Stay Away | Eric Coulter [1]

twenty-eight

"What are you doing?" I ask when I see him laying out a sheet over the small love seat he has in the corner of the room.

Eric glances over his shoulder at me and raises a brow, "What does it look like? I'm turning in for the night."

Raising on my elbows to get a better look at him, "On the couch?"

He shrugs, continuing to fluff up a pillow and propping it up against the armrest. "I figured you'd be more comfortable if you had the bed to yourself. After all, you were Abnegation." He jokes, making me laugh.

Pulling back my duvet, I pat the empty space next to me.

"The bed's big enough for both of us. Even though you are a bit of a giant." I tease in return, "Come on, it's not like we've never shared a bed...well, technically we shared a couch, which is worse if you'd ask me." I point out.

Eric walks over to my side of the bed, leaning over to kiss me.

"Was sharing a couch with me that bad?"

"You do hog all the space," I say, biting down on my bottom lip to keep from smiling. "You can do the same things on the couch as you do on the bed. It's basically the same thing but smaller."

Eric raises a brow at me in amusement, "What kind of things? Are you suggesting what I think you are?"

Although it's obvious he's only joking, I still blush slightly, realising how my words may have sounded. "I'm suggesting sleep."

He leans in until I can feel his breath on my lips, "Then, that's what we'll do." Then, he kisses me deeply, as he pulls the duvet over us both and wraps a thick arm around my waist.

Unlike the sofa in the glass room, Eric's bed was a whole lot more spacious. That, however, doesn't stop us from cuddling into each other as if neither of us could stand having that much space between us.

And just like that, I fall asleep in the safety and warmth of Eric's arms.

✧

    The next morning, I can't help but feel a little worried about seeing Drew again as I get ready to sneak back into the dorms before the rest of my roommates wake up despite Eric telling me it isn't necessary.

I'm not sure how they would react to me dating one of the leaders, and I'm not sure I'm ready to find out either.

"I'll walk with you," Eric tells me as he exits the kitchenette area he has in his room with two cups of coffee in his hands.

"You don't have to," I say, tying up my laces. "I can manage."

Eric grunts. One thing to know about him is he isn't a morning person. Still, he pushes a cup of coffee toward me and I accept it gratefully.

After we'd both finished our coffees, Eric opens the door and moves aside to let me through first.

I freeze in the doorway when I see who's standing in the hallway across from me and Eric narrowly stops himself from bumping right into me as he closes the door behind him.

"What the fuck?"

I groan at my brother's furious voice. Well, fuck. This isn't going to be good.

Eric scoffs from behind me, "Move along, Four. This isn't any of your business."

"Like hell, it isn't." Tobias grits out, his face turning a bright shade of red at how angry he is. "Do you want to explain this to me, V?"