Page 115 of Merry Christmas, You Filthy Animal
I glance back at the single blanket and the pillow. “Yeah, it’s fine.”
“You won’t fit on the couch, Atlas.”
“Eh, I’ll curl up.”
“I can take the couch,” she says as she slowly moves toward it.
“No,” I say, sounding more forceful than I want to. “I mean, no, please, take the air mattress. You’re already cold. You need to stay close to the fire. I’ll manage it throughout the night, but it might die down a little, and I don’t want you getting any colder than you are. You’re taking the air mattress.”
She looks at the air mattress, studying it, and then says, “Share it with me.”
“No, it’s okay. You take it.”
“Do you not want to share it with me?” I swear her pupils grow larger than normal as she stares up at me.
I mean, yeah, I want to fucking share it with her. That would be amazing, but I don’t want to make her uncomfortable. “I, uh, I don’t have any problem sharing it. I just want to respect your space is all.”
“Please share. I might need your body heat during the night anyway.”
I mean, valid point. “Okay, yeah, I can share with you.”
“Thank you,” she answers quietly and then moves toward the bed.
“Do you need help?” I ask, pausing her from getting down on the mattress.
“Atlas?”
“Hmm?”
“I really can do this myself.”
“I know.” I push my hand through my hair, feeling awkward and nervous. “I just... I don’t know. I want to make sure you’re okay.”
“I appreciate that, but I can handle this.”
And then I watch her climb on the air mattress and slip under the covers.
Okay, she can handle this.
I check the front door one last time to make sure it’s locked, grab my phone and a flashlight, and set them next to the bed in case I need them in the middle of the night, put one more log on the fire, and then move down to the air mattress and slip under the covers as well, making a deliberate point to stick to my side of the bed.
“Are you, uh, are you comfortable?” I ask.
“Yes,” she says with a shiver.
“Want another blanket?”
“No. Can you . . . can you come closer?”
“Oh sure,” I say on a gulp as I slide closer to her.
And then to my utter surprise, she closes the distance and plasters her body right against mine. And it’s awkward, because my arm is against my right side, and she’s up against my arm. I want to put my arm around her. I want to have her close, but that’s pretty presumptuous?—
“Can you hold me?” she asks, causing a sweat to break out on my upper lip, because was she just reading my mind?
“Are you sure?” I ask.
“Positive,” she says.
