For a second, he’s silent. I know he wants to fight me on this. Duke it out until we’ve come to an understanding one way or another but I just don’t have it in me. I’m tired. This whole entire thing is making me bone tired. I just need it to be over.
“I’m going to study for a bit in my room and then probably pass out. Enjoy your night.” I turn to go into my room, but I feel Arden’s hand grip my wrist, keeping me in the room. I have no idea how he even got over here so fast.
“Wait, please.”
“Let go of me.”
Arden drops my arm immediately and takes a step back for good measure. When I meet his eyes, he looks absolutely devastated. “Dani, what the hell is going on? You’re shutting me out.”
“I’m not shutting you out. I’m just exhausted and don’t want to talk right now.”
“I waited all day for you to get back. I just want to know where we stand.”
“What do you mean? We’re roommates, we’re fuck buddies, we’repretenddating. I thought all of that was pretty clear.”
“Fuck buddies…”
“Friends with benefits?”
“Dani, please.”
Throwing my arms up in the air, I huff in exasperation. “Arden, I don’t know what the hell you want me to say. We aren’t in a relationship. We have made no vows to each other. We have sex occasionally. That’s it.”
He’s quiet again and I know my words are hurting him. Hell, they’re hurting me. But I have to say them. In order to give us some time apart, I need to create space.
“That’s it. Okay, Danika,” Arden says, nodding his head a few times before turning around. He walks into his room and closes the door. I turn around and do the same. Even though, the minute it’s closed, I immediately collapse against it and cry hysterically.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Danika
Layingonmybed,I stare at the stars on my ceiling.You don’t deserve to look at the cute stars.Shut up, devil brain. I didn’t do anything wrong.
No, the only thing I did was turn two perfectly happy people into two perfectly miserable people. I didn’t think I would miss Arden but I haven’t had his touch for almost three nights and that is sending me into a spiral I had no idea could ever happen.
We’re just fuck buddies.No, he doesn’t like that.We’re two people who enjoy discovering and pleasuring each other’s bodies. It doesn’t need to be deeper than that.
Taking a deep breath, I push the covers off of me and creep toward my door. I had heard Arden shuffling around in the kitchen earlier but it sounds like he’s gone back to his bedroom by now. I only hope he’s still awake.Only hope he actually wants to see me.
I open my door and am met with pitch blackness, even underneath Arden’s door. It’s only eleven pm. There’s no way he’s actually asleep.
I continue to tiptoe toward his door, listening at the wood. I hear the dull tones of music and voices, like he’s scrolling through social media. Perfect.
Okay, Dani. Get your sexy, groveling gameface on.
I don’t bother knocking, instead I open the door slightly and peek my head in the crack. Arden is laying in bed, his face is lit up by his phone, and he looks at me as I peek in.
“Hi,” I say first, breaking the ice.
“Hi.”
His tone isn’t exactly pleased but it’s not a dismissal either. I take that as a sign that he’s not going to kick my ass out the door and I slide my whole body in, closing the door behind me.
Arden turns off his phone and puts it down. The only light now is from the shadows cast by the streetlights through the windows. I want him to say something first but I know he won’t. He wants me to spill out exactly what I’m doing there. He’s not going to give an inch until I do.
I take a step forward, then another. “Are you busy?”
He looks at me then sits up in the bed. “Not at the minute. What are you doing?”