I’m in Will Myers’ bed.

The last time this happened, his ceiling looked differently. When he lived with his parents, his bed was against the wall next to the door. The window was to the left, making the moonlight shine in the opposite direction than it is right now.

I’m nervous but, again, not the same kind. Back then, I had to worry about his parents or his sister barging in without knocking and catching us snuggled up together under the sheets. Not that we ever did anything too dirty in his parents’ house but good luck trying to convince them of that.

No, I only slept in Will’s bed during times when I had nowhere else to go. It was the only safe and warm place I knew I could always trust.

It’s good to know that even after everything, Will still thinks so, too.

I turn over and look at the door, feeling my heart twist a little deeper in my chest. I can’t stop thinking that any moment now, the doorknob will turn and Will will step inside. He’ll walk over and stand above the bed, silently gazing at me until he reaches down to brush a strand of hair off my cheek.

The fantasy plays out in my head, complete with him kissing me as I open the covers to him.

But it can’t be like that.

It won’t be like that.

Whatever ship Will and I potentially had sailed a long time ago and got wrecked out on a deserted island somewhere.

I adjust the pillow beneath my head and take a deep breath as his scent invades my nose. I close my eyes and curl my toes. Warmth rolls down my spine, coursing through my limbs until it settles in my core and throbs softly with my rhythmic pulse.

Will is in the very next room. It’d be so easy to slip out of bed and go see him. I know that he’ll feel me standing over him. He’ll open his eyes and sit up with concern for me and ask what was wrong.

I wouldn’t even have to say a word. I could lower down and straddle his waist. He’d place his hands on my hips and draw me just a little bit closer until our lips touched.

I’d feel his bulge growing beneath me and my core swelling to take him again. His fingers would crawl beneath my shirt to cup my breasts and my nipples would grow hard against his palms.

Our lips would never stop moving. Our bodies would grind and tease each other. He wouldn’t object when I reached down to free his erection and I’d moan his name as I penetrated myself with it.

My heat would spike and his hips would rock. Four years of built-up tensions would implode on us and there’s nothing either of us would do to stop it.

I let out a soft, inaudible whimper as I come against my hand. My fingers rest as my blood pumps and my muscles twitch. Ripples of pleasure dance throughout my body and I focus hard on not making a sound.

I roll over, burying my nose in his pillow again. Hopefully, that’s the only time I’ll have to force this urge out of my system but that dull throbbing between my legs refuses to let me go.

* * *

Early sunlight shines through the windows. The curtains aren’t thick enough to block them out and I think to give Will shit about that but then I realize that he probably keeps them open like that on purpose.

He’s not the same kid I grew up with.

Back then, he was lazy and cocky and didn’t think twice about sleeping until after noon. Now, he’s responsible. He owns his own house and has a schedule to keep. The sun isn’t his enemy anymore.

Maybe I could learn a thing or two from new Will Myers.

I step out into the hallway in search for the bathroom and run right into Will’s bare chest.

“Oh, sorry…” I say, hopping back and forcing my eyes down to my feet.

“It’s okay…” He does the same but his gaze stops about halfway down my body. “Nice,” he says, gesturing to the shirt.

I grab the bottom and force it downward to cover my upper thighs. “Yeah… I, uh…” I feign a laugh. “I didn’t want to sleep in my jeans in your bed and then I forgot I wasn’t wearing them…”

“It’s fine.” He nods. “I won’t look.”

“Thanks.”

I push my hair behind my ear with my free hand, cursing to myself as my fingers immediately get tangled in whatever nest has taken over up there.

He points to the bathroom. “Did you need to…?”

“Yes.” I nod a few times. “But you can go first.”

“No, I insist.” He shifts back. “You’re my guest.”

I step forward, cutting off his path as I pass in front of him.

“Don’t wait for me,” he says.

I freeze mid-stride and look up at him again. “Huh?”

He holds out his hand. There’s a piece of folded notebook paper clenched in his fist.

I sigh. “Will…”

“Don’t wait for me?” he repeats.

“You said you didn’t get that.”

“I went back and found it in my room yesterday. It fell behind my dresser. Don’t wait for me?”

“Stop saying it.”

“You obviously felt they were very important or else you wouldn’t have chosen them to be the last words you ever said to me, Jovie.”

“What else was there to say? I knew how you’d react to me leaving.”

“But you did it anyway.”

“Because I knew you could do better.”

“I didn’t want better,” he says. “I wanted you. Proposing was a bad idea, I know that now. Breaking up with you wasn’t much better, either. But I wanted you.” He stares at me with hard, unblinking eyes. “I still do.”

Will drops the note and rests his hand against my cheek. I fight the urge to turn into it but my body refuses to listen. His strong fingers slide back under my ear and I tilt my face upward.

Our lips touch. Warm breath slips between them but neither of us move. We linger together, hovering in a state of shock and wanting until I feel his bottom lip quiver against mine.

The kiss is soft at first but grows firmer as Will’s arm curls around me. I grip his bare waist as my knees threaten to let me fall and he pulls me even closer against him. My lips part for his tongue as his hand slides from my cheek down my body, gliding from my heaving breasts to crawl beneath the bottom of my shirt.

His finger hooks my panties as a knock pounds on the front door.

“Yo, Will! Rise and shine!”

We pull apart. He lets go of me and I hesitate before taking my hands off him.

“It’s Tucker,” he says.

“Yeah.” I wipe my tingling lips. “I should grab my stuff and get out of here.”

“Well…” Another knock cuts the silence but he ignores it. “You don’t have to leave—”

“Will!”

He sighs and holds up a finger. “Just hang on a second. Don’t go anywhere. Please.”

I smile as he rushes to the living room but reality sinks in deeper with every step he takes toward the front door.

This can’t happen again.