“Scoot,” Kyler says, motioning for me to move over. He sits down next to me, and hands me the bowl. “Eat.”

I take a sniff of the delicious aroma, and my mouth waters. “I can’t keep anything down.”

“You have to at least try,” Kyler says.

I mumble something under my breath, causing him to chuckle. “What is it?” I ask.

“Soup. Now eat.”

I take the first mouthful and groan in appreciation as the savory goodness assaults my senses.

“Checkin noodle,” I mumble around the spoon. “My favorite.”

After eating half the soup, I hand it back to Kyler, and rest my head on my pillow.

“You don’t have to stay with me,” I tell him. My eyes are heavy, and a yawn escapes my mouth. “I’m sure you need to get back to the office. ” I feel his eyes on my face but I don’t look at him.

“Actually, there’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”

This time, I do look at him and see nothing but honesty and sincerity. He’s telling the truth, and I don’t like how it makes me feel. It’s just another blurred line.

Kyler’s hand rests on my hip, and he nudges me to roll over. With my back to his front, his arm wraps around my waist and he pulls me closer. His warmth blankets me, and soothes my muscles. Before I have time to think about what this means, my eyes drop and my breathing evens out. I’m lulled into sleep by Kyler’s warmth, and by how well our bodies fit together. For a fleeting moment, this is real. We’re more than just friends who sleep with each other. We’re real.

It’s a few hours later when I start to stir. Kyler’s arm is wound tightly around me, and I twist, careful not to wake him. His face is relaxed, his mouth soft. He really is a beautiful man. Strong and virile. His day old stubble makes him look older, sexier. Rugged. His hair hangs on his forehead, touching his eyebrow, and I brush it away. His arm twitches and his legs intertwine with mine.

“Stop staring at me,” he mumbles, his eyes remaining closed. “It’s a little creepy.”

I grin, nestling just a little closer. He cracks an eye open, and I’m greeted by crystal clear blue. “Hi,” he sighs, his voice husky. He gives me a lazy smile and my insides flip.

“Hey, sleepyhead.”

“How are you feeling?”

“Better,” I reply. “Thank you for taking care of me.”

“It’s fine,” he says, kissing my nose. “I’m glad you’re feeling better.” “Me too. I might have to keep you on speed dial in case I need you to do house calls more often.”

Kyler’s mouth tips into a half-smile and his eyes fill with laughter. “Sounds good,” he murmurs against my forehead.

Kyler’s phone starts to ring and he rolls over onto his back to reach for it. I rest my chin on his chest as he answers, “Hello?”

His eyes drop to me and a slow smile spreads across his face. “Yeah, she’s fine….hmmm hmmm…No, I’m not leaving her… Yes, I’ll probably stay the night…And tomorrow night…” he rolls his eyes, “Okay, fine…” He hands the phone to me. “It’s for you.”

Frowning, I bring the phone up to my ear. “Hello?”

“Hi, babe! You feeling better?” Quinn’s voice comes through the phone, much to my bewilderment.

“Much better,” I reply. “But how did you know I was feeling sick to begin with?”

Quinn mumbles something in the background, presumably talking to Jarred, and then replies, “Kyler called me while you were asleep.”

“Oh.”

“Don’t sound so surprised, Cass,” she pauses. “Do you think you can slip away from him for a minute? I need to talk to you about something.” “Sure,” I reply. I hold the phone away from me, and look at Kyler. “I’ll just be a minute.”

“Can I order some dinner?” he asks, still smiling.

“Please, I’m starving. Take-out menus are on the fridge.”

He slips out of bed, but not before he kisses me on the forehead. Another blurred line, I think to myself. When his footsteps grow softer, I bring his phone back to my ear. “Okay, Quinny, I’m all yours.”

She sighs. “I think Kyler is falling in love with you.”

“What? Why would you think that? Did he say anything?”

“No, but he didn’t have to. I could hear it in his voice when he called me earlier.”

“Quinn, I’m pretty sure you’re wrong. It’s not like that with us, you know that.”

“I know, but I think things may have changed for him, Cass, even if he hasn’t realized it yet.”

“Why are you telling me this?” I ask quietly.

“Because deep down, you know I’m right, and I think your feelings for him might have changed, too. Maybe it’s time to take another risk, and tell him?” “I can’t, Quinn. That will mean this is over, and I don’t want to lose him just yet.”

“How can you be so certain you’ll lose him?”

“I just am, okay. I just want a bit more time with him, before…” “Cass, it’s only going to be harder later on. So, you have a choice here; you can either run scared, or you can take a risk and jump.”

“I don’t know,” I breathe out. “Tell me what to do, Quinn.”

She lets out a soft laugh on the other end of the line. “Be honest with yourself, Cass. If you feel something for him, tell him. If he walks away, you’ll get to say you took a risk for the first time in your life, and if he doesn’t, you’ll get a chance to realize that you and Kyler are meant to be together. It’s a winwin, in my opinion.”

“I have to go,” Quinn continues. “But think about what I said. I’ll see you at work tomorrow, okay?”

“Okay, see you tomorrow. Love you.”

“Love you, too, sis. Bye.”

I end the call feeling more confused than ever. It seems that I’m at a crossroad, one I should’ve been able to anticipate. And while I knew there would be a possibility I’d have to walk away from Kyler, the choice doesn’t feel so simple anymore. With Quinn’s words floating through my mind, I make my way to the kitchen where Kyler is dishing up some pizza. He smiles when he sees me, and I wonder if Quinn could be right, if Kyler could possibly feel more for me. mFor tonight though, I don’t want to think about it. Instead, Kyler and I eat pizza, watch crappy television and curl up on the sofa. It’s perfect, even if it’s just an illusion of what could be.

~ Kyler ~

Growing up, my favorite time was always the calm after the storm, when everything grew quiet. Those times were the only moments I experienced peace and serenity, like everything was as it should be. Looking as Cassey, I feel that again. Her lips are pouted, a slight frown between her brows, and her chest moves up and down in a steady rhythm with her breathing. I’ve been watching her like a total creeper, amusing myself because she did exactly the same thing yesterday.

She moans, and I watch her kick off the sheets. Her back arches, and her fists clutch at the sheet covering the mattress. She sinks her teeth into her bottom lip as her body continues to writhe. I feel my cock harden.