles hanging from the walls. “He doesn’t even let me help with them because I lost one piece one time—”

“Twice,” Chris mutters. “Go shower. You smell like jungle juice.”

“I do not,” Zoe pauses, sniffing herself. “Oh, shit. I do. But I’ll be back in a minute. Don’t leave, Emily.” Apparently, her surprise at my presence has transformed to delight. I can’t help but be flattered, considering that Zoe is infinitely cooler than I am.

“I won’t,” I promise, hiding my laughter behind my hand as she bounds off towards what I assume is the bathroom door.

Chris stalks over to the coffee table, pausing over his puzzle as he double checks each piece. I follow, peering around his shoulder.

“What is it?”

“Fenway Park,” He replies, frowning as his eyes scrutinize every inch until he’s satisfied that nothing is out of place. I wonder what it would be like to be that puzzle, to have Chris’s eyes rove over every inch of me as if trying to memorize it.

“So. You’re a puzzler.”

Chris swivels to face me, the corner of his mouth twitching in amusement. “I don’t know if that’s the technical term, but yes. I like puzzles.”

“I’ve never seen them in our office.”

“I do the crossword.”

“But not your puzzles.”

“I don’t like doing them at work. It’s how I switch my brain off when I get home.”

“I’ve never liked puzzles,” I admit.

“Yeah? Why’s that?” Chris leans in slightly, his breath ghosting against my face.

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