Ice Cold

24

I tried not to let the embarrassment show, so I looked away from him, glaring at the blank wall beside my bed.

Wren spent the next few minutes working on my paper, the sound of his typing drifting through the room. When he was finished, he tapped on my leg for me to look. I didn't notice much of a difference on the screen.

"What did you even do?" I asked. "That's the same as it was."

"No, it's not," Wren replied. "I corrected your citations and fixed the grammar and sentences. It'll make it at least go up a letter grade."

I gave him a blank stare.

"Maybe I'll do something nice for you if you finish it right now," Wren said after a moment, standing up from the desk.

"I don't want you to do anything nice for me," I grumbled, sitting down where Wren once was.

He put his hand on my shoulder, brushing his thumb against my neck as he leaned down to speak into my ear.

"Don't be like that," he whispered. "We both know you're lying anyway."

I shivered as he moved away, sitting back on my bed and flipping through my book once again.

It was hard to concentrate with Wren in the room, though I knew he wasn't paying any attention to me. I didn't like that he was behind me, that I couldn't see what he was doing. Every time I turned to steal a glance at him, he was in the same position propped up against my pillows with my philosophy text book in his lap.

When I finally did finish my paper, Wren knew instantly.

"You're done?" he asked. I nodded. "Let me see."

"You don't need to see," I snapped, saving my work and submitting it before he could do anything about it then spun around to face him.

Wren shrugged. "Fine. It's your grade."

"Yeah, it is my grade," I said, narrowing my eyes at him. "Did you get your fix of annoying me for the night or is there more?"

Wren grinned. "You're wound up really tight tonight. I can take care of that if you'd like."

Two parts of me were at odds. One part of me wanted to kick him out of the room and go to sleep, trying to forget he was even here to begin with. The other part, the stronger part, wanted to experience whatever it was he was offering.

This was the problem with getting involved with Wren. I hated him, wanted nothing to do with him, but I couldn't keep myself away. I hated him but I wanted him. He infuriated me at the same time he pleased me. The whole situation was contradictory and I had no idea what to think about it.

"Get up on the bed," Wren lightly demanded.

I got up from the desk chair but stopped myself short of getting on the bed like he wanted. I hated myself for almost obeying him.

"You're so..." I started.

"I know. I'm annoying and infuriating and insufferable," he finished for me. "I probably missed a couple, but I'm well versed on that. Would you like me to blow you or not?"

I nearly choked on air at his words. He looked at me expectantly, like he didn't just say something vulgar.

I was torn between pushing him out of here and just giving in. I never thought about going this far with Wren, about letting him see me so intimately. That was the scariest part about it, letting him see me so vulnerable. That and the fact that I didn't know if I could handle this, if I could keep my mind from going to a dark place.