brings a hand up to touch my face, gently running his thumb across my skin. "I'll try my hardest to be here whenever you need me to. Plus, you make good food so..." he jokes. I pull back and nip his arm, making him hold his hands up in defense.

"Baby I'm kidding. It means the world to me for you to feel like you have someone to call when you're in distress, and to know that person is me, it fulfills me. I wish my mother had someone she could have called". His words send a spook down my back. His voice always gets so low when he talks about her.

I pull myself closer and throw my arm over him. "You can talk about her if you want. I knew her too, you know" I say. I did know his mother, but only pieces of her stay within my mind. I was far too young to have a vivid memory of her, but I'm sure he never forgot.

"Yeah, I know" he says "It's just hard to talk about".

I understand. I pull my face closer to him and press my lips against his chest. He's so soft, and his smell is a masculine scent that is extremely exquisite. He makes it so easy to want him laying with me forever.

"I'm glad I have you" I whisper into his chest.

He makes me pull back as he cups my face and forces me into his eyes. "You always have. You just didn't know it" there is pure vulnerability in his eyes. He's admitting this.

"What?" I question.

He smiles a bit, a smile I never knew I would see from him. It's all teethy and cute. "I always wanted to have a relationship with you, I just didn't know how. You ignored me for so long so I started doing things to get a rise out of you. It was the only way you'd pay attention to me".

I kept my mouth from flying agape. "What? I never... you have always disliked me, Xyle" I press.

He shakes his head, denying it still. "I was a angry teenage boy, I still am, but I've always felt a soft spot for you, you were a little girl. I knew that we were supposed to get along so I tried, but you were a annoying little brat so you ignored me" he tells.

I playfully pull away from him but he reels me back in. "I was not annoying, and I am not a brat" I protest.

"Oh but you are, baby. That's perfectly fine though. I have a million ways to make you smile instead of pouting" he murmurs into my hair.

I hum into his chest, enjoying the warmth of his body.

"You know something" I pull back to look at him "If that piece of shit never broke up with you, I wouldn't be here" he says.

The thought of it saddens me. He's right. I'm a loyal woman, there's no way I would have allowed myself to be who I am right now with Xyle. I would have still only thought of him as all of the negative things, but now the positives are here.

"Yeah, and what about all those girls you talk with. Do you still..."

"No" he says firmly, not letting me finish. "I don't believe in being a two timing asswipe".

I let out a small giggle at his words. Two timing? Does this mean that we are something? I'm afraid to ask.

I hug him tighter. I think it sends something through his brain because he looks down at me. We stare at each other before he leans his head down. I pucker my lips, expecting to be met with his, so I frown when he kisses my forehead.

"Goodnight" he laughs.

I narrow my eyes at him. I think he'll always be an ass.

X

"Take control of me, Celeste"