His eyes lifted as he stepped back inside. “Just play along. You’re ruining my whole vision of this.”
When he closed the door, though not entirely, I decided to go along with his crazy scheme. Rapping on the door, I waited a whole half second before it flew open.
“I heard you were looking for a roommate with benefits.” Flashing a grin, I stuck my thumb into my chest. “I’ve come to apply for the position.”
He fought a smile as he reached for my hand. His eyes were lighter than they’d been when he’d first entered the apartment. “Hayden Agatha Hayes,” he said all solemn-like, his gaze intense, “will you be my roommate?”
My mouth twitched as I gave him a funny look. “Um, yeah?”
He leaned in to whisper, “You’re supposed to say ‘I do.’ Or, ‘I will’—whatever feels truest to who you are. Let’s try it again.”
Leaning back, he cleared his throat, flashing a wink when I shook my head. Crazy. I loved him for it too. Every last crazy, insane, irrational fiber of his being.
“Hayden Agatha Hayes”—his hand squeezed mine—“will you be my roommate?”
Standing up straight, I gave my answer just as formally as he’d voiced his question. “I will.” We stood like that for a moment longer before I glanced over his shoulder. “Can I come in already and get unpacked while you explain what this was all about?”
He slid aside to let me pass, flagging me inside. “Just practicing.”
“For what?”
He had the door closed the instant I cleared it. “When it comes time to ask you another question.”
My feet froze to the hallway floor. “Soren. I’m nineteen. I’m not becoming a teenage bride.” When I glanced back so he knew how serious I was, the grin on his face wiped the serious right off of me.
“Always ruining the romantic mood I’m trying to set.”
My finger lifted in a stern way, since I couldn’t hold my serious face. “I will not say yes until I’m in my twenties. You can ask all you want, but you’re not hearing a yes until I’ve officially reached that milestone.”
As he locked the door, his brows moved. “So I’m getting a yes?”
When I realized what I’d just given away, I groaned. “Soren . . .”
Both of us smiled. How many times had I sighed his name in that exasperated tone? Those were memories too. Good ones. Some of the best. As he took my hand and led me by the boxes, I realized we didn’t have to pack any of them and carry them away. They could all stay here—with us.
“Just come here for a minute. I want to reenact something over here, too.” Turning into me, his body pressed into mine, backing me up into . . . “Right here against this wall.”
My hands tied behind his back as he lifted me into his arms. “What is it with you and this wall?”
“It’s not the wall. It’s what I’m holding between me and it.” His arms secured around me tighter, feeling capable of carrying me through whatever challenges would come.
“Me?” Other than air, there was nothing between him and this wall he was so fond of. “The person who did everything you warned me not to and made a huge mess? The person who destroyed the great thing we had because I stumbled on a few pieces of paper and assumed I knew what they meant? The girl who let her fear of losing you be the very reason she did?” I had to take a breath. “Is that who you’re referring to?”
“You.” His lips touched mine. “Also known as my whole entire world.”
I gave him the most convincing look of apology I could, tying my legs around him tighter. I wasn’t letting go. Not for anything. “I’m sorry your whole entire world is such a hot mess.”
He chuckle rumbled in his chest. “If the person you love doesn’t want to make you breathe fire and pull your hair out every once in a while, she’s not the right one.”
My eyebrows knitted together. “And what’s your logic behind that?”
“Because I want her to love me so damn much, she wants to roast my corpse over a spit for lying to her—for even thinking I’m lying to her,” he added, catching the protest rising from my lips. “I want her to care about me—care about us—so much it drives her up a fucking wall.”
“Roast corpse. Up a fucking wall,” I counted off, debating a moment before giving a nod. “Accurate assessment.”
Soren pressed closer, like he was trying to leave his imprint on me. But he already had. Months ago. On the first day I moved in and knew all of my dreams were about to come true.
“Good,” he whispered against me, “because I feel the same damn way about her.”